Celebration Time at Bent's Fort

The Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site celebrates its 50th Anniversary as a unit of the National Park System

The original Bent's Fort, an abobe landmark on the Santa Fe Trail near the present town of La Junta, was built in the 1840s, and for 16 years was the only permanent settlement between Missouri and what was then Mexico (now New Mexico). A monument was erected in 1912 to mark the site, the fort itself was reconstructed for the US Bicentennial in 1976 and it was designated as the Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site half a century ago.

This was a weekend of re-enactments, programs from leading historians, stagecoach rides, a trapper’s camp and a movie retrospective and more. The historians told the story of the fort and its establishment as a national park. Presenters included Merrill Eisenhower Atwater, great-grandson of President Dwight Eisenhower who signed the bill establishing the park; Cathy Smith, award-winning costume designer for “Dances With Wolves,” “Geronimo” and “Buffalo Gals;” Mark Gardner, author, historian and musician from Cascade, Colorado; Lawrence Hart, Cheyenne Peace Chief and Executive Director of the Cheyenne Cultural Center in Clinton, Oklahoma; and Dr. David Sandoval, specialist in the history of the Southwest from Colorado State University at Pueblo.

My husband and I visited the fort a couple of years ago (click here for my report), and if this had not been the Saturday of my neigborhood's annual, I would have wanted to be at Bent's Old Fort  this weekend to, especially on Saturday evening, for a 50th Anniversary Banquet and an authentic 1840s fandango with music and dance instruction by Dr. Lorenzo Trujillo and the Southwest Musicians.

The party might be over, but the fascination of Bent's Old Fort continues with wonderful interpretative activities all summer long. If you're traveling through southern Colorado, don't miss it. Bent's Old Fort is 70 miles from Pueblo, 8 miles from La Junta and 15 miles from Las Animas. The official address is 35110 Highway 194 East, La Junta, CO 81050-9523; 719-383-5010.