Fort Stanton

The Civil War disrupted Fort Stanton’s early years. In 1861, as Confederate forces advanced into New Mexico, Union troops abandoned the fort, attempting to burn it to prevent its use by the enemy. A timely rain extinguished the flames, preserving the structure. Confederate soldiers briefly occupied Fort Stanton for about a month before Mescalero Apache warriors drove them out. In 1862, famed frontiersman Kit Carson, leading Union troops, retook the fort. Carson held a high regard for one of the fort’s officers, Lawrence G. Murphy, commending him in multiple reports to Army headquarters.
Following the Civil War, Congress passed the Army Organization Act of 1866, creating six all Black cavalry and infantry regiments, later known as the Buffalo Soldiers, a name bestowed by Native American tribes. Many of these troops were stationed at Fort Stanton. On April 11, 1866, Lawrence G. Murphy was appointed commanding officer of Fort Stanton and Company G, First New Mexico Cavalry, later earning a promotion to Major in 1867. After his military service, Murphy secured a federal license to operate a business on the fort’s grounds. The Murphy and Fritz Company occupied a large, flat roofed adobe structure, 186 feet long and 81 feet wide, built around an enclosed courtyard accessible only through two gates. The building housed private rooms, a billiard room, a dining area, a large beer room, an office, and more, serving as a hub for commerce and social activity.
In the 1880s, Fort Stanton’s Buffalo Soldiers were dispatched to pursue Geronimo and his Apache bands, many of whom were Mescalero Apache who had left the nearby Fort Stanton reservation. By 1890, the Indian Wars had largely concluded, and the fort’s military significance waned. With only about 15 soldiers remaining, Fort Stanton was officially decommissioned in 1896.

A New Chapter: Public Health and POWs
In 1899, President William McKinley repurposed Fort Stanton as a U.S. Public Health Service hospital dedicated to treating tuberculosis (TB). At the time, fresh air and sunshine were the primary treatments for TB, and New Mexico’s high altitude and arid climate were considered ideal. Renamed the Public Health Service Hospital, the fort saw the construction of new facilities, including a hospital, stables, family quarters, and a large farm where patients worked the fields. Recreational amenities like a golf course, baseball fields, and a theater were added, creating a community like atmosphere. Hundreds of tent homes dotted the grounds as patients sought healing in the crisp mountain air. When the TB pandemic subsided, the hospital’s purpose faded.
The nearby cemetery, perched on a hill overlooking the fort, is a poignant reminder of this era. Its rows of white crosses mark the graves of Merchant Marines, veterans of various services, and TB patients, creating a mesmerizing and somber vista.
With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Fort Stanton found new purpose as an internment camp. In December 1939, the German luxury liner SS Columbus was sunk 400 miles off the U.S. East Coast. Its German crew was captured and initially held at Angel Island, California, before being transferred to Fort Stanton in 1941. The fort’s isolation and abandoned Civilian Conservation Corps buildings made it an ideal site for housing internees. U.S. Border Patrol agents served as guards. The German POWs, initially treated as trustees, were allowed to roam the fort and take short hikes while constructing additional facilities, including barracks, a kitchen, a mess hall, a laundry, restrooms, officers’ quarters, a medical dispensary, a garden, a recreation hall, and even a swimming pool.
This lenient atmosphere changed abruptly after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The camp was fortified with guard towers and barbed wire, and the POWs were placed on lockdown. On November 1, 1942, four German prisoners; Bruno Dathe, Willy Michel, Hermann Runner, and Johannes Grantz, escaped under cover of darkness. Discovered missing the next day, they sparked a massive manhunt across New Mexico and Texas. Two days later, rancher Bob Boyce spotted the escapees, and Deputy Joe Nelson led a posse to track them 14 miles south to a hillside in the Lincoln National Forest. Caught off guard near a stream, the prisoners faced a brief shootout, during which one was wounded. They surrendered and were returned to Fort Stanton, their escape making local headlines.

From the 1960s to 1995, Fort Stanton served as a state hospital for the developmentally disabled. Briefly, it housed a low security women’s prison and a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. In 1997, a nonprofit corporation was formed to preserve Fort Stanton as a historical site. On August 9, 2007, Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish and Governor Bill Richardson officially proclaimed Fort Stanton a historical site, now managed by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and the Bureau of Land Management.
In 2001, the Fort Stanton Cave Study Project rediscovered the Snowy River Cave, revealing over 40 miles of subterranean passages beneath the fort, one of the longest cave systems in the United States. This geological marvel adds to the site’s allure for adventurers and researchers alike.

Whispers of the Past
Fort Stanton’s rich history has given rise to rumors of hauntings. Visitors and employees have reported eerie experiences, from shadowy figures glimpsed in the twilight to unexplained cries echoing through the grounds. One janitor reportedly quit after a single day, claiming to have encountered a figure he described as “El Diablo.” Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the fort’s weathered buildings and quiet cemetery evoke a haunting atmosphere, especially at night.
Today Fort Stanton stands as a testament to New Mexico’s storied past, offering a window into the frontier, the Civil War, the Buffalo Soldiers, and beyond. With over 100 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, plus a campground and a visitors’ center, it’s a paradise for history buffs and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Bring your camera to capture the preserved buildings, the serene Bonito River, and the haunting beauty of the cemetery’s white crosses. Whether you’re chasing history or ghost stories, Fort Stanton is a destination that lingers in the memory.