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Jerry Pillarelli | profile | all galleries >> Travel and Nature; Sites by State >> US Travel; by Trip, by State >> Kansas >> Fort Larned National Historic Site – Kansas tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Fort Larned National Historic Site – Kansas

Images of Fort Larned National Historic Site – Kansas, taken in July 2025.

From 1867 to 1878 Fort Larned served as a military outpost along the Santa Fe Trail, protecting wagon trains and their settlers on their long journey west. The fort also served as a part of the peace process with the local Native American tribes and was home to the African American Company A of the 10th Cavalry, later known as the Buffalo Soldiers. As the reach of the railroads expanded west, traffic on the Santa Fe Trail waned making places like Fort Larned obsolete, and it was decommissioned.

One very interesting part of my visit was seeing a preserved section of the Santa Fe Trail where you can see a plot of land scarred by the ruts made by wagon trains passing through so many years ago. I’ve seen sections of this famous trail before, along with sections of the Oregon, California and Old Spanish Trails, but it always thrills me to see history preserved in this unique way, and it highlights how difficult the expansion west must have been for those early pioneers.
Barracks and repair shops buildings from across the parade grounds in Fort Larned NHS
Barracks and repair shops buildings from across the parade grounds in Fort Larned NHS 		Enlisted soldier barracks accommodations in Fort Larned NHS
Enlisted soldier barracks accommodations in Fort Larned NHS		 37-star U.S. flag flying over the parade grounds in Fort Larned NHS
37-star U.S. flag flying over the parade grounds in Fort Larned NHS		 Soldier supplies in the Quartermaster storehouse in Fort Larned NHS
Soldier supplies in the Quartermaster storehouse in Fort Larned NHS		 New, old Commissary and the Quartermaster storehouse across the parade grounds in Fort Larned NHS
New, old Commissary and the Quartermaster storehouse across the parade grounds in Fort Larned NHS
Officer row housing in Fort Larned NHS
Officer row housing in Fort Larned NHS		 Captain Parker’s parlor in Fort Larned NHS
Captain Parker’s parlor in Fort Larned NHS		 Officer’s Row housing in Fort Larned NHS
Officer’s Row housing in Fort Larned NHS		 Officer’s bedroom in Fort Larned NHS
Officer’s bedroom in Fort Larned NHS		 Individual officer’s well in Fort Larned NHS
Individual officer’s well in Fort Larned NHS
Soldier/patient hospital tag attached to the bed in Fort Larned NHS
Soldier/patient hospital tag attached to the bed in Fort Larned NHS		 Post doctor/surgeon’s office in Fort Larned NHS
Post doctor/surgeon’s office in Fort Larned NHS		 Hospital ward beds in Fort Larned NHS
Hospital ward beds in Fort Larned NHS		 The hospital ‘Earth Closet’ with bathtub in Fort Larned NHS
The hospital ‘Earth Closet’ with bathtub in Fort Larned NHS		 Nineteenth century graffiti carved into a building in Fort Larned NHS
Nineteenth century graffiti carved into a building in Fort Larned NHS
Enlisted soldier barracks in Fort Larned NHS
Enlisted soldier barracks in Fort Larned NHS		 View in front of the enlisted soldier barracks in Fort Larned NHS
View in front of the enlisted soldier barracks in Fort Larned NHS		 Monument erected in 1867 to honor the soldiers who lost their lives at Fort Larned NHS
Monument erected in 1867 to honor the soldiers who lost their lives at Fort Larned NHS		 Cemetery on the perimeter of Fort Larned NHS
Cemetery on the perimeter of Fort Larned NHS		 View of the fort from the cemetery in Fort Larned NHS
View of the fort from the cemetery in Fort Larned NHS
Officer Row as seen from across the parade ground in Fort Larned NHS
Officer Row as seen from across the parade ground in Fort Larned NHS		 Quartermaster storehouse and commissary in Fort Larned NHS
Quartermaster storehouse and commissary in Fort Larned NHS		 Barrels of needed supplies in the commissary in Fort Larned NHS
Barrels of needed supplies in the commissary in Fort Larned NHS		 Supply room in the commissary in Fort Larned NHS
Supply room in the commissary in Fort Larned NHS		 Repair shop and blacksmith area in Fort Larned NHS
Repair shop and blacksmith area in Fort Larned NHS
Bakery ovens in the commissary in Fort Larned NHS
Bakery ovens in the commissary in Fort Larned NHS		 Soldier’s belongings in Fort Larned NHS
Soldier’s belongings in Fort Larned NHS		 Cannon in the Quartermaster storehouse in Fort Larned NHS
Cannon in the Quartermaster storehouse in Fort Larned NHS		 Blockhouse, used for defense and to keep prisoners, in Fort Larned NHS
Blockhouse, used for defense and to keep prisoners, in Fort Larned NHS		 Ball and chain in the Blockhouse in Fort Larned NHS
Ball and chain in the Blockhouse in Fort Larned NHS
Army wagon on the parade ground in Fort Larned NHS
Army wagon on the parade ground in Fort Larned NHS		 Flag flying in the center of the parade ground in Fort Larned NHS
Flag flying in the center of the parade ground in Fort Larned NHS		 The Pawnee River which flows next to Fort Larned NHS
The Pawnee River which flows next to Fort Larned NHS		 Monument marking the path of the Santa Fe Trail in Fort Larned NHS
Monument marking the path of the Santa Fe Trail in Fort Larned NHS		 Wagon ruts preserved along the Santa Fe Trail in Fort Larned NHS
Wagon ruts preserved along the Santa Fe Trail in Fort Larned NHS

comment | share
susan Ramirez 15-Jul-2025 14:42
Great Pictures! everything so green
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