In association with the Klamath County Museums, the CCWS is proud to partake in the 2020 Heritage Days and help educate the local community on the history of Fort Klamath and the people who were part of it. We will present various stations regarding life at the Fort and for the peoples in the region in the 1800's. Donations are welcome both to the club and to the Museum but admission is free otherwise. This event is absolutely fun for the whole family to enjoy with period blacksmithing, artillery and infantry demonstrations, and much more!
Fort Klamath was established in 1863, and was an important Army post during conflicts with the Klamath, Modoc, & the Northern Paiute Indian tribes. The fort consisted of more than 50 buildings, including a sawmill. The Klamath fort is also the gravesite of four Modoc men, led by Kintpuash (Captain Jack), who were executed at Fort Klamath in 1873 for the killing of General Edward Canby. Their graves remain at Fort Klamath.
A post office was opened in 1879. By the mid-1880s, the settlers in the area no longer needed protection. In 1889 the decision was made to close the fort. After a harsh final winter with more than 20 ft of snow, the troops of Company I of the 14th Infantry Regiment (United States) 14th Infantry Regiment left the fort on June 23, 1890, and moved to Vancouver Barracks.
The Fort Klamath Museum, which was established in 1972, includes eight acres within the heart of the historic military post that operated from 1863 to 1889. Soldiers from the fort played a key role in the 1872-73 Modoc Indian War along the Oregon-California border.
Fort Klamath is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is owned and operated by Klamath County.
