Imagine Union soldiers marching here in 1862. This is Fort Douglas. It was first named Camp Douglas. The camp became Fort Douglas in 1878.
President Lincoln ordered the fort’s establishment. He wanted to protect the Overland Mail Route. He also wanted to keep an eye on the Mormons. Colonel Patrick Connor established Camp Douglas in October 1862. He named it after Senator Stephen A. Douglas.
Connor encouraged his men to find precious metals. His men played a big role in starting Utah’s mining industry. They participated in missions against American Indians. One mission was the Bear River Massacre in 1863.
In 1866, regular soldiers replaced the volunteers. They built stone barracks and a chapel. They also built administrative buildings. Fort Douglas became a sought-after assignment. In 1869, the transcontinental railroad was completed. This allowed troops to deploy quickly.
Fort Douglas units fought in the northern plains campaigns. They also fought in the Sioux War of 1890. The 24th Infantry was one notable unit. It was made up of African-American soldiers and white officers. They fought bravely in Cuba. They charged up San Juan Hill in 1898 during the Spanish-American War.
In 1902, the 12th Infantry returned to Fort Douglas. They had been in the Philippines for three years. Soldiers visited dance halls and breweries for fun. They also went to gambling halls and saloons. The regimental band played Sunday concerts. Many officers married Salt Lake girls. They settled in the city or took their wives to other posts.
Fort Douglas grew during World War I. It trained thousands of recruits. It also held German prisoners of war. Almost nine hundred dissidents were imprisoned here. The 38th Infantry stopped a German offensive. They were nicknamed “Rock of the Marne”. They arrived in 1922.
After Pearl Harbor in 1942, the Ninth Service Command moved to Fort Douglas. It directed military operations west of the Rockies. Salt Lake City found housing for the troops’ families. Fort Douglas coordinated materials for the Pacific war.
After World War II, the army declared Fort Douglas surplus. Some land went to the University of Utah. The Korean War delayed the fort’s closure. The flag was lowered on June 25, 1967. The army kept historic buildings and water rights.
Fort Douglas was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1975. Congress closed Fort Douglas in 1989. The University of Utah received the fort in 1993. Over 50,000 military personnel had been stationed here.
Today, a small part of Fort Douglas remains in use. It is the Stephen A. Douglas Armed Forces Reserve Center. The Fort Douglas Military Museum is here. It is housed in former barracks buildings. The museum displays exhibits from all branches of the Armed Services. A cemetery was established in 1862. It contains a monument to soldiers killed in the Bear River Massacre. German prisoners of war who died here during World War II are also buried here. In 2023, Utah allocated funds to move the reserve center to Camp Williams. The historic reserve property will then transfer to the university.
Fort Douglas stands as a reminder of Utah’s military history. Its buildings tell stories of soldiers, wars, and a changing nation.