Fort Scott

https://www.nps.gov/fosc/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Scott_National_Historic_Site Fort Scott National Historic Site is located in Bourbon County, Kansas. Named after General Winfield Scott, who achieved renown during the Mexican–American War, during the middle of the 19th century the fort served as a military base for US Army action in what was the edge of settlement in 1850. For the next quarter century, it was used as a supply base and to provide security in turbulent areas during the opening of the West to settlement, a period which included Bleeding Kansas and the American Civil War. The current national historic site protects 20 historic structures, a parade ground, and five acres (20,000 m²) of restored tallgrass prairie, inside the city of Fort Scott. Promises made and broken! Who deserves to be free? The fight for freedom! Soldiers fighting settlers! Each of these stories is a link in the chain of events that encircled Fort Scott from 1842-1873. All of the site's structures, its parade ground, and its tallgrass prairie bear witness to this era when the country was forged from a young republic into a united transcontinental nation. Fort Scott National Historic Site is located in downtown Fort Scott, Kansas. U.S. Highways 69 and 54 intersect here. Fort Scott is about 90 miles south of Kansas City and 60 miles northwest of Joplin, Missouri. It is 4 miles from the Kansas-Missouri border. Signs directing visitors to Fort Scott are posted on highway 69 for visitors coming from the north and the south and on highway 54 for visitors coming from the east and the west. Visitor Center The Visitor Center for the site is located on the ground floor of the post hospital which is located at the entrance to the site near Old Fort Blvd. Summer hours are April 1 through September 30. If you plan to visit outside of this time please see the exception below. Fort Scott National Historic Site is located in downtown Fort Scott, Kansas. U.S. Highways 69 and 54 intersect here. Fort Scott is about 90 miles south of Kansas City and 60 miles northwest of Joplin, Missouri. Signs directing visitors to Fort Scott are posted on highway 69 for visitors coming from the north and the south and on highway 54 for visitors coming from the east and the west. The entrance to the site is one block west of the intersection of Highway 69 and Highway 54 east. Sunflowers at Fort Scott A field of sunflowers next to a stone building. Wood frame structures in background. A field of sunflowers adds a splash of color to a view of the parade ground at Fort Scott. Post Hospital Picture of the post hospital with the parade ground and trees in the background. Picture of the Post Hospital Officers Quarters at Sunset Wood frame structures with stairs next to a stone walkway. Structures reflect afternoon sunlight. Officers quarters at Fort Scott bathed in the light of the afternoon sun. Dragoons on the Prairie Four soldiers on horseback in a line riding through prairie grass Soldiers on horseback patrolling the prairie Laundry Day Women dressed as laundresses with laundry buckets and scrub boards High school students dressed as laundresses demonstrate laundry methods of the 1840s Symbols of Sacrifice Picture of rows of flags across the parade ground with trees in the background. Image of flags from the Symbols of Sacrifice event. Forgotten Warriors During the Civil War, Native Americans that enlisted in the United States Army found themselves the subject of discrimination. Yet through bravery, pride, and determination these individuals not only fought to earn the respect of their white compatriots, but to protect their homeland. Painting of Creek Chief Opotheyehala NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Fort Scott National Historic Site, Kansas Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. fort grounds in evening light Wildland Fire in Tallgrass Prairie: Midwestern United States Prairies depend on fire to maintain the ecosystem stability and diversity. One benefit of fire in this community is the elimination of invasive plants, thereby helping to shape and maintain the prairie. Bison grazing in recently burned area. Bleeding Kansas Violence escalated in the Kansas Territory from 1854-1858 as anti-slavery Free-Staters and pro-slavery Border Ruffians battled to determine whether Kansas would enter the Union as a slave or free state. John Steuart Curry's The Border States The existence of divided populations in Border States had a profound impact on Union and Confederate strategy-both political and military. Each side undertook military and political measures--including brutal guerilla warfare-- in their attempts to control areas of divided loyalty and hostile moral and political views held by local civilians. Painting showing removal of Missouri civilians from their homes by Union troops Everglades Firefighter Conducts Video Chat with Students In August 2014, Everglades firefighting and environmental education staff conducted a video chat with students participating in the Fort Scott (Kansas) National Historic Site’s Trailblazer Program, in which students learn about cultural and natural resource protection, interpretation, and fire management in the National Park Service. Service First Agreement Provides Operational and Ecological Benefits NPS and USFWS have operated under a “Service First” agreement for fire management in several NPS units in the Midwest since 2008. The Service First statute