Fort Thomas (1)
Fort Thomas (1) (1889-1964) - First established in 1889. Named after General George H. Thomas. Active duty military left in 1964, reserve units remain.
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Fort Thomas (1) History
Built on a site selected by General Philip H. Sheridan in 1887 as a replacement for Newport Barracks. First garrisoned 15 Aug 1890 by two companies of the 6th U.S. Infantry and first commanded by Col. Melville Cochran.
One of the early structures built on the new post was a 102 foot limestone water tower. Within the tower is a 100,000 gallon standpipe that stores water and supplies water pressure for the post. The tower was built in 1890 at a cost of $10,995. The tower has been embellished over the years with plaques and a set of cannons commemorating various war heros, battles and wars.
Current Status
Most of the post was taken over by the VA Hospital and the City of Fort Thomas. The U.S. Army Reserves and the U.S. Corps of Engineers also maintain facilities on the post.
The officers quarters on Pearson Street were privatized and sold to individuals in 1992, creating an upscale "Military Commons". These homes have been modernized internally with the exteriors kept keeping their 1890s look. The officers quarters on Alexander Circle remain unoccupied and deteriorating. The large brick barracks is now part of the VA complex and the brick mess hall is a community center.
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Location: Campbell County, Kentucky. Maps & Images Lat: 39.0655556 Long: -84.445 |
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 321
Links:
Visited: 5 Sep 2010
Fort Thomas (1) Picture Gallery
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