Fort Soda

Fort Soda (1860-1868) - A U.S. Army Fort first established in 1860 as Hancock's Redoubt next to Soda Lake in San Bernardino County, California. Named Fort Soda after Soda Lake. Abandoned in 1868. Also Known as Fort Soda Lake and Camp Soda Springs. History of Fort Soda Initially established in the spring of 1860 by elements of the 1st U.S. Dragoons and known as Hancock's Redoubt. It was built as a set of breastworks and corrals to protect travelers from hostile Indians on the Old Government Road that crosses the Mojave Desert. The post was intermittently used during the U.S. Civil War by California Volunteer Units. Manned continuously between 21 Aug 1867 and 23 May 1868 as Fort Soda, a sub post of Camp Cady, by small detachments of regular U.S. Army troops from Camp Cady. Abandoned in 1868 when troops were withdrawn from posts all along the road. Current Status Some archeological remains at the Desert Research Center of the Fullerton State University, Baker, San Bernardino County, California. Location: At Zzyzx Springs and the Desert Research Center of the Fullerton State University near Baker, San Bernardino County, California. Maps & Images Lat: 35.1427607 Long: -116.1047353 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 951' See Also: Mojave Road 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 93-94. Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2, page 35. USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 1662336 Links: North American Forts - Fort Soda California Military Museum - Fort Soda Visited: No