New Mexico Grapples With Future of Fort Bayard
By Margaret Foster | Online Only | June 23, 2009
Fort Bayard in southwestern New Mexico was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2004.
Credit: Vladimir Laven
A former U.S. Army post built by Buffalo Soldiers in southwestern New Mexico is at a crossroads. Currently leased by a medical center, the fort will stand vacant next year when a new hospital opens nearby.
At a public meeting June 8, about 100 people, including state officials, met to discuss the fate of the historic buildings at Fort Bayard. Bill Taylor, director of New Mexico Property Control, the state agency that owns the 468-acre property, emphasized the need for a master plan, and said that next year the state will issue a request for proposals for its future use.
"Fort Bayard could pass out of local control unless a master plan is developed," says Maureen Craig, community development planner for the Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments, based in nearby Silver City. "There are a lot of ideas out there right now" for the site, she says, including a Buffalo Soldiers heritage center, a vocational school, or a park.
In 1866, Congress established the first peacetime all-black regiments in the U.S. Army. The same year, members of the U.S. Colored Infantry built Fort Bayard to hold off Apache tribes and to protect the gold and silver mining communities. Native American tribes referred to the African American troops as "Buffalo Soldiers." (Fort Bayard was home to Cathay Williams, the former slave who joined the U.S. Army as William Cathay, and became the nation's first female Buffalo Soldier.)
Nothing except a cemetery remains at Fort Bayard from the 1860s. Surviving structures on the post all date either to the turn of the last century, when the site became a tuberculosis sanatorium, or to the 1920s, when it became a veterans' hospital.
An arson fire damaged this house, one of about 50 at Fort Bayard, N.M.
Credit: Vladimir Laven
Of the 80 buildings clustered on a third of the property today, most have stood empty since 2006. Only a few—including the commanding officer's house, which the state has maintained as the hospital administration building, and a 1941 theater, which was updated last year—are in good condition. The majority are deteriorating rapidly: a fire last January destroyed the roof of one house.
"The amount of vandalism that we've had in the last year is unbelievable," says Cecilia Bell, president of the Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society, which hosts tours, reunions, and annual celebrations of the fort. "The last couple of times that we have given tours we have found [evidence that] people are staying in there. We really need to move on to [establish] a state or national park so we have security."
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Comments
Submitted by Merry at: January 5, 2010
I lived in Ft. Bayard and lived in home 25A on the main street. It breaks my heart to see what is happening to the homes. What can be done to save the Fort and it's housing?
Submitted by Patsy at: December 17, 2009
There are many things worth preserving. Fort Bayard is one of them. Until we can get the locals to become excited about it's preservation, how can we get people around the nation to get excited? However, perhaps we need to get history minded people from around the nation and other countries to help preserve this wonderful treasure trove. Our nation is in a terrible mess financially right now and it will be hard to get money to preserve these buildings and grounds. We need people to come out and help. The best way is to join the Fort Bayard Preservation Society and fight together. There is a membership dinner on Jan 9,2010 at FB Theater at 6 pm.Come join us in the battle to keep FB alive in our history. Call Cecilia Bell @ 388-4477 for information.
Submitted by CSM MItch at: December 14, 2009
I think it would be wise to Include the Nde Warm Springs Apache people as well. They have shown a great deal of interest of late. They would love to co-locate a museum with the FBHPS and 9th Memorial Cavalry (Buffalo Soldiers) . Richard Mitchem FBHPS
Submitted by GSF at: December 14, 2009
Fort Bayard is also on the National Register of Historic Places. The Landmark & National Register boundaries encompass portions of the historic district located on lands administered by the Gila National Forest, in addition to New Mexico State lands. To say that nothing remains from the 1860s except a cemetery is incorrect. There are historic features (rifle butts for target shooting, for example), that remain. In addition, there are historic foundations, walls, artifacts and other important historic archeological remains from 19th century occupation of the Fort, on both state and Forest lands. There are also significant prehistoric archeological sites within the boundaries of the National Historic Landmark. I'm a local who thoroughly supports preservation of Fort Bayard, and is greatly saddened by deterioration there. But, while I appreciate the National Trust's article about the Fort, there is much more to the story than only the built environment on State land that you addressed.
Submitted by Vera at: December 13, 2009
My grandfather worked at Ft. Bayard, my Mother and Father grew up there as well as myself and my brother. Some of those houses were built from lumber brought over from the Philippines on ships and they are put together with bolts. The Post is a treasure trove of Indian relics and so much history of Buffalo soldiers, the Veterans Administration and the fact that during WWII, there were many German Prisoners that were kept there and worked on the grounds. There were many Army mules and horses that were retired there after serving their tours of duty in the army. Please don't let this wonderful piece of history be torn down and disappear from the history books. Surely there is something that can be done to preserve it.