Fort Riley (2)

Fort Riley (2) (1853-Present) - First established in 1853 as Camp Center. Reamed Fort Riley 27 Jun 1853 after Major General Bennett C. Riley, who led the first military escort along the Santa Fe Trail in 1828 and who died 6 Jun 1853. Active military installation. Also known as Camp Funston, Camp Whiteside and Camp Forsyth.

Fort Riley Quarters #1	Fort Riley Cavalry Barracks
Fort Riley Custer House

Fort Riley (2) History

Established 17 May 1853 near the strategic junction of the Republican and Smokey Hill Rivers near present day Junction City, Kansas. Permanent post construction began in June 1855 with hundreds of civilian workers and very soon after a cholera epidemic broke out. Over 75 workers died and some 150 troop mutinied and deserted. Among the dead was the post commander, Major Edmund A. Ogden.

The 7th U.S. Cavalry was first organized at Fort Riley in 1866 under the command of Bvt. Major General George A. Custer (Regular Ltc.) who made them into one of the best cavalry units in the west. In 1867 Custer left his command and returned to Fort Riley when a second cholera epidemic threatened his wife. He was court martialed and relieved of command for a year. Major General Philip H. Sheridan restored Custer to duty before his suspension was up.

World War I

Fort Riley greatly expanded during World War I to accomodate the thousands of recruits who trained there. The eastern part of the reservation became Camp Funston, built in 20 days, at a cost of $10 million dollars. The camp eventually covered some 2,000 acres.

World War II

Camp Whiteside, established in 1924 as a National Guard Camp on the Fort Riley reservation, became a hospital complex during World War II. Camp Forsyth was built in 1940, became a cavalry replacement center and trained 150,000 horses and cavalrymen during the war.

Current Status

Fort Riley Cavalary Museum in the old 1855 Hospital Building

Active military installation, now the home of the 1st U.S. Infantry Division. The military reservation encompasses 100,671 acres in two counties and houses over 10,000 soldiers. Over 3000 sets of family quarters are provided for married members and their families. Historic quarters are located on the main post around the Cavalry Parade and the Artillery Parade.

Historic sights include the Custer House, officer's row and two parade grounds surrounded by historic quarters and barracks. Two museums are open to visitors, the U.S. Cavalry Museum and the Fort Riley 1st Infantry Division Museum. Monuments and memorials are scattered throughout the post and include the Wounded Knee Monument, the Great War Memorial, the "Old Trooper Monument" and the grave of "Chief", the last Cavalry Mount of the rolls of the U.S. Army. Chief was buried upright in front of the Old Trooper Monument at the Cavalry Parade Ground.

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Location: Fort Riley, Geary and Riley Counties, Kansas. Exit 301 off Interstate 70 near Junction City. Maps & Images Lat: 39.063282, Long: -96.784304 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 1,066'

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 299-300
• Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2, page 63

Links:

• North American Forts - Fort Riley (2)
• Wikipedia - Fort Riley
• Official 1st Infantry Division Site
• Kansas Travel - Fort Riley

Visited: 15 Oct 2011

Fort Riley (2) Picture Gallery

Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better!

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  Fort Riley Marker
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  Fort Riley Old Trooper Monument
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  Fort Riley Cavalry Parade Ground