Fort Larned National Historic Site

Fort Larned, located in central Kansas, was declared a national historic site in 1964. Built in 1860 to protect travelers, traders, and mail wagons along the Santa Fe Trail, it is one of the best-preserved military forts from the Indian Wars period. From 1861 to 1868, Fort Larned served as an agency for the Indian Bureau, where agents worked with Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, and Comanche tribes to find peaceful solutions to cultural conflicts. The Tenth Cavalry, one of two African American regiments organized after the Civil War, was stationed there from 1867 to 1869. Today, visitors to Fort Larned National Historic Site can experience an important part of our national story, as well as enjoy birding and picking vegetables from the historical garden during special event weekends.