Fort Kearney
National Register of Historic Places

Fort Kearney

Newark, Kearney County, Nebraska
Listed
July 1, 1971
Type
District
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
71000485

About this property

Fort Kearny was a historic outpost of the United States Army founded in 1848 in the Western United States during the middle and late 19th century. The fort was named after Colonel and later General Stephen Watts Kearny. The outpost was located along the Oregon Trail near Kearney, Nebraska. The town of Kearney took its name from the fort. The "e" was added to Kearny by postmen who consistently misspelled the town name. A portion of the original site is preserved as Fort Kearny State Historical Park by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The fort became the eastern anchor of the Great Platte River Road and thus an important military and civilian way station for 20 years. Wagon trains moving west, were able to resupply after completing about a sixth (16%) of the journey. The fort offered a safe resting area for the eastern immigrants in this new and hostile land. Livestock could be traded for fresh stock and letters sent back to the states. The fort continued to expand over the years, until there were over 30 buildings before its closure in 1871. It took on additional roles as a Pony Express station, an Overland Stage station and a telegraph station.

Location

Newark, Kearney County, Nebraska
40.64384, -99.00787

Categories

HISTORIC - ABORIGINALHISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALMILITARYTRANSPORTATIONCOMMUNICATIONS
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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Settlement
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Nearby Historic Sites

Kilgore Bridge
Industrial
4.1 mi
Masonic Temple and World Theater Building
Industrial
5 mi
Kearney National Guard Armory
Industrial
5.1 mi
Lowe and Fair Commercial Block
Industrial
5.3 mi
Fort Theater
Industrial
5.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Fort Kearny Area Skirmishes 1864
1864Indian Wars
5 mi
Battle of Plum Creek Nebraska (1864)
1864Indian Wars
7.1 mi
Plum Creek Train Attack
1867Indian Wars
9.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Fort Kearney listed on the National Register?

Fort Kearney was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 1, 1971.

What type of historic resource is Fort Kearney?

Fort Kearney is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Fort Kearney?

The period of significance for Fort Kearney is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1848.

Can I research the history near Fort Kearney?

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