Fort Bidwell

Fort Bidwell (1865-1893) - A U.S. Army post established as Camp Bidwell in 1865 in Modoc County, California. Officially renamed Fort Bidwell in 1879 after then Brigadier General John Bidwell, California Volunteers, who served in the Mexican War. Abandoned in 1893. History Established as a two company post open plan post on 17 Jul 1865 near the site of a previously established camp also known as Camp Bidwell. The post was positioned to protect the immigrant travel routes into Oregon and Idaho. The post garrison participated in the Snake War (1864–1868), the Modoc War (1862-1863) and the Bannock and Nez Perce campaigns. The post was abandoned 21 Oct 1893 but had already been transferred to the Department of the Interior on 22 Nov 1890. The post grounds and buildings were used as an Indian school and as headquarters for the Fort Bidwell Indian Reservation. The barracks buildings were torn down in the 1930s when the school was closed. Current Status One set of officer's quarters remains standing on the site in the town of Fort Bidwell, Modoc County, California. The old post cemetery is nearby. Location: Fort Bidwell, Modoc County, California. Maps & Images Lat: 41.85928 Long: -120.15863 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 4653' GPS Locations: 41.85928, -120.15863 Fort Bidwell 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 62-63 Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2,page 23 USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 863307 Links: North American Forts - Fort Bidwell California Military Museum - Fort Bidwell Visited: 13 May 2023