FORTS IN EARLY KANSAS
Many forts were established in early Kansas; a few by the fur companies, some by the War Department, some by state troops, a number by settlers as a place of refuge from the Indians, and a few by free-state and proslavery forces during the Territorial struggle. Some of them consisted merely of a wall of earth thrown up, others of a strongly built log cabin within a line of earthworks or line of palisades. Many of them were more pretentious, and were built of logs, adobe, or stone. Some of the forts established by the National Government cost many thousands of dollars and most of them had large land reserves. As the settlements moved westward the necessity for the forts no longer existed, and with the exception of Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley, which are still maintained by the National Government as army posts, they fell into disuse. The principal early forts were:
Fort Kanzas, established by the French fur traders in the early part of the eighteenth century, was located in what is now Atchison County. It is mentioned in the journal of Lewis and Clark as an abandoned fort.
Fort Lyon, earlier called Bent’s Fort, was built in 1826 for a fur-trading post. It occupied several different sites on the Arkansas River, all of them within the present bounds of Colorado, the last one being within Territorial Kansas. It was opened to settlement in 1890.
Fort Leavenworth was established in 1827 by Col. Henry Leavenworth of the United States army. It has from its beginning been an important military post. More than $2,000,000 has been expended on it, and it now ranks among the first of the military posts of the United States.
Fort Riley was established in 1852 by the United States. It has been enlarged and improved from time to time until it is now an important military center. Fort Riley is near the junction of the Republican and Smoky Hill rivers, and is very near the geographical center of the United States.
Fort Atkinson, one of the early forts erected along the Santa Fe Trail, was located on the Arkansas River about six miles above the present site of Dodge City. This fort was built in 1850 and abandoned in 1854. It was known for a few months as Fort Mackey, when the name was changed to Fort Atkinson.
Fort Mann was probably erected about 1845 on or near the site on which Fort Atkinson was later built.
Fort Scott was built in 1842 on the site of the present city of Fort Scott. In 1853 it ceased to be used as a military post, and in 1855 the buildings were sold. This fort had no reservation.