FIRST - U.S. Fort on Colorado Soil - Sanford, CO
N 37° 17.628 W 105° 48.616
13S E 428183 N 4127773
Lt. Zebulon Pike constructed this stockade in 1807, the first documented American-flagged fort in the state.
Waymark Code: WMGTR8
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 04/09/2013
Views: 2
On this ground stood
PIKE'S STOCKADE
Erected in February, 1807, by
Capt. Zebulon Montgmery Pike, U.S.A.
First official American explorer
of Colorado and the southwest.
First U.S. fort on Colorado soil.
Site acquired by the State, 1926.
Erected by
The State Historical Society of Colorado
From the Mrs. J. N. Hall Foundation
And by the Historical Association of the
Adams State Teachers College
1936 |
Lt. Zebulon Pike was the first official American explorer to the southwest and led an expedition into the United States' newly acquired Louisiana Purchase territory. Crossing the Sangre de Cristo mountains into the San Luis Valley, Pike constructed a stockade out of Cottonwood logs to protect his men from the winter and from Spanish raiders. However, whether knowingly or unknowingly, he built the fort on Spanish soil and on February 26, 1807, a force of 100 Spanish cavalry appeared to escort him to the governor in Santa Fe. Pike was taken to Chihuahua and questioned by the Spanish. He was finally freed in July and reported his findings, having gained valuable insight into the geographical knowledge of the southern portion of the Louisiana Purchase and the Spanish presence in the southwest.
In 1926 the state of Colorado acquired land and, in 1952, built a replica of Pike's stockade. The site was selected based on detailed description given by Pike in his journal and the fort replicates the original as closely as possible. In 1962 the site was registered as a National Historic Landmark and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The fort, open from Memorial Day to Labor Day (8-5 daily), is located about 4 miles east of Sanford. A picnic area is located nearby and historic markers provide some insight into the history of the area.
Source: National Register of Historic Places, San Luis Valley Heritage, National Geographic GeoTourism Map Guide
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