Officially abandoned in 1886, Fort Fred Steele came under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior in 1887. In 1892 and 1893, most of the buildings were sold at public auction. In 1897, the land was opened to homesteading and patented by the Union Pacific Railroad. After the turn of the century, the town of Fort Steele relied primarily on sheep ranching and tie processing. The Lincoln Highway, the nation's first transcontinental highway, passed through the town and boosted the economy between 1920 and 1939. When the highway was moved in 1939, most commercial activity ended, the number of residents declined rapidly, and the town became practically deserted. In 1973, the Wyoming State Legislature created the Fort Steele State Historic Site. Although the number of structures has declined dramatically over the years, what remains standing is mute testimony to the flourishing and subsequent passing of several frontiers.