We visited Fort Scott back in April of 2017:

Fort Scott was an unexpected delight to us on the eastern border of Kansas.  We arrived in spring with the warm sun on our backs as we enjoyed the wide open farm and ranch land of the area.  Fort Scott began as a chain of forts protecting the western Mississippi River borders from native Americans in the early 1840s.

Initially the forts maintained the border of the permanent Indian Frontier, but western expansion changed their mission to helping pioneers move west along the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails.  The troops consisted of infantry as well as a more versatile unit called the dragoons, who could fight mounted or on the ground.  The stables can be seen on the left side of the picture above, the officer quarters at the far end away from the camera, and the ammunition storage in the center red brick building.

These troops earned their keep by marching into California and Mexico City in the Mexican American War of 1846.  Prior to the Civil War, there was great debate on how states such as Kansas should enter the United States, slave or free?  It seemed a sensible thing to let each state decide for itself, but that resulted in great bloodshed as both political views sent people into the states to uphold their beliefs.  The fort had been sold off in auction but the soldiers returned periodically to reign in the violent debate.

When Kansas entered as a free state and the Civil War started, the fort served as a supply source, hospital to the Union troops in the west, and a point to which war refugees (white, black, and Indian) migrated to.  The first Black regiment to fight the Confederates was formed from these refugees.  Native Americans were also enlisted to fight in the war.

The story of the fort and our western frontier ends with the advent of railroads and the troops defended the building of the railways.

You can enter  Fort Scott and wander the restored troop buildings, then find another pleasure by wandering the the town and admiring the old architecture.  A lot of work has been put into the town and fort to give any visitor enjoyment in walking back into history.

Kansas was really very nice to explore, the Spring weather was perfect and combined with a Royals baseball game, we had a blast 🙂

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