Fort Yamhill

Fort Yamhill (1855-1866) Established 26 Mar 1856 during the Rogue River Indian War by Lt. William B. Hazen to watch over Indian tribes relocated from southern Oregon. Named after the nearby South Fork of the Yamhill River. Abandoned after the U.S. Civil War in 1866.

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  Fort Yamhill Blockhouse, Dayton, Oregon 2005.
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  Location of Fort Yamhill 2005.
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  Fort Yamhill Restored Officer's Quarters 2015.

History

The fort was sited and construction was begun by Lt. William B. Hazen 26 Mar 1856. The site chosen overlooked the Grand Ronde Indian Agency and the relocated tribes. The fort was positioned just west of a demarcation line drawn earlier to separate the settlers and the Indians and along the military road to the coast. The post also adjoined the Killimuck Indian trail so access could be controlled. Civil War General Philip H. Sheridan, then a 2nd Lieutenant, joined Lt. Hazen at Fort Yamhill 25 Apr 1857 and, as quartermaster, supervised the completion of the fort. Sheridan remained at the fort until the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War in 1861 except for a 9-month assignment to Fort Hoskins.

At its peak, Fort Yamhill housed two or three companies for a total of about 250 men. Two similar outposts were created to watch over Indian agencies: Fort Hoskins in Benton County, and Fort Umpqua across from Winchester Bay, Oregon. Fort Yamhill was abandoned and disassembled in 1866. The buildings were auctioned off and the land sold to private interests on 27 Aug 1866. The original blockhouse was removed in 1911 and now resides in Dayton City Park, Dayton, Oregon.

Current Status

The remains of the fort were rediscovered and a 55 acre Fort Yamhill State Heritage Area was open to the public 31 Jul 2006. The remains of a single building, thought to be Lt. Sheridan's quarters, survived on the site but was moved and later incorporated into another building. That building will be restored to the original configuration and will be moved back to the original location on officers row. See how Sheridan House has changed over the years. It is unclear if the original blockhouse, now in Dayton, will be restored to the original location.

A 2015 visit found the exterior of the officer's quarters building mostly restored with only the rear wall without siding. The original roofline has been restored along with the front entrance and porch. The interior restoration is not complete and the interior is not open to the public. Several interior displays can be viewed through the windows. The building has not yet been moved back to the original location and remains at the base of the hill.

A 1991 survey revealed the location of at least 24 major buildings that once occupied the site including:

Context

Location: About 2 miles northeast of Spirit Mountain Casino in Polk County, Oregon.
Lat: 45.069° Long: -123.571° Elevation: 466' Bing, Google, OldMapsOnline, USGS, OHM

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• 6 Officers’ Quarters
• Company Quarters
• Carpenter's Shop
• Blacksmith Shop
• Hospital
• Kitchen
• Stables
• Barn
• Sutler’s store
• 6 Laundress quarters
• Original blockhouse
• Guardhouse
• Sentry Box
• Adjutant's Office
• Bake House
• Storehouse

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  Dr. David Brauner at the site of the Officer's Quarters Excavation at Fort Yamhill
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  On Site Fort Yamhill Map

Dr. David Brauner from the Oregon State University Anthropology Department is conducting a multi-year excavation project on the site. His current focus is on the six buildings that made up the officer's quarters on the East side of the post and on the post kitchen located near the center of the post. The kitchen excavation is viewable from the newly constructed path through the post. In 2007 the excavations expanded to include other buildings on the post. Follow this link to view pictures of the excavation. Sources: Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2, page 138 Frazer, Robert W., Forts of the West, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman OK, 1965, ISBN 0-8061-1250-6, page 133 Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 670 McArthur, Lewis A. & McArthur, Lewis L., Oregon Geographic Names, Oregon Historical Society Press; 7 edition (December 2003), 1073 pages, ISBN 0875952771, ISBN 978-0875952772, page 375 Oregon Military History, Forts-Camps-Roads Statesman Journal 13 Aug 2005 Statesman Journal 28 Jul 2006 USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 1851689 Links: North American Forts - Fort Yamhill Wikipedia - Fort Yamhill Fort Yamhill Park USGS - Fort Yamhill Publications: Cooper, Edward S., William Babcock Hazen: The Best Hated Man, Fairleigh Dickinson University Press (October 2005), ISBN-10:0838640893, ISBN-13:978-0838640890, page 31-32 Bensell, Royal A., Gunter Barth ed., All Quiet on the Yamhill: The Civil War in Oregon, University of Oregon Books, Eugene, Oregon, 1959 Picture Gallery Excavation pictures Sheridan House pictures Original blockhouse pictures Fort Yamhill entrance sign, Aug 2006 Fort Yamhill completed facilities, Aug 2006 Period Flag flying over Fort Yamhill parade ground, Jul 2007 Fort Yamhill Flag Pole on the Parade Ground, Jul 2006 Spirit Mountain from Fort Yamhill Parade Ground 2005 Spirit Mountain from the Fort Yamhill Blockhouse location, Aug 2007 Fort Yamhill Sign showing the location of Killimuck Trail, Aug 2006 Fort Yamhill Artifacts 2005 Fort Yamhill Officers Quarters under restoration, Nov 2005 Fort Yamhill Officers Quarters Door Sill 2005 Fort Yamhill Construction, Jul 2006 Fort Yamhill Parking Lot Construction, Jul 2006 View of the Killimuck Indian trail at Fort Yamhill, Aug 2006 View of the Salem Road at Fort Yamhill, Aug 2006 View of the South Yamhill River below Fort Yamhill (Hwy 22 Bridg), Aug 2006 Related: Dr. David Brauner, Fort Hill, Fort Hoskins, Fort Umpqua, Fort Yamhill - Blockhouse, Fort Yamhill - Excavations, Fort Yamhill - Park Signage, Fort Yamhill - Sheridan House, Fort Yamhill will be uncovered, studied, Forts of the West, Oregon Geographic Names, Oregon Military History, Forts-Camps-Roads, Rogue River Indian War, Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Yaquina Bay Blockhouse, Battery Russell, DeLancey Floyd-Jones, William B. Hazen, Philip H. Sheridan, Andrew J. Smith,