Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
National Historic Landmark

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

La Junta, Otero County, Colorado
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
District
Period
Modern
Ref No.
66000254

About this property

Bent's Old Fort is a historical fort located in Otero County in southeastern Colorado, United States. A company owned by Charles Bent and William Bent and Ceran St. Vrain built the fort in 1833 to trade with Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Plains Indians and trappers for buffalo robes. For much of its 16-year operation as a trading post, the fort was the only major white American permanent settlement on the Santa Fe Trail between Missouri and the Mexican settlements. It was initially abandoned by William Bent in 1849. The fort was reconstructed in 1976 and is open to the public. The area of the fort was designated a National Historic Site under the National Park Service on June 3, 1960. It was further designated a National Historic Landmark later that year on December 19, 1960.

Location

La Junta, Otero County, Colorado
38.04555, -103.43038

Categories

COMMERCEMILITARYEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTSOCIAL HISTORY
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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Everything a full report reveals about Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

This page lists Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

North La Junta School
Industrial
6.3 mi
U.S. Post Office
Industrial
7.4 mi
Hart, Wilson A., House
Industrial
7.5 mi
Lincoln School
Industrial
7.6 mi
San Juan Avenue Historic District
Listed
7.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site listed on the National Register?

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site?

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site?

The period of significance for Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site is recorded as the modern era, specifically around 1960.

Can I research the history near Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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