Fort Douglas

Fort Douglas
Fort Douglas Military Museum, May 2022
Fort Douglas is located in Utah
Fort Douglas
Fort Douglas is located in the United States
Fort Douglas
LocationSalt Lake City, Utah
Coordinates40°45′55″N 111°49′59″W / 40.76528°N 111.83306°W / 40.76528; -111.83306
Area25 acres (10 ha) (landmarked area)
Built1862
NRHP reference No.70000628
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJune 15, 1970[1]
Designated NHLDMay 15, 1975[2]

Fort Douglas (initially called Camp Douglas) was established in October 1862, during the American Civil War, as a small military garrison about three miles east of Salt Lake City, Utah. Its purpose was to protect the overland mail route and telegraph lines along the Central Overland Route. It was officially closed in 1991 pursuant to BRAC action.[3] A small portion of the fort remains in active military use as the Stephen A. Douglas Armed Forces Reserve Center, although it is expected the reserve center will be relocated in the next few years, after the state of Utah provided funds for the purpose in 2023.

Most of the fort's former property has been turned over to the University of Utah and many of its buildings are preserved and used by the university for a variety of purposes. The Fort Douglas Military Museum is housed in two former barracks buildings. The fort was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975, for its role in the Civil War and in furthering the settlement of Utah.[4]

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. ^ "Fort Douglas". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2007-10-18. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  3. ^ Bauman, Joseph (14 June 1991). "FORT DOUGLAS CLOSURE TO DISPLACE 278". www.deseretnews.com. Deseret News. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  4. ^ "NHL nomination for Fort Douglas". National Park Service. Retrieved 2018-03-13.