Fort Ter-Waw (Klamath Glen, California)
Klamath Glen · California · Indian Wars
History & Significance
First Lieutenant George Crook and Company D of the 4th Infantry Regiment established Fort Ter-Waw on October 12, 1857, in what was then Klamath County. Crook suggested the name "Ter-Waw," which means "beautiful place" in Yurok.
The post was created to establish an occupying military force on the Klamath River Reservation that could keep the peace between the Tolowa and Yurok Native American tribes and white settlers. The fort stood six miles upstream from the mouth of the Klamath River.
The installation served as part of the Humboldt Military District headquartered at Fort Humboldt. The post was evacuated in June 1861 but reoccupied in August 1861.
The winter of 1861–62 brought catastrophic flooding that struck four times, undermining and washing away 17 of the post's 20 buildings. Brigadier General George Wright determined in June 1862 that any riverside location would remain vulnerable to floods and ordered the garrison relocated to Camp Lincoln in the Smith River Valley, north of Crescent City. Today the site is marked by California Historical Landmark #544 and is located in Del Norte County.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- California Historical Landmark #544 marker
- Site of 1857 U.S. Army post on Klamath River
- Indian Wars-era fort destroyed by 1862 flood
- Klamath River Reservation location with tribal history context
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Ter-Waw
- https://www.militarymuseum.org/FtTerWaw.html
- https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/ListedResources/Detail/544
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=240409
- https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2025/mar/1/humboldt-history-after-massacres-expulsion-how-wiy/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Indian_Wars
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klamath_River