Fort Fred Steele, Wyoming — History & Visitor Guide

Fort Fred Steele (Carbon County, Wyoming)

Carbon County · Wyoming · Indian Wars

Quick BriefFort Fred Steele was formally established on 30 June 1868, one of three forts built to protect the Union Pacific Railroad from Native American attacks where the railroad crossed the North Platte River in Carbon County, Wyoming. In 1878 during the White River War, the fort sent a contingent that was ambushed with heavy losses in the Battle of Milk Creek, with Major Thomas Thornburgh, the fort's commander, among the casualties. The fort was abandoned in 1886.

Open to visitors

History & Significance

Colonel Richard I. Dodge laid out Fort Steele on June 30, 1868, at the place where the Union Pacific met the North Platte River. The fort was named for the recently deceased General Frederick Steele.

Though initially resembling a tent city, the quartermaster quickly built the fort according to Army specifications using local materials and labor, with many of the 300 troops receiving extra pay for their assistance; key civilians employed included a sawmill engineer, blacksmith, saddler, and wheelwright. The fort provided both military protection and law enforcement for the region, with troops dealing with labor disputes in Wyoming and as far away as Chicago.

A significant event was the White River Expedition of 1879, when Major Thomas Thornburgh led two companies from the fort to the White River Agency in response to a Ute Indian uprising. By 1886, the area Indians had been subdued, and the War Department deactivated the post on August 7th.

The Lincoln Highway took motorists straight through the middle of Fort Fred Steele until it was rerouted in 1939 near I-80. In 1973, the Wyoming State legislature created Fort Fred Steele State Historic Site.

Key Facts

StateWyoming

LocationCarbon County

Established1868

Decommissioned1886

War / eraIndian Wars

Current statusMuseum / Historic Site

Coordinates41.77833333, -106.9475

NRHP reference69000185

Map

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🧳 Visiting

What you’ll see when you visit:

1868 military installation built to protect Union Pacific Railroad construction
Remains of barracks, officer quarters, and other structures on original site
Historic setting where railroad crossed North Platte River
Indian Wars–era fort and transportation history artifacts

Best time to visitSpring (April-May) and fall (September-October) offer mild weather; summers can be warm and winters harsh in the Wyoming high plains.

Getting thereFly into Rawlins Municipal Airport (RWL), approximately 21 km north of the fort near Rawlins, Wyoming.

From the nearest major airportCasper-Natrona County International Airport (CPR)🚗 136 mi by road⏱️ ≈ 2 hr 43 min drive

Fort Fred Steele (Carbon County, Wyoming)

History & Significance

Key Facts

Map

🧳 Visiting

Sources

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