Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center
Fort Garland was built in 1858, ten years after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, during American expansion into the west. Today, visitors can explore life in a nineteenth century military fort by walking the parade grounds and touring five of the original adobe buildings. Learn about the Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th Cavalry who were stationed at the Fort from 1876 to 1879. Discover Colorado’s role in the Civil War in the West exhibit. Rich in military history, Fort Garland highlights the women and children who brought a bit of home to the fort. From the Fort, plan a visit to Pike's Stockade, where Zebulon Pike and his men camped in the early 1800s.
Mask Guidelines
General Visitors: We encourage all unvaccinated and partially vaccinated visitors to continue wearing masks in our indoor spaces. Visitors who are fully vaccinated may remove their masks if they prefer.
Field Trips: Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center honors all school mask policies for field trip participants. In addition, all museum staff and volunteers interacting with field trip participants will wear masks.
Upcoming Events:
Horas
Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day
Contact: 719-379-3512
Address: 29477 CO-159, Fort Garland, CO 81133
Parking: Free at both Fort Garland Museum and Pike's Stockade
Adults: $6
Seniors (65+): $5
Students (6-16): $4
Child (5 & Under): Free
Member: Free
Free for active military and their family from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
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Plan your event at Fort Garland →
“More historic places like this need to exist! You’re free to walk around the beautiful and scenic grounds of the fort, and explore and imagine what life was like for the men and women who lived here over a hundred years ago. I highly recommend everyone come check out this unique, wonderfully preserved part of American history.” - reviewer on Google
On View and Things To Do
Exhibits
Programs and Events
Horas
Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day
Contact: 719-379-3512
Address: 29477 CO-159, Fort Garland, CO 81133
Parking: Free at both Fort Garland Museum and Pike's Stockade
Adults: $6
Seniors (65+): $5
Students (6-16): $4
Child (5 & Under): Free
Member: Free
Free for active military and their family from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
Plan your event at Fort Garland →
“More historic places like this need to exist! You’re free to walk around the beautiful and scenic grounds of the fort, and explore and imagine what life was like for the men and women who lived here over a hundred years ago. I highly recommend everyone come check out this unique, wonderfully preserved part of American history.” - reviewer on Google
Ubicación
Built in the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado, Fort Garland was a active US Army outpost from 1858 to 1883. It was originally constructed to protect the inhabitants in the valley and to establish the authority of the United States in the recently acquired territory, which had already been settled by Hispano pioneers from Mexico. The fort was active during the Civil War, during which it served as an important site for enlistment and rendezvous for the companies of Colorado volunteers heading south to fight the Confederate insurgents in New Mexico. Soldiers from Fort Garland participated in the battle of Glorieta Pass, which put an end to Confederate attempts to hold New Mexico or invade Colorado.
After the Civil War, the fort remained active and its soldiers primarily served to enforce treaties with local indigenous groups, especially the Ute of southern Colorado. During this time, the fort was home to a diverse group, including companies of largely Hispano volunteers and later the black Buffalo Soldiers of the Ninth Cavalry, from 1876 to 1879.
The fort was decommissioned in 1883 and the remaining troops were moved to Fort Lewis. The fort and its land reverted to local landowners, and the property fell into disuse. It passed through several hands until the 1920s, when the last owner announced plans to raze the remaining buildings. Locals in San Luis Valley formed an association to purchase and preserve the fort. In 1945, the site was acquired by the Colorado Historical Society, now History Colorado. By that time all but five of the original twenty-two buildings had either been demolished or deteriorated. The remaining buildings were restored and the newly refurbished site opened as Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center in 1950.
Today the site includes a large parade grounds surrounded by several restored adobe buildings which contain reconstructed 19th-century army quarters, several exhibits, and a large gift shop which features locally-crafted goods and an excellent selection of books on Colorado and the West.
Accessibility at Fort Garland
At Fort Garland, we want all of our visitors to feel welcome. Here’s how we try to be accessible for everyone.
If you have additional questions you can email us or call (719) 379-3512.
- Mobility & Entering the Building
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Parking is available in our onsite parking lot.
All buildings are one-story and wheelchair accessible. However, guests should be aware that outdoor pathways between buildings are dirt, which could present seasonal challenges with snow or mud.
- Wheelchairs
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A wheelchair is available for use by guests. Ask at the front desk to borrow it during your visit to the Fort.
- Service Animals
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Service animals—animals that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability—are allowed throughout the museum. Pets and emotional support animals are not considered service animals and are not allowed.
