Bents Creek was named for Charles Bent (1799-1847) and William Bent (1809-1869), famed for frontier trading with mountain men and "wild" Indians. As early as 1835 they came from their headquarters near present La Junta, Colo., to trade with the Kiowas and Comanches along the Canadian River in this vicinity. They built at least three posts along the river and tributary creeks; the most permanent post was Fort Adobe, built in 1843-1844. In the ruins of this fort northeast of here, Kit Carson fought his last big Indian battle in 1864, and buffalo hunters and Indians fought the Battle of Adobe Walls in 1874.