authorizes agencies within the US Department of Interior and US Department of Agriculture to conduct shared management activities to achieve mutually beneficial land and resource management goals. The Mid-Plains Interagency Fire Management Zone recently received the NPS Midwest Regional Office Fire Management Award. A Hearty Grip: Fort Scott Soldiers in the Mexican- American War Imagine the fear you might have marching into battle with guns blazing all around you. Imagine the courage it took to charge the enemy with their cannons thundering at you from a fortified hilltop. Imagine fighting in a foreign country far from home against a determined foe, waging a war that half of your country opposes. Imagine yourself putting your life in danger on a daily basis. Such was the experience of Fort Scott soldiers during the Mexican-American War. men on horses fighting other men on horses Fort Scott in the Civil War Fort Scott served as an important logistical and supply center for Union troops during the Civil War. On the grounds of the site, Union soldiers were mustered into the army, received supplies, provided medical care, and were disciplined. Fort Scott saw no battles, yet it played a vital role in contributing to the survival and success of Union soldiers. Several men dressed as soldiers standing with guns Adolescence-Soldiers on the Frontier Have you ever had your job description change? Soldiers at Fort Scott were sent here to serve as a "border patrol" to keep Missouri settlers and native American tribes separated. However, many of the events in which they became involved in the 1840s had the opposite effect. Instead of containing westward expansion, soldiers at Fort Scott became agents of the largest expansion of territory in U.S. history. Three US soldiers on horseback Becoming More Powerful-The Railroad Years Can you think of a time when U.S. soldiers took up arms against U.S. citizens? This article Tells the story of soldiers protecting a railroad being built through Fort Scott. The railroad was being attacked by settlers who were already living on the land that the railroad was being built on. Settlers attacking a train Junior Ranger Booklet-Preschool Preschool children can draw, color, do matching games, and participate in a scavenger hunt in this booklet. two boys with wooden guns Dragoon Expeditions in the 1840s Fort Scott was established to contain Westward Expansion yet many actions soldiers took had the opposite effect. From 1843-45., dragoons went out each summer to patrol the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails to make them safe for travel. They met with native American tribes, had a showdown with Texans, and made it as far west as South Pass in Wyoming where they spent a few tense days near Oregon Territory in the event of a war with Great Britain Soldier on horseback riding close to several covered wagons Junior Ranger Booklet-Upper Elementary and Above Explore the resources and stories of Fort Scott National Historic Site as you do this booklet. Learn more about the horses, soldiers, laundresses, sutler and others that made up the rich tapestry of Fort Scott's history. man dressed as soldier with horse Forgotten Warriors: American Indian Home Guard There's no place like home! To American Indians suffering in barren refugee camps in eastern Kansas during the Civil War, thoughts like this must have gone through their minds as they longed for the warmth and security of home in Indian Territory (Oklahoma). There were those that could remember when home was elsewhere, but after more than two decades, they had come to regard Indian Territory as home. Three Native American Soldiers in various poses next to a horse Full Fledged Rebellion-War on the Border While no battles were fought here, Fort Scott served as a critical base of support and logistics for Union soldiers fighting in the area. Fort Scott was the focal point for one of the most diverse assemblage of Civil War soldiers, who played a vital role in patrolling the Kansas Missouri border and the trans-Mississippi West. soldiers in blue uniforms with guns First to Serve-1st Kansas Colored Infantry Regiment The 1st Kansas Colored Infantry first saw combat at the Battle of Island Mound in Missouri on October 29, 1862. In this skirmish, roughly 225 black troops drove off 500 Confederate guerrillas. Richard Hinton –the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry adjutant –had this to say on the 1st Kansas Colored's victory at Island Mound, he proclaimed, "The men fought like tigers, each and every one of them, and the main difficulty was to hold them all well in hand." six men dressed as African American soldiers Permanent Indian Frontier Fort Scott was established to keep settlers in Missouri out of Indian Territory and to keep Native Americans out of Missouri. Soldiers acted as a border patrol to keep the two groups separated.Initially, the soldiers' job was to enforce the promise of a "permanent" Indian territory. Dragoon Soldiers meeting with Native Americans at a tipi Bleeding Kansas: A Stain on Kansas History In the 1850s, conflict arose over whether Kansas should be free or slave. People who felt strongly about the issue from all perspectives converged on Kansas Terrirtory. Compromise was elusive as people on both sides employed violence to bring about their ends. Men aiming guns toward building Birds at Fort Scott Videos and photos of birds at Fort Scott two birds in a tree Soldier vs. Settler:Railroads