September 10-11, Fort Robinson State Park, NE


We left Keystone Sunday morning and enjoyed our drive through southwestern South Dakota.  The country here is beautiful with hills and lots of hay fields.  We are staying a week at Fort Robinson State Park just outside of Crawford, NE.  This is a beautiful park, and we have a great site with a shade tree and grass.  After getting set up we relaxed and looked through our area information to plan our week.

 



Fort Robinson State Park is located in the Pine Ridge and at 22,000 acres it is the largest state park in Nebraska.  In March 1874, the US Government authorized the establishment of a military camp at the Red Cloud Indian Agency on the White River.  The camp was named Camp Robinson in honor of Lt. Levi H. Robinson, who had been killed the previous month.  In May, the camp was relocated to this site, and in January 1876, was officially designated Fort Robinson. Through the years Fort Robinson was the site of the Cheyenne breakout; the nations largest quartermaster remount depot; a field artillery testing station; an Olympic equestrian training center; the last great gathering place of the Sioux Nation; a military dog training center; a WW II prisoner of war camp; and an agriculture research station before becoming a state park in 1956.

Fort Robinson played an important role in the Indian wars from 1876 to 1890.  Crazy Horse and 889 of his followers surrendered at Red Cloud Agency on May 6, 1877.  On Sep. 3, General George Crook ordered Crazy Horse arrested and he surrendered on Sept. 5th.  The plan was to take him to Fort Laramie that night but during a scuffle inside the guardhouse Crazy Horse fled out the door and received a fatal bayonet wound. This is a reconstruction of the guardhouse where Crazy Horse was held.  The stone monument reads “On this spot Crazy Horse, Ogallala Chief, was killed Sept. 5, 1877.”




                         Reconstruction of original barracks.






Historic buildings, once serving as housing for the soldiers and officers have been converted into overnight guest lodging.

Rex and Tacky resting in front of an Officers Quarters Duplex.





                   Post Headquarters constructed in 1905.






More barracks built in early 1900s.

This is a beautiful park to walk around, and we have shown a very small part of it.  There are two parade grounds, a veterinary hospital, horse stables and a swimming pool among many other buildings.  There are also 60 miles of hiking trails, 20 miles of mountain biking trails, and 20 miles of horse-riding trails.


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