National Register of Historic Places

Beecher Island Battleground

Wray, Yuma County, Colorado
Listed
October 29, 1976
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
76000569

About this property

Beecher Island is a sandbar located along the lower course of the Arikaree River, a tributary of the North Fork of the Republican River near Wray in Yuma County, Colorado. The site is notable for having been the scene of an 1868 armed conflict between elements of the United States Army and several of the Plains Indian tribes. The island was named for Lt. Fredrick Henry Beecher of the 3rd Infantry (nephew of Henry Ward Beecher and veteran of the Battle of Gettysburg), one of the soldiers of the engagement who was killed during what became known as the Battle of Beecher Island. The "island" and the courses of the river have been modified by several floods since 1868. The Battle of Beecher Island was fought along the Arickaree Fork of the Republican River with concentrated fighting on a small island. A few willow trees stood on the island; however, the banks on either side of the river were believed to have had minimal tree growth. Bluffs rise gently from the course of the river. The physical appearance of the actual battleground site was changed by a flood in 1935 which altered the river channel. A monument, erected in 1905, was swept from the island and virtually all traces of the island were destroyed. The major pieces of the monument were retrieved and have been erected on the north side of the river, overlooking picnic and camping grounds.

Location

Wray, Yuma County, Colorado
39.87107, -102.18654

Categories

NATIVE AMERICANMILITARYCONSERVATIONOTHER
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Native Heritage
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Nearby Historic Sites

Zion, Walter and Anna, Homestead
Listed
12.3 mi
Cliff Theater
Industrial
14.4 mi
Boggs Lumber and Hardware Building
Industrial
23.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Beecher Island (Arikaree Fork)
1868Indian Wars
9 mi
Battle of Beecher Island
1868Indian Wars
10.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Beecher Island Battleground listed on the National Register?

Beecher Island Battleground was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 29, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Beecher Island Battleground?

Beecher Island Battleground is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Beecher Island Battleground?

The period of significance for Beecher Island Battleground is recorded as the listed era.

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