in Southeast Kansas The first railroad came to Fort Scott in 1869. As it built south, it started building on land already inhabited by squatters who had not yet legally staked their claims. Settlers attacked the railroad and the US Army sent in soldiers to protect the railroad. How would you feel if someone tried to take land that you were living on? steam locomotive with smoke coming out The Civilian Experience in the Civil War After being mere spectators at the war's early battles, civilians both near and far from the battlefields became unwilling participants and victims of the war as its toll of blood and treasure grew year after year. In response to the hardships imposed upon their fellow citizens by the war, civilians on both sides mobilized to provide comfort, encouragement, and material, and began to expect that their government should do the same. Painting of civilians under fire during the Siege of Vicksburg Growing Pains-Kansas in Chaos Fort Scott is the only NPS site that was directly involved in the "Bleeding Kansas” era. The division between pro and anti-slavery forces is reflected by the fact that a former officers' quarters served as the Fort Scott or "Free State " Hotel while directly across the parade ground was the Western or "Pro Slavery" Hotel, (previously used as an infantry barracks). Three men with torches Legacy-Building Towards Unity Summarizes the legacy of Fort Scott as its development reflects the growth of a nation. people surrounding a person selling buildings Junior Ranger Booklet-Lower Elementary Younger children can try their hand at drawing pictures of horses, laying in a soldier' s bed, or escaping from a maze as they explore the buildings of Fort Scott. Girl with light blue dress and white apron with hoop and stick Free To Learn: African American Schools in Fort Scott The passage of the 13th Amendment ended slavery in the United States but it did not immediately lead to opportunity and equality. Education was the key to helping students succeed. From the end of the Civil War until 1he 1950s, when schools were integrated, four African American schools did their best to provide opportunities for their students. several people sitting on stairs America Grows Up When Fort Scott was first established in 1842, the United States was a young divided republic. There were no states west of Missouri and the states that did exist were divided over the issue of slavery. But even before soldiers first arrived at Fort Scott, events were set in motion that would dramatically change the nation. collage of four pictures The Changing War Begun as a purely military effort with the limited political objectives of reunification (North) or independence (South), the Civil War transformed into a social, economic and political revolution with unforeseen consequences. As the war progressed, the Union war effort steadily transformed from a limited to a hard war; it targeted not just Southern armies, but the heart of the Confederacy's economy, morale, and social order-the institution of slavery. Woodcut of spectators watching a train station set fire by Sherman's troops The Osage Before the arrival of the Europeans, the Osage Indians roamed a vast domain in the heart of North America . Although the Osage were a proud and powerful tribe, they could not withstand the pressure of European civilization. Soon after French fur trappers established contact with the Osages in the 1670s, their way of life began to change native american on horseback chasing buffalo National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map Series: Fort Scott History The events that Fort Scott became involved in helped to transform the nation. From the Permanent Indian Frontier through westward expansion, Bleeding Kansas, the Civil War, and railroad development, the nation grew in both terms of size and character. The history of Fort Scott in each of these eras can be traced through these pages. two story building illuminated by sunlight Find Your Park on Route 66 Route 66 and the National Park Service have always had an important historical connection. Route 66 was known as the great road west and after World War II families on vacation took to the road in great numbers to visit the many National Park Service sites in the Southwest and beyond. That connection remains very alive and present today. Take a trip down Route 66 and Find Your Park today! A paved road with fields in the distance. On the road is a white Oklahoma Route 66 emblem. Things to Do in Kansas Find things to do in Kansas. Single story square building in the distance partially obstructed by a field of golden grass. Series: Things to Do in the Midwest There is something for everyone in the Midwest. See what makes the Great Plains great. Dip your toes in the continent's inland seas. Learn about Native American heritage and history. Paddle miles of scenic rivers and waterways. Explore the homes of former presidents. From the Civil War to Civil Rights, discover the stories that shape our journey as a nation. Steep bluff with pink sky above and yellow leaves below. Shaping the System Under President Jimmy Carter President Jimmy Carter oversaw one of the largest growths in the National Park System. Explore some of the parks that are part of the legacy of the presidency of Jimmy Carter, who served as the 39th president of the United States from January 20, 1977, to January 20, 1981. Historic photo of Jimmy Carter walking through a crowd at Harpers Ferry