Fort Yuma

Fort Yuma
Part of Department of the West
Imperial County, California, USA
Fort Yuma in 1875
Coordinates32°43′55″N 114°36′58″W / 32.732°N 114.616°W / 32.732; -114.616
TypeOutpost
Site information
OwnerFederal government of the United States
Controlled byBureau of Indian Affairs
Open to
the public
Yes
ConditionRestored
Site history
Built1851
Built byUnited States Army
In use1851–83
MaterialsAdobe, Wood
Battles/warsYuma War
Mohave War
American Civil War
Garrison information
Past
commanders
Samuel P. Heintzelman
George Henry Thomas[1]
Garrison1st Dragoons
2nd Infantry Regiment
6th Infantry Regiment
Quartermaster Corps
1st California Infantry
OccupantsUnited States Army
Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation
Part ofYuma Crossing and Associated Sites
Reference no.66000197[2]
DesignatedNovember 13, 1966[2]
Part ofYuma Crossing and Associated Sites
Reference no.806[3]

Fort Yuma was a fort in California located in Imperial County, across the Colorado River from Yuma, Arizona. It was Established in 1848. It served as a stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail route from 1858 until 1861. The fort was retired from active military service on May 16, 1883, and transferred to the Department of the Interior. The Fort Yuma Indian School and the Saint Thomas Yuma Indian Mission now occupy the site. It is one of the "associated sites" listed as Yuma Crossing and Associated Sites on the National Register of Historic Places in the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.[2] In addition, it is registered as California Historical Landmark #806.[3]

  1. ^ "POST RETURN of Fort Yuma, California for July 1854". George H. Thomas Chronology. ~dmercado. January 1, 1998. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Fort Yuma". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved October 7, 2012.