Yuma Quartermaster Depot

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Yuma Quartermaster Depot (1864-1883) - First established in 1864 to supply frontier posts in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. Located in the city of Yuma in Yuma County, Arizona just across the Colorado River from Fort Yuma in California. Abandoned in 1880.

Yuma Quartermaster Depot Wagon.
Yuma Quartermaster Depot Commanding Officer Quarters.
Yuma Quartermaster Depot Headquarters.

History

The Yuma Quartermaster Depot was established in 1864 to maintain supplies for frontier posts in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. Supplies were shipped from California up through the Gulf of California, transferred to steamboats and transported up the Colorado River to the depot at Yuma. From Yuma, the supplies were packed to frontier posts in five states. The corrals and stables at the Yuma depot housed up to 900 army mules. The post maintained a six month supply of ammunition food and other supplies needed at the outlying posts and regularly distributed the supplies. In 1867 the depot burned down but it was quickly rebuilt.

In 1877 the Southern Pacific tracks from Los Angeles crossed the Colorado River at Yuma and on 20 Mar 1880, the first Southern Pacific train reached Tucson, Arizona. The quartermaster at Yuma closed the depot and moved the operation to Fort Lowell (1) in Tucson.

Some federal functions on the depot continued after the quartermaster left including the Signal Corps (1875-1891) and the Weather Service (1891-1949).

Current Status

Now part of Yuma Quartermaster Depot State Historic Park. Five historic buildings remain including the Commanding Officer's Quarters & Kitchen, a Storehouse, the Corral House and the Office of the Depot Quartermaster.

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Location: Yuma, Yuma County, Arizona.

Maps & Images

Lat: 32.72747 Long: -114.62231


GPS Locations:

See Also:

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 50.
  • Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2, page 17.

Links:

Fortification ID:

  • AZ0303 - Yuma Quartermaster Depot

Visited: 1 Apr 2019