Fort Thomas (1)

 (1889-1964) - First established in 1889 on a site selected by General Philip H. Sheridan,. Named after General George H. Thomas,, U.S. Civil War General. Active duty military left in 1964, reserve units remain.

History
Built on a site selected by General Philip H. Sheridan in 1887 as a replacement for Newport Barracks (2). The fort was situated on a bluff above the Ohio River about three miles from the town of Newport, Kentucky. First garrisoned 15 Aug 1890 by two companies of the 6th U.S. Infantry and first commanded by Colonel Melville Cochran.

One of the early structures built on the new post was a 102 foot Kentucky limestone water tower. Within the tower is a 100,000-gallon standpipe that stores water and supplies water pressure for the post. The tower was a fortress-like structure built in 1890 at a cost of $10,995. The tower has been embellished over the years with plaques and a set of cannons commemorating various war heroes, battles and wars.

Other permanent structures on the post included two sets of officer housing (Greene Street and Alexander Circle), a large brick barracks building, NCO quarters, a brick mess hall and a large brick armory building. Temporary housing and barracks supplemented the permanent structures during the World War I and World War II expansions.

Fort Thomas first served as a replacement for Newport Barracks (2) and over the years it served as a replacement depot, induction center, and military hospital before closing in 1946.

Current Status
Most of the post was taken over by the VA Hospital and the City of Fort Thomas. The U.S. Army Reserves and the U.S. Corps of Engineers also maintain facilities on the post.

The officer quarters on Greene Street were privatized and sold to individuals in 1992, creating an upscale "Military Commons". These homes have been modernized internally with the exteriors kept keeping their 1890s look. The officer quarters on Alexander Circle remain unoccupied and deteriorating. The large brick barracks is now part of the VA complex and the brick mess hall is a community center.

Sources:
 * , page 321

Links:
 * North American Forts - Fort Thomas (1)
 * VA - Fort Thomas
 * Fort Thomas Official City Site