Cavalry Company Quarters - Fort Sill, Oklahoma
Posted by: 
gparkes
N 34° 40.210 W 098° 23.264
14S E 556094 N 3836637
Fort Sill was founded upon the orders of Phillip Sheridan in 1869. The historic area has a series of markers explaining the original functions.
Waymark Code: WM7ZVR
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 12/30/2009
Views: 10
Cavalry Company Quarters
Three cavalry barracks were constructed in 1870 on the west side of the Post Quadrangle, each barracks housing two companies of cavalry. The wings extending from the west side of the buildings served as kitchens and mess halls. The basement area beneath the southern-most barracks served as the post prison, housing garrison prisoners, and continued to serve as an annex to the Post Guardhouse after its completion in 1874.
Company sinks or closets (latrines) and washhouses were placed in the area between the kitchen/mess hall wings. The post laundresses were quartered, four to a building, in the small houses west of the barracks. According to custom each company of cavalry or infantry was allowed four laundresses.
Five cavalry stables were constructed west of the barracks, each stable capable of housing 200 horses. The stables were constructed to allow a company to mount and form within the stables, and sally forth to do battle through large gates.
These buildings were all constructed of native limestone and lime mortar quarried from the limestone hill southeast of the post.