Experience the Second Life of Bent's Old Fort

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The following press release was published by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service on Aug. 23. It is reproduced in full below.

The public is invited to visit Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site on Friday, September 8 and Saturday, September 9 for our program on the Second Life of Bent’s Old Fort!

Bent’s Old Fort had a long history after its days as a trading post were over. From 1860 to 1875 the site was used as a home station by a series of stagecoach lines. It also served as a US Post Office for much of that time. We will attempt to bring that era to life for a weekend, with over 80 living history volunteers bringing that period demonstrating to visitors how they lived at that time.

This program will be set in a year of great change in our nation’s history, 1865. The Civil War was finally at an end; however, this area was still reeling from the shockwaves of the Sand Creek Massacre from the previous year. The regular army was coming west to replace volunteer troops, and Congress had sent a committee to investigate the causes of the Colorado War of 1864-65 that was fought between the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Lakota and the United States Army due to continued encroachment on Tribal lands.

Come interact with Native Americans, Stage Company Employees and Passengers, Infantry, Cavalry, Freighters, Emigrants, Buffalo Hunters, and the Land Office. The formal program schedule can be found below:

Friday, September 8

Saturday, September 9

The park’s fee of $10 per person aged 16 and up will apply. Kids 15 and under are free. All National Park Passes are honored. Fees will be collected at the fort entrance.

As always, visitors should be prepared for the weather. Temperatures may still be high at the time of this event. Please be aware of your limits and use your best judgement. Water, sunscreen, and comfortable walking shoes are recommended. There is a one quarter mile walk from the parking lot to the fort.

Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site is located on Colorado Highway 194, eight miles east of La Junta or 15 miles west of Las Animas. For more information, visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/beol and click on “Special Events" or email the park at BEOL_Interpretation@nps.gov

-NPS-

About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 425 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.

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Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service

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