Fort Kearny (2)

Fort Kearny (2) (1848-1871) - established in the spring of 1848 "near the head of the Grand Island" along the Platte River by Lt. Daniel P. Woodbury. Lt. Woodbury had given the name Fort Childs, in honor of Col. Thomas Childs of Mexican War fame (and Woodbury's father-in-law), to the new post and headed his reports accordingly. But a general order from the War Department under date of 30 Dec 1848 stipulated that "the new post established at Grand Island, Platte River, will be known as Fort Kearney" in honor of General Stephen Watts Kearney.

Fort Kearny (2) History

Despite its lack of fortifications, Fort Kearney served as way station, sentinel post, supply depot, and message center for 49'ers bound for California and home seekers traveling to Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. By the 1860s the fort had become a significant state and freighting station and home station of the Pony Express. During the Indian Wars of 1864-1865 a small stockade was apparently built upon the earth embankment still visible. Although never under attack, the post did serve as an outfitting depot for several Indian campaigns.

One of the fort's final duties was the protection of workers building the Union Pacific. In 1871, two years after the completion of the transcontinental railroad, the fort was discontinued as a military post.

Current Status

This site has been entered on the National Register of Historic Places.

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Location: 2 miles South, 4 miles East of Kearney, Nebraska. Maps & Images Lat: 40.6420 Long: -99.0000 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 2118'

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