Fort Hays

Fort Hays stands as a landmark in the story of America’s westward expansion, railroad development, and the turbulent conflicts that defined the Great Plains. Originally established as Fort Fletcher, this U.S. Army frontier post in Kansas played a vital role during the post Civil War era and the American Indian Wars.The fort was founded on October 11, 1865, along Big Creek to safeguard travelers and stagecoaches on the Smoky Hill Trail from Cheyenne and Arapaho raids, while also supporting Butterfield Overland Despatch operations.
Named after Missouri Governor Thomas C. Fletcher, the initial site occupied low lying ground prone to flooding. After the stage line faltered, the post closed briefly in May 1866, only to reopen in October at a nearby location to protect Union Pacific (Kansas Pacific) Railroad construction crews. In November 1866, it was renamed Fort Hays in honor of Brigadier General Alexander Hays, who fell at the Battle of the Wilderness during the Civil War.
A catastrophic flood on June 7, 1867, nearly destroyed the post, claiming nine lives and prompting its final relocation about 15 miles northwest to higher ground near the railroad crossing of Big Creek…the site visitors see today, occupied on June 23, 1867.
Strategically positioned, the new Fort Hays quickly catalyzed regional growth. It spurred the founding of nearby settlements, including Rome (established by Buffalo Bill Cody) and the boisterous railroad town of Hays City, now known as Hays. Unlike traditional walled fortifications, Fort Hays operated as an open supply depot and operational hub, anchored by a single stone blockhouse. From here, the Army coordinated campaigns against Plains Indian tribes and provisioned outposts such as Fort Dodge.
The post attracted an extraordinary cast of frontier figures. General Philip Sheridan established headquarters at Fort Hays for his 1868 winter campaign against the Cheyenne and Kiowa. Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer and the 7th Cavalry launched operations from the site, while legendary scouts Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok lent their expertise. Units stationed there included the 7th Cavalry, 5th Infantry, and African American regiments of the 10th Cavalry and 38th Infantry, celebrated as Buffalo Soldiers.

Yet the fort’s story was marked by hardship as well as heroism. A severe cholera epidemic swept through the region in late summer 1867, devastating the garrison and surrounding communities. The disease claimed at least 30 soldiers and more than 100 civilians within roughly two months. The military cemetery recorded its first burial as a cholera victim that year, with 23 military deaths occurring in a single month. At its peak, the post encompassed some 45 buildings and housed hundreds of troops.
Tensions with local civilians occasionally flared, most notably in a May 3, 1869, gunfight between soldiers of the 38th Infantry and residents of Hays City that left five civilians and one soldier wounded. Smaller incidents followed.
By the late 1880s, the frontier had moved on. Fort Hays was abandoned on November 8, 1889. Its 7,500 acre reservation transferred to the state of Kansas. In the early 1900s, Congress repurposed portions of the land for an agricultural experiment station and a normal school that opened in 1902…eventually evolving into Fort Hays State University. The university’s first classes were held in the fort’s former infirmary, and Kansas State University continues agricultural research on the grounds to this day. Most military buildings were auctioned or dismantled for materials shortly thereafter.
The historic site was opened to the public in 1929 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1971. It preserves a tangible link to the Plains frontier. Standing structures include the 1868 stone blockhouse, the 1872 guardhouse, and two officers’ quarters, inviting visitors to step back into a defining chapter of American history.