Camp Beale Spring

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Camp Beale Spring (1871-1874) - A temporary U.S. Army camp established in 1871 by Captain Thomas Bryne and Company F, 12th U.S. Infantry near present-day Kingman in Mohave County, Arizona. Named for Navy Lieutenant Edward F. Beale who earlier explored the area in the service of the U.S. Topographical Engineers. Abandoned in 1874. Also known locally as Fort Beale Spring, on the marker as Camp Beale Springs, on post returns as Camp Beales Springs, and in Cullum as Camp Beall's Springs.

Beale Spring at Camp Beale Spring
Old Kingman Water Storage Tank at Camp Beale Spring in use circa 1910
Camp Beale Spring Entrance and Markers

History

Camp Beale Spring Marker
Camp Beale Spring Hualapai Nation Marker

Lieutenant Beale traveled through the Beale Spring area starting in 1857 where he established a wagon road along the 35th parallel. A part of his instructions included the famous camel experiment to test the use of camels in the southwest deserts. In 1865, Beale Spring became a stop on a toll road from Prescott to Hardyville (now Bullhead City).

During the Hualapai War of 1866-1870, Captain Samuel B. M. Young, 8th U.S. Cavalry commander of Fort Mojave established a temporary Army outpost at the spring on 27 Mar 1867.

A U.S. Army camp was established at the spring on 25 Mar 1871 by Captain Thomas Bryne and Company F, 12th U.S. Infantry as directed by S.O. 13, 1871, HQ Department of Arizona to protect travel routes during Indian unrest in the area. The post was built out with 12 adobe buildings including a 60' by 20' enlisted barracks. The camp was garrisoned by detachments of Company F, 12th U.S. Infantry from Fort Whipple.

The Beale Springs Indian Agency was established in January 1873 at the Camp as a reservation for the Hualapai Indians. The camp closed on 6 Apr 1874, when the Hualapai Indians were forced to leave the agency for the Colorado River Indian Tribes reservation at La Paz. Captain Byrne established Camp La Paz to oversee the reservation but within two years many of the Hualapai had returned to their original lands.

After 1874, the Spring again became a way station on the toll road. The site remained active well into the 1900s and the springs became a source of water for the adjacent town of Kingman.


Current Status

Markers and some ruins. The spring is still active. There are actually two springs in the area, Beale Spring and Atlantic Spring. Near Kingman in Mohave County, Arizona.


Location: Along Fort Beale Dr., Kingman, Mohave County, Arizona.

Maps & Images

Lat: 35.2043913 Long: -114.0830635

  • Multi Maps from ACME
  • Maps from Bing
  • Maps from Google
  • Elevation: 3533'


GPS Locations:

Sources:


Links:

Fortification ID:

  • AZ0014 - Camp Beale Spring
  • AZ0015 - Fort Beale Spring
  • AZ0016 - Camp Beale Springs
  • AZ0017 - Camp Beales Springs
  • AZ0018 - Camp Beall's Springs

Visited: 22 Feb 2014



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