Camp Collins (Larimer County, Colorado)
Larimer County · Colorado · Colorado War
History & Significance
Camp Collins was commissioned on July 22, 1862, and named for Lt. Col. William O. Collins, colonel of the 11th Ohio Cavalry and commandant of Fort Laramie. The initial camp at Laporte was constructed by Company B, 9th Kansas Cavalry, and in fall 1862 was relieved by a detachment of the 1st Colorado Volunteer Cavalry under Captain David L. Hardy.
The fort saw little direct action and was never stockaded with walls. A catastrophic flood on the Poudre River in early June 1864 destroyed the camp nearly completely, with soldiers barely escaping with their lives.
After scouting for a new location, settler Joseph Mason proposed a site four miles downstream offering protection from flooding and a prominent viewshed. Relocated by Colonel Collins's order on August 20, 1864, the new post became known as "Fort Collins" and was fully occupied by October 22.
The military reservation was officially relinquished on May 15, 1872, and the townsite of Fort Collins was officially platted on the former site in January 1873. None of the original camp buildings survive today; the only preserved structure is the Auntie Elizabeth Stone cabin, formerly the officers' mess hall.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Historic site of 1862 Army outpost protecting Overland Trail travelers
- Flooded original camp in 1864 prompted relocation downstream
- Fort abandonment in 1866 led to civilian settlement
- Foundation of modern Fort Collins city traces to relocated fort
- No physical structures remain on-site today
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Collins
- https://history.fcgov.com/explore/city-history
- https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/fort-collins
- https://theclio.com/entry/77553