Fort Robinson
Encyclopedia
Fort Robinson is a former U.S. Army
fort and a present-day state park. Located in the Pine Ridge
region of northwest Nebraska
, it is 2 mi (3.2 km) west of Crawford
on U.S. Route 20
.
was moved from the North Platte River
to the White River
, near what is now Crawford, Nebraska
in the northwest corner of the present-day state. The following March, the U. S. Government
authorized the establishment of a military camp at the agency site. Home to some 13,000 Lakotas, some of them hostile, the Agency was a source of tension on the Great Plains
.
The camp was named Camp Robinson in honor of Lt. Levi H. Robinson, who had been killed by Indians while on a wood detail in February. In May, the camp was moved 1.5 mi (2.4 km) west of the agency to its present location; the camp was renamed Fort Robinson in January 1878. Fort Robinson played a major role in the Sioux Wars
from 1876 to 1890. The Battle of Warbonnet Creek
took place nearby in July 1876. Crazy Horse
surrendered here with his band on May 6, 1877. On September 5 that year, he was fatally wounded while resisting imprisonment. A historic plaque marks the site of his death.
In January 1879, Chief Morning Star
(also known as Dull Knife) led the Northern Cheyenne
in an outbreak from the agency. Because the Cheyenne had refused to return to Indian Territory
, where they believed conditions were too adverse for them to survive, the army had been holding them without without adequate food, water or heat during the severe winter to try to force them into submission. Soldiers hunted down the escapees and killed most over the next several weeks. The event marked the end of the Sioux and Cheyenne Wars in Nebraska.
In 1885, the 9th Cavalry Regiment, nicknamed the Buffalo Soldier
s, was stationed at Fort Robinson. This was an all-black unit. During the next several years, the fort was enlarged and military training was a major activity. From 1889-1890, Second Lieutenant Charles Young served here and later was reassigned to the regiment. A black pioneer officer who had graduated from West Point, he was the highest-ranking black in the US Army throughout his career and achieved the rank of colonel. From 1887-1898, the fort served as regimental headquarters. The post gymnasium and theatre, built in 1904, provided entertainment for the soldiers.
In 1919 at the end of World War I
, Fort Robinson became the world's largest quartermaster remount depot. It was used as a breeding and training center for horses and mules for the military. In addition, stallions owned by the military were used to breed with local stock to improve it. During World War II
, the fort was the site of a K-9 corps
training center. Later it was used to hold a German
prisoner-of-war camp
.
After 74 years of military use, Fort Robinson was transferred to the United States Department of Agriculture
in 1948 for use as a beef cattle research station. The USDA closed its research station in 1971.
A new chapter of Fort Robinson's history began in 1955. The US Army excessed a portion of the fort, which was acquired by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
to be used as Fort Robinson State Park. The park encompasses 22,000 acres. The following year, the Nebraska State Historical Society
opened the Fort Robinson Museum at the fort.
The fort was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1960. The fort is part of the Fort Robinson and Red Cloud Agency historic district
, which includes Fort Robinson and the site of the second Red Cloud Agency
(about 1.5 mi (2.4 km) to the east). The district also includes the Camp Camby site and the 1886 Percy Homestead.
Today, the fort is managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
, with some individual buildings operated by the Nebraska State Historical Society
and the University of Nebraska
. A quartermaster's stores building is now used as a playhouse by Chadron State College
.
The Trailside Museum of Natural History is located inside Fort Robinson State Park. It is operated by the University of Nebraska State Museum
.
from 1874 to 1877, up through the housing of World War II
German POWs from 1943 to 1946.
There are many historic buildings and sites for viewing, including the 1904 blacksmith
shop, the 1908 veterinary hospital, the 1887 officers' quarters, the 1875 guardhouse and adjutant's office, and the post cemetery. There is also a library with materials about Fort Robinson and military and western history available for research.
Buecker, Thomas R. Fort Robinson and the American West, 1874-1899. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma, 2003.
