fedevents

Events connected to Ft. Douglas

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For additional information on Fort Douglas we recommend:
    Charles G. Hibbard, Fort Douglas 1862-1991. (available from our gift shop for on-line purchase or over the counter when you visit)
                    [entire text available on line as a searchable document?]
    Links to reference material related specifically to Fort Douglas
    Links to information related to U.S/ military history topics
    Links to information on Utah military history topics.

1847 July 24 Mormon pioneers under Brigham Young settle in Salt Lake
1857-58 Large part of U.S. Army sent to Utah to ensure Mormon settlers behave.
1858 US Army post established at Camp Floyd
1861 Camp Floyd abandoned when troops ordered east at outbreak of Civil War.
1862 Oct 26 COL Patrick E. Connor with the 3rd California Volunteers establish Camp Douglas, overlooking Salt Lake City, to protect the overland mail route and to keep an eye on the Mormons.
1863 January 28 Troops from Fort Douglas engaged in Massacre (or Battle) at Bear River, ID
1863 Adobe and log buildings erected

1866 California Volunteers discharged, 18th Infantry arrives
1869 Trans-continental railroad completed at Promontory Point
18670s-70s Troops participate in northern plains Indian wars
1873-76 Sandstone barracks and officer quarters erected.
1876 June 25 Custer Massacre at Little Bighorn. Ft Douglas troops placed on alert but not ordered to Montana

....

1894 Two Companies of Sioux soldiers arrive
Utah National Guard organized
1896 24th Infantry (colored) arrive

1896 Utah Statehood
1898 Spanish American War
1917-1918 World War I- Fort Douglas a major training center, and also Prisoner of War Camp
1922 38th Infantry [28th????] "Rock of the Marne" assigned to Fort Douglas
1940 Fort Douglas becomes an Air Base (using Salt Lake airport for operations)
1942-47 Ninth Service Command Headquarters relocated from San Francisco. The fort also directed the repair of military vehicles and served as a finance center until 1947. Once again, a prisoner-of-war camp was established at the fort.
1947 First land transfer to University of Utah.
1962 Land transfer to University of Utah for Medical Center
1964-1991 Fort Douglas operated as a sub-post of Fort Carson, CO.
1969 Land transfer to University of Utah for Research Park
1970 Listed on National Register of Historic Places
1975 Designated national Historic landmark
1976 Fort Douglas Military Museum established
1989 Congress approves closure of Fort Douglas
1990 Desert Storm

1991 Fort Douglas deactivated

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