Fort Verde State Park Arizona
Fort Verde State Park Arizona is a site you will want to check out if you are heading to the Montezuma Castle and Well National Monuments near Camp Verde, AZ. We made that trip actually coming from our B & B in Cottonwood. These sites are all just too close not to package all three together.
Table of contents
What is Fort Verde?
Fort Verde State Park is located in Camp Verde, AZ. The fort was built as an Apache Wars-era fort built to house soldiers protecting settlers in the area from raids by the Tonto-Apache (from the south and east) and Yavapai (from the West). Upon request for military protection, In 1865, first volunteers, and then in 1866 U.S. Army soldiers, protected the settlers from the frequent raids of crops and livestock committed by the local Indians.
Several posts were established with Camp Verde renamed to Fort Verde in 1879. In a few years, the Indian raids were eliminated and the Fort was abandoned in 1891. The Fort sold at a public auction in 1899.
There are a few original structures of the fort that includes the parade ground, officer quarters, and the Administration Building, now used as a Visitor Center. The Visitors Center has a great display of items covering Fort Verde’s history which we enjoyed checking out. The three Officer Quarters available for tour includes the Commanding Officer, Batchelor, and Surgeon Quarters. The rooms show furniture and other items that would be time-period- and rank-correct.
The State of Arizona created the state park in 1970. The National Register of Historic Places added the Fort Verde State Historic Park to their registry a year later.
Where is Fort Verde?
Fort Verde State Park Arizona is located about an hour and fifteen minutes north of Phoenix in Camp Verde, AZ, and South/Southwest of Sedona and Cottonwood.
It is located 4 miles West/Southwest from the Montezuma Castle National Monument so it makes sense to package together this trip with Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well National Monuments.
What’s the History behind Fort Verde?
The government established the fort to assist settlers in the Camp Verde area to prevent Indian raids.
The Government divided up the New Mexico territory creating the Arizona Territory in 1863. Prescott, AZ became the new territorial capital in 1864.
Settlers moved near the Verde River at West Clear Creek. The Tonto-Apache and Yavapai Indians who lived in the area raided the settlers’ crops and livestock. Hostilities and conflict began as the settlers fought back. In May 1865, the settlers demanded military protection.
Soldier Camps and Forts
At West Clear Creek Arizona Volunteers established a tent camp overlooking the farms in August 1865. The military established Camp Lincoln in December 1865. Regular U.S. Army troops relieved them in September 1866. They changed the name to Camp Verde in 1868.
The Military and civilians constructed buildings at the present post in 1871 and completed it in 1873. This post consisted of 22 buildings arranged around a parade ground.
Fort Verde is significant as “the best preserved and least altered of any military post associated with General Crook’s 1872-73 campaign against the northern Apaches.”[2]
Troop Levels
Staffing at the Fort included a maximum of 306 enlisted, 11 officers, 19 civilians, and 36 Apache Indian scouts. The average number of enlisted at any one time was only 110.
The Army organized the first Buffalo Soldiers troop in 1866. Congress passed legislation in 1866 that allowed African Americans to enlist in the country’s regular peacetime military. Two regiments of all-Black cavalry, the 9th and 10th cavalries, were formed. Native American tribes they fought gave these soldiers the nickname “Buffalo Soldier”.
Troop I, 10th Cavalry of the Buffalo Soldiers came to serve at Fort Verde in 1885.
The US Government wrote the Federal Indian Policy as a means to control the Indian population. This led to the establishment of the Rio Verde Reservation in 1873. This policy further gave a legal basis to relocate approximately 1500 Indians from various tribes into the new 800 square mile Reservation between 1873 and 1875.
The Military renamed Camp Verde to Fort Verde in 1879 to indicate permanence. However, with the end of raids by 1882, the Fort was no longer important. They abandoned the fort in 1891. The Department of the Interior sold the fort at a public auction in 1899.
The fort was never enclosed by walls or stockades, and it never saw fighting on site. At its height, it consisted of twenty-two buildings, only four of which survived until 1956, when local citizens created a small museum in the administration building. They later donated the buildings and ten acres (40,000 m²) as a State Park.
What to Expect at the Fort?
The fort is a easy walk with little elevation change, except for a set of stairs going up to the second floor. You can tour the Officer Quarters and the parade grounds in 30 minutes and take another 30 minutes or so to walk through the Visitor Center This stop should take no longer than an hour.
What to See at the Fort?
Officer Quarters
There are three officer quarters that survived and are open for tour. Time-era furniture and accessories adorn the various rooms in the office quarters.
Commanding Officer Quarters
Bachelor Officer Quarters
Surgeon’s Quarters
Fort Administration Building/Visitors Center
The Visitor’s Center has a lot of historical artifacts and the Park Ranger can pass along a great historical review for the Fort.
Flag and Parade Ground
The Flag and Parade Ground is still intact. The walk on the Parade grounds and the officer quarters is very short and level so very much an easy walk.
The entire visit shouldn’t take any longer than 60 minutes so it can easily be done within while in the area.
Camp Verde, AZ
Camp Verde is a town located in the Verde River Valley of central Arizona. Its located in Yavapai County with a population of over 12,000 residents. The town encompasses 42.6 square miles within its city limits. The town is surrounded by Prescott National Forest.
Key Takeaways
- Fort Verde State Park Arizona is located near Camp Verde, AZ, close to Montezuma Castle and Well National Monuments.
- The park features original structures from the fort, including officer quarters and a visitor center with historical exhibits.
- Fort Verde served to protect settlers during Apache Wars, and was abandoned in 1891 after the end of raids.
- Visitors can expect an easy walk through the fort, taking about an hour to explore the grounds and visitor center.
- Fort Verde State Park Arizona offers a glimpse into military history, making it a great stop when visiting the nearby Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well national monuments.
Conclusion
Fort Verde State Park in Arizona is an excellent choice for visiting and exploring if you are already in the vicinity of Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well National Monuments. The Fort was an essential historical asset for the military in protecting settlers in the new territory. The Fort was eventually closed after the raids diminished and was eventually put up for auction.
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