Buecker, Thomas R. Fort Robinson and the American Century, 1900-1948. Lincoln, NE:
Nebraska State Historical Society, 2002.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
fort and a present-day state park. Located in the Pine Ridge
Pine Ridge (region)
The Pine Ridge is an escarpment between the Niobrara River and the White River in far northwestern Nebraska...
region of northwest Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, it is 2 mi (3.2 km) west of Crawford
Crawford, Nebraska
Crawford is a city in Dawes County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 997 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1886 and was named for the late Captain Emmet Crawford who had previously been stationed at nearby Fort Robinson.-Geography:...
on U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90...
.
History
In August 1873, the Red Cloud AgencyRed Cloud Agency
The Red Cloud Agency was an Indian agency for the Oglala Lakota as well as the Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho, from 1871 to 1878. It was located at three different sites in Wyoming Territory , before being moved to South Dakota. It was then renamed the Pine Ridge Reservation.- Red Cloud Agency No...
was moved from the North Platte River
North Platte River
The North Platte River is a major tributary of the Platte River and is approximately long counting its many curves, It travels about distance. Its course lies in the U.S...
to the White River
White River (South Dakota)
The White River is a Missouri River tributary that flows through the U.S. states of Nebraska and South Dakota. The name stems from the water's white-gray color, a function of eroded sand, clay, and volcanic ash carried by the river...
, near what is now Crawford, Nebraska
Crawford, Nebraska
Crawford is a city in Dawes County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 997 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1886 and was named for the late Captain Emmet Crawford who had previously been stationed at nearby Fort Robinson.-Geography:...
in the northwest corner of the present-day state. The following March, the U. S. Government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
authorized the establishment of a military camp at the agency site. Home to some 13,000 Lakotas, some of them hostile, the Agency was a source of tension on the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
.
The camp was named Camp Robinson in honor of Lt. Levi H. Robinson, who had been killed by Indians while on a wood detail in February. In May, the camp was moved 1.5 mi (2.4 km) west of the agency to its present location; the camp was renamed Fort Robinson in January 1878. Fort Robinson played a major role in the Sioux Wars
Sioux Wars
The Sioux Wars were a series of conflicts between the United States and various subgroups of the Sioux people that occurred in the latter half of the 19th century...
from 1876 to 1890. The Battle of Warbonnet Creek
Battle of Warbonnet Creek
The Battle of Warbonnet Creek was a skirmish characterized by a duel between "Buffalo Bill" Cody and a Cheyenne young warrior named Heova'ehe or Yellow Hair . The engagement is often referred to as the First Scalp for Custer because of this incident...
took place nearby in July 1876. Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse was a Native American war leader of the Oglala Lakota. He took up arms against the U.S...
surrendered here with his band on May 6, 1877. On September 5 that year, he was fatally wounded while resisting imprisonment. A historic plaque marks the site of his death.
In January 1879, Chief Morning Star
Morning Star (chief)
Morning Star , was a great chief to the Northern Cheyenne people during the 19th century. He was noted for his active resistance to Western expansion and the Federal government...
(also known as Dull Knife) led the Northern Cheyenne
Cheyenne
Cheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
in an outbreak from the agency. Because the Cheyenne had refused to return to Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
, where they believed conditions were too adverse for them to survive, the army had been holding them without without adequate food, water or heat during the severe winter to try to force them into submission. Soldiers hunted down the escapees and killed most over the next several weeks. The event marked the end of the Sioux and Cheyenne Wars in Nebraska.
In 1885, the 9th Cavalry Regiment, nicknamed the Buffalo Soldier
Buffalo Soldier
Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas....
s, was stationed at Fort Robinson. This was an all-black unit. During the next several years, the fort was enlarged and military training was a major activity. From 1889-1890, Second Lieutenant Charles Young served here and later was reassigned to the regiment. A black pioneer officer who had graduated from West Point, he was the highest-ranking black in the US Army throughout his career and achieved the rank of colonel. From 1887-1898, the fort served as regimental headquarters. The post gymnasium and theatre, built in 1904, provided entertainment for the soldiers.
In 1919 at the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Fort Robinson became the world's largest quartermaster remount depot. It was used as a breeding and training center for horses and mules for the military. In addition, stallions owned by the military were used to breed with local stock to improve it. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the fort was the site of a K-9 corps
Police dog
A police dog, often referred to as a "K-9 dog" in some areas , is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work...
training center. Later it was used to hold a German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
prisoner-of-war camp
Prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
.
