Fort Walla Walla (Walla Walla, Washington)
Walla Walla · Washington · Indian Wars
History & Significance
The fourth and most enduring Fort Walla Walla was established as a cavalry post on March 18, 1858. An executive order on May 7, 1859, declared the fort a military reservation containing 640 acres devoted to military purposes and a further 640 acres each of hay and timber reserves.
The military reservation housed soldiers who would fight in the Pacific Northwest Indian Wars and help bring law and order to early communities of settlers. In May 1858, the Battle of Pine Creek took place when Lieutenant Colonel Steptoe led troops north to investigate reported murders of miners and was forced to retreat after being attacked by a mixed force of Spokane, Palouse, and Coeur d'Alene Indians.
In August 1858, Colonel George Wright led units in a punitive action. In July 1859, U.S. Army Lieutenant John Mullan built the 600-mile Mullan Road from Fort Walla Walla to Fort Benton, Montana through the Rocky Mountains.
On September 28, 1910, soldiers from the 1st Cavalry lowered the flag closing the fort. In 1917, the fort briefly reopened to train men of the First Battalion Washington Field Artillery in support of action in World War I. In 1921, the fort and property were turned over to the Veterans Administration where 15 original buildings from the military era remain.
The Fort Walla Walla Museum comprises 15 acres of the Fort Walla Walla Park and includes four exhibit halls and a 17-building pioneer village. The museum offers living history performances each season on weekends and children's programs.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Original 1858 military buildings and barracks
- Exhibits on Indian Wars conflicts and local Native American tribes
- Pioneer village structures showcasing frontier settlement life
- Historic cannons and military artifacts
- Surrounding park grounds preserving the outpost landscape
Sources
- https://www.historylink.org/file/9649
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Walla_Walla
- https://www.fwwm.org/military
- https://www.fwwm.org/
- https://wallawalla.org/things-to-do/museums-history/fort-walla-walla-museum/
- https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv50604