Fort Stanton Live! August 13th & 14th 2005 Written by Chuck Duncan • Photography by Mickey Cochran
Celebrating 150 years of service to the Nation, Fort Stanton stands as a monument to the pioneering spirit of the early settlers in New Mexico.
Built to house the cavalry stationed to protect area settlers from Apache Indian raids, it became home to such notables as the famous Buffalo soldiers, Black Jack Pershing, Kit Carson, Lew Wallace and of course the infamous “Billy the Kid” ... who apparently spent most of his time in the Fort's brig awaiting a hanging.
Once the trouble with the Apaches ended the fort declined as an “Old West” outpost and was decommissioned in 1896 after which it was used for a multitude of purposes including housing German and Japanese captives during WWII.
Fort Stanton Live is an annual two-day event that has folks dressed in period costumes reenacting life at the Fort as it was in the 1800’s. Cavalry, infantry and artillery garrisons will perform their drills as a blacksmith works his forge. An 1880’s minstrel show will entertain and an old-fashioned gambling hall will be open to give you a real sense of the era.
Native Americans will perform their traditional dances and a Chautauqua performance by Lydia Lane is guaranteed to please.
There will be a fashion show with the Friends of Fort Seldon narrating with detailed descriptions of the attire.
Then on Sunday at noon a Civil war tactical battle will take place to end the event with a bang.
This is an opportunity for the whole family to have some fun while learning something of what our Forefathers had to deal with as they settled Lincoln County.
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