The Post Headquarters:

From this building, the commander of the Mountain District of the U.S. Army issued orders to Forts Phil Kearny, C.F. Smith, and Reno. The Mountain District was made up of the 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry until 1867, when it was reorganized into the 27th Infantry Regiment. During the building’s existence, the 25 by 50 foot, one inch plank board and batten structure served as an office for Colonels Henry B. Carrington, Henry Wessells, and John E. Smith. It was also the communication center for Fort Phil Kearny, with flag signalmen on a lookout stand attached to the building receiving and sending messages to Pilot Knob and other points. In 1867, Quartermaster Captain George Dandy described the building as “needing torn down,” yet it continued to function in a number of ways until the closure of the fort. One use was as a schoolhouse, where Chaplain White taught classes for the 10 children of 17 families on post.

Wyoming · United States