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Show A ' FTER digging it from a pile of rubble and ruin- slowly but surely nearing Fort Union has completion been opened as a new historical scenic point for motorists of the southwest. Lying unnoticed on the vast plains, the long deteriorating ruins are at last beijg reconverted and afforded to the public as a memory of thcForts worthy past. Over 90 thousand dollars has been spent on the project since its designation as a National Monument in 1956. Every effort has been taken, to restore the grounds, approximately 700 acres to a state where the visitor can browse about and visualize, to an extent, the activities during the Forts active time. THE SHRINE is located on the dividing line of the timber and prairie country miles northeast of Las Vegas, New Mexico. A few volumes, chronicling the events of the active days, rest in dusty hiding places. It seems that one of the Wests outstanding landmarks has been slow in coming into the limelight! At the forks of the road in northern New Mexico on the old Santa Fe Trail Fort Union in 1851 under the command of Col. E. V. Sumner was established as a basis of operations for both military and civilian ventures in New Mexico and the vast surrounding area. Construction of the fort was a necessity as protection against Indians for the vast throngs of emigrants pouring into the West. Its establishment on the particular site played a major lole in the destiny of the entire southwest during the 40 years of its existence. IT HAS BEEN hinted that the location of the fort so far from any other settlement was a desire of the commanding officers. The long distance from the fort to a liquor supply and gay senoritas made the booze wise soldiers easier to handle. The fact that the unlisted men gave trouble is portrayed in the massively constructed stockade still standing midst the fort ruins today. The federal installation, being situated in the forks of the trail one route leading north through Raton Pass and ''YV "V-- v T-- r - sv, J ; - n.mi wJwf jrl - I ti V - , S s w "fc Ruins of the . r , . ' - Quartermaster Building of Fort Union, shown sometime after abandonment the other taking Cimarron Cutoff protected the almost endless string of prairie schooners and Conestoga wagons with their numerous trail bosses and thousands of trail hands who transported more than $10 million worth of goods annually. The trek over the trail was of two fold purpose to bring supplies to the frontier and haul back raw materials. ple, including both civilian and military personnel, occupied the fort! During the Conflict of the States, the Confederates were moving successfully up through the Rio Grande Valley from El Paso north to their objective the silver mines of CAPTAIN WILLIAM Beck-neblazed the route of the Santa Fe Trail in 1821. Col. Sumner moved in with a small contingent and established the fort 30 years later just five years after the conquest of New Mexico by the United States in the war with Mexico. Well over 100 commanding officers boomed their voice of command during its 40 years with the bugle of activity sounding the last assembly call in 1891 under the command of 1st Lt. John H. The post had been on a caretaker status since sometime in the 1880s. Col. Christopher (Kit) Car-soat one time, had command of the installation. And, at times, more than 2,000 peo Albuquerque and Santa Fe had been frightened away from their strongholds. But the forces of Fort Union, joined by the First Regiment of Colorado Volunteers, met the enemy in the narrows of Apache Pass, about 70 miles south of the fort. A furious battle raged for two days near Glorieta, with the Confederates gaining the upper hand. But their hopes soon faded when news came that their supply line had been captured. The surprise attack, which severed the Confederate supply lines, left the aggressor destitute of food, ammunition and pack animals, and very possibly saved Fort Union and the mines of Colorado for the federal cause. ll Schol-lenberge- r. Colorado. A UNION FORCE at below Socorro, had been over run. Defenders at both ' - in 1891, are being preserved at historic site. Rebirth Val-verd- Of Old Ft. Union by Kit Carson ' . XftSMK fY'Y' - IMe V4.V W-f- i'' V Y V t W fS "'S'' aw v " & t ?'' '&!?' v gi x i f 1 " 'jv ' I . vmm m ; ' , 'i 'a s V s V NS '' ' y w1 ' v "P JtJa V 5 ,'-- . . S' - ' and civilians who stepped out of line served terms Jt Lake .City, September 25, 10(H) in this old cell block. Old Glory again flies over Fort Union . beside administration, - &- 'Vf . s'. vr-- v , - tiers v s - 'mi' ' i m museum building. . 4 - |
