Join Fort Stanton Foundation - Help Preserve the Fort!
Fort Stanton: A Timeless Landscape,
An Enduring Journey
The history of Fort Stanton, New Mexico is complex and wound with many disconnected narrative threads. Its mission, role and function has changed with the people that lived, died, played, hunted farmed, fished, fought and worked along the banks of the Bonito River against the backdrop of the Capitan mountains.
The vitality of the natural resources, the landscape, and the scenic qualities of the area have drawn human beings to this part of the world for thousands of years. Photographs more than a century old, and a simple walk around the Fort’s grounds today, speaks volumes about the timelessness of the landscape.
The signatures and drawings in nearby Fort Stanton cave reflect the determination of people to leave a mark that tells a story about their existence. The buildings, structures, and surrounding acreage at Fort Stanton reflect the touch of humanity, and sometimes inhumanity, of human history. The remaining structures at Fort Stanton echo with joyous shouts of children, the groans of those in pain, the anxiety of those in fear, and the sounds of those at work, reminding us that their history now belongs to us to consider, nurture, and pass on to future generations.
The movement of Fort Stanton through time, from its days as a military fort to its use as a tourism site reflects the fact that its journey endures so long as people wish to reflect on what can be learned from a place that seems to always meet some cultural, political, military or social need.
Fort Stanton continues to demonstrate its value to successive generations, and its future seems bright with the honor of being named a state monument in 2007.
Fort Stanton – 1953-2006
The state run hospital evolved with time as well. In 1957, operations were transferred to the State Tuberculosis Board. By 1966, tuberculosis cases were rapidly disappearing and the remaining 100 patients at Fort Stanton Hospital were transferred to the Fort Bayard Hospital for the Aged and Chronically Ill. The hospital remained open and became a treatment center for the developmentally disabled and mentally challenged after 1966. The hospital closed in 1996, and was then used a detention center for women. Its purpose changed again in 1999 when it became rehabilitation for at-risk youth.
Little documentation of this period of the Fort’s existence has been made public, as it is important to retain the privacy of patients and detainees.
While every effort was made to maintain the buildings and grounds at Fort Stanton, the sheer volume of acreage and the maintenance requirements of 80 separate structures ranging in age from 30 to 100 years made it impossible for maintenance crews to keep up with deterioration in some buildings and on grounds no longer in use. Decreasing numbers of people working at the Fort and a lack of funding for historic preservation activities created a situation in which real fears about the eventual disappearance of Fort Stanton became an ongoing concern for those who wished to preserve the facility.
Fort Stanton Preservation
Historians, preservationists, developers, civic leaders and many others long ago recognized that the location, environment and infrastructure in and around Fort Stanton were filled with promise and opportunity. In 1988, the State of New Mexico, Lincoln County and the Lincoln County Heritage Trust funded a study and development of a master plan for the preservation of the site. The proposed plan included the creation of a museum and recreational area. In 2001, the State of New Mexico’s Historic Preservation Office commissioned a study on potential uses of Fort Stanton as well.
In spite of these studies, the site was also offered for sale to private developers who considered concepts such as developing portions of the site for up-scale housing, condominiums and golf courses. Those ideas did not met with much local support. Some nearby residents began advocating for the development of the site through inclusion in the state monument system, a National Park Service site, or as a locally funded museum. Along the way, community representatives created the Friends of Fort Stanton, now known as Fort Stanton, Inc., to actively support historic preservation efforts. This group has brought renewed attention to the facility through the development of events such “Fort Stanton Live” and continued lobbying efforts.
In 2003, Govern Bill Richardson was convinced to study the development issues, creating the Fort Stanton Development Commission to produce a plan. Archeological field studies by the National Park Service utilizing Fort Stanton volunteers were conducted , adding to knowledge of the area while reinforcing the necessity for site preservation. Cornerstones, a not-for-profit preservation organization led an effort to begin the process of restoring the stables in 2007.
In 2007, the State of New Mexico’s Department of Cultural Affairs agreed to accept responsibility for the long-term care and preservation of the Fort. As the newest addition to the state system, the Fort Stanton State Monument is actively developing a plan for future development and preservation as a tourism attraction.
What can I do to help the Fort Stanton State Monument?
Even with its inclusion as a New Mexico State Monument, you can still play an important role in Fort Stanton’s development.
Visit Fort Stanton when the facility reopens in April. While there you can sign up to volunteer your expertise and service.
Follow the development effort, and answer the call to participate in future public planning sessions.
Give consideration to making a donation to the Fort through the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.
Lend your voice to the preservation effort and contact your New Mexico governmental representatives to let them know you support the Fort’s development and permanent preservation.
Become a member of Fort Stanton, Inc.
Whatever you may choose to do, however you can help, your actions will be appreciated by the volunteers, private citizens, paid staff, and many others who have worked so hard to make the preservation of Fort Stanton happen. For more information and contacts, please consult a member of the Hubbard Museum staff.
