Fort McGarry

Fort McGarry (1865-1868) - A U.S. Army post established as Camp Summit Lake in 1865 by Major Albert G. Brackett, 1st U.S. Cavalry, in Humboldt County, Nevada. Renamed Fort McGarry after Colonel Edward McGarry, 2nd California Volunteer Infantry. Abandoned in 1868. Also known as Camp McGarry. Fort McGarry History Located near the shore of Summit Lake above the Applegate Cutoff to Oregon and protecting the Idaho-California mail and stage roads. Probably established 23 Nov 1865 as Camp Summit Lake by Major Albert G. Brackett, 1st U.S. Cavalry. Initially established as a field camp and later as a more permanent post with stone buildings and a parade. For a short time the post became the headquarters for the military District of Nevada that include Fort McGarry and Fort Bidwell in California. The post covered 75 square miles and came to include officers' quarters, mess hall, barracks and a 100-horse stone barn constructed 12 miles south of the fort. The post was abandoned 18 Dec 1868 and turned over to the Interior Department 25 Mar 1871. Current Status Very isolated location, stone post building ruins remain around a rectangular parade. Located on Summit Lake Indian Reservation, Humboldt County, Nevada. Location: Summit Lake Indian Reservation, Humboldt County, Nevada. Maps & Images Lat: 41.5435090 Long: -119.0257416 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 5987' Sources: Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 492 Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2,page 93-94 USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 847268 Links: North American Forts - Fort McGarry USACE Fuds Report - Fort McGarry Visited: No