Fort Craig is an abandoned U.S army installation that is currently a historical site. Fort Craig is one of the many old abandoned forts in the U.S.A showing how the nation took war seriously during those days. After a short period in operation, the fort was shut down and left to decay.

The Birth of Fort Craig

Fort Craig, which was constructed between the border of Mexico and the U.S.A was built to stop constant harassment of non-natives travelers in and out of the two countries by natives from both Mexican and American sides. Construction was completed in 1854 and it was named Fort Craig in honor of captain Louis S. Craig. Fort Craig replaced Fort Conrad which was just miles away from it and after its completion troops from Fort Conrad were transferred to the new Fort.

Roles of Fort Craig in the civil war

Fort Craig was the only fort in the South West that was never taken over by the Confederate army. With a total of 2000 troops, it provided support to other forts during the war at imaginable lengths. During the Battle of Valverde, it showed its prowess when it held the Confederate army of New Mexico in a fierce battle. General Sibley (Confederate army general) was forced to retreat to the North after the battle, denying him the chance to loot weapons from the fort as he planned. As the fort that hosted the union army and other volunteer armies, Fort Craig helped stop the Confederate army of Arizona at the Battle of Canada Alamosa. In the early and mid-1960, Fort Craig was the headquarters for U.S army campaigns against Gila and Mibres Apaches.

Why was Fort Craig abandoned?

After the civil war, the U.S army saw no reason to be operating in the area for the surrounding communities had been protected and there were no potential threats. Fundings to the fort were cut and it closed temporarily from 1878 to 1880. The permanent closure of Fort Craig came in 1885. Valverde land and irrigation company bought Fort Craig at an auction and later it was donated to the archeological conservancy.

Fort Craig today

The owners donated Fort Craig to the Archeological Conservancy who later transferred it to the Bureau of Land Management. Fort Craig now serves as a historic site with BLM as the managing body. BLM offers a tour around the once important landmark and you can visit at any given time.