Fort Fred Steele State Historic Site

Fort Steele
Fort Fred Steele State Historic Site is located in Wyoming
Fort Fred Steele State Historic Site
Fort Fred Steele State Historic Site is located in the United States
Fort Fred Steele State Historic Site
LocationNorth Platte River at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing
Nearest citySinclair, Wyoming
Coordinates41°46′42″N 106°56′51″W / 41.77833°N 106.94750°W / 41.77833; -106.94750
Area40 acres (16 ha)
Built1868 (1868)
NRHP reference No.69000185[1]
Added to NRHPApril 16, 1969

Fort Steele, also known as Fort Fred Steele, was established to protect the newly built Union Pacific Railroad from attacks by Native Americans during construction of the transcontinental railroad in the United States.[2] The fort was built in 1868 where the railroad crossed the North Platte River in Carbon County, Wyoming. Work on the fort was carried out by military and civilian labor. Fort Steele was one of three forts built on the line. Fort Sanders (originally Fort John Buford) near Laramie and Fort D.A. Russell at Cheyenne were the other railroad forts. Fort Steele was named for the recently deceased General Frederick Steele.[3]

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ Thompson, John (December 2, 2023). "Wyoming 'Bridge Nerd' On A Mission To Document State's Historic Bridges". Cowboy State Daily. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  3. ^ Barnhart, Bill (February 26, 1969). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Fort Steele". National Park Service. Retrieved August 28, 2013.