Reconstructing Bent’s Old Fort: From Idea to Reality, 1920-1976

Please join public historian Dr. Laura Miller as she examines the history of the fort’s reconstruction from idea to reality. This talk will explore the history of the fort's reconstruction, from the idea's origins in the 1920s to the completion and dedication of the replica structure in 1976. Learn about the NPS's intense internal debates about reconstruction, state and local leaders’ influential lobbying campaign, the individuals who designed and built the reconstructed fort, and the legacies of its significant engineering and structural issues.

This hour-long presentation will be Friday, July 24th, 2026 at 5:00pm, in Otero College, McBride hall, room 137.