After 74 years of military use, Fort Robinson was transferred to the United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
in 1948 for use as a beef cattle research station. The USDA closed its research station in 1971.
A new chapter of Fort Robinson's history began in 1955. The US Army excessed a portion of the fort, which was acquired by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is a public agency of the government of the State of Nebraska in the United States. The commission is charged with stewardship of the state's fish, wildlife, state park, and outdoor recreation resources. The commission is also charged with issuing of state...
to be used as Fort Robinson State Park. The park encompasses 22,000 acres. The following year, the Nebraska State Historical Society
Nebraska State Historical Society
The Nebraska State Historical Society is a Nebraska state agency, founded in 1878 to "encourage historical research and inquiry, spread historical information .....
opened the Fort Robinson Museum at the fort.
The fort was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1960. The fort is part of the Fort Robinson and Red Cloud Agency historic district
Historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
, which includes Fort Robinson and the site of the second Red Cloud Agency
Red Cloud Agency
The Red Cloud Agency was an Indian agency for the Oglala Lakota as well as the Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho, from 1871 to 1878. It was located at three different sites in Wyoming Territory , before being moved to South Dakota. It was then renamed the Pine Ridge Reservation.- Red Cloud Agency No...
(about 1.5 mi (2.4 km) to the east). The district also includes the Camp Camby site and the 1886 Percy Homestead.
Today, the fort is managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is a public agency of the government of the State of Nebraska in the United States. The commission is charged with stewardship of the state's fish, wildlife, state park, and outdoor recreation resources. The commission is also charged with issuing of state...
, with some individual buildings operated by the Nebraska State Historical Society
Nebraska State Historical Society
The Nebraska State Historical Society is a Nebraska state agency, founded in 1878 to "encourage historical research and inquiry, spread historical information .....
and the University of Nebraska
University of Nebraska system
The University of Nebraska system is the public university system in the state of Nebraska, USA. Founded in 1869 with one campus in Lincoln, the system now has four universities and an agricultural college....
. A quartermaster's stores building is now used as a playhouse by Chadron State College
Chadron State College
Chadron State College is a four-year public college in the Nebraska State College System in Chadron, Nebraska. The college is located in the northern part of the Nebraska Panhandle, in the Pine Ridge area....
.
The Trailside Museum of Natural History is located inside Fort Robinson State Park. It is operated by the University of Nebraska State Museum
University of Nebraska State Museum
The University of Nebraska State Museum, also known as Elephant Hall, is a natural history museum featuring Nebraska biodiversity, paleontology, and cultural diversity. It was founded in 1871...
.
Fort Robinson Museum
The Fort Robinson Museum is located in the 1905 post headquarters building. Exhibits focus on the fort's history, including its role guarding the Red Cloud AgencyRed Cloud Agency
The Red Cloud Agency was an Indian agency for the Oglala Lakota as well as the Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho, from 1871 to 1878. It was located at three different sites in Wyoming Territory , before being moved to South Dakota. It was then renamed the Pine Ridge Reservation.- Red Cloud Agency No...
from 1874 to 1877, up through the housing of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
German POWs from 1943 to 1946.
There are many historic buildings and sites for viewing, including the 1904 blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
shop, the 1908 veterinary hospital, the 1887 officers' quarters, the 1875 guardhouse and adjutant's office, and the post cemetery. There is also a library with materials about Fort Robinson and military and western history available for research.
Further reading
Barnes, Jeff. Forts of the Northern Plains: Guide to Historic Military Posts of the Plains Indian Wars. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2008.Buecker, Thomas R. Fort Robinson and the American West, 1874-1899. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma, 2003.
Buecker, Thomas R. Fort Robinson and the American Century, 1900-1948. Lincoln, NE:
Nebraska State Historical Society, 2002.
External links
- "Fort Robinson History", Nebraska State Historical Society
- "Fort Robinson POW Camp", Nebraska State Historical Society
- "Fort Robinson Official Records", Nebraska State Historical Society
- "Fort Robinson Reference Collection", Nebraska State Historical Society
- Fort Robinson State Park, Nebraska Parks
- "Fort Robinson Museum", Nebraska State Historical Society