GC4TFFP Traditional Cache SFGT: Fort Lyon
Type: Traditional | Size: Regular Regular | Difficulty: 1.5 out of 5 | Terrain: 1.5 out of 5
By: SantaFeTrail.org @ | Hide Date: 11/22/2013 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N38° 04.990 W103° 08.485 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
GeoTour 

This cache is part of the larger Santa Fe Trail GeoTour: santafetrail.org/geocaching 

This cache is located in a beautiful setting, plenty of parking and an easy walk to locate the cache.  Plan to take a little extra time to enjoy this setting.


This cache is part of the larger Santa Fe Trail GeoTour. Be sure to visit www.santafetrail.org/geocaching to learn about the PASSPORT ACTIVITY to accompany this Geo Tour. Containers on the Santa Fe National Historic Trail Geo Tour are military ammunition canisters, or Brochure-Holder boxes,with an identifying Santa Fe Trail Association yellow sticker on the top of the box, under the handle and the dark green geocaching.com ID is on the side of the boxes with the information that provides coordinates, who set the cache and who to contact for information.  Each cache contains a logbook to sign, a variety of items that provide information about the Santa Fe Trail as well as swag items.  If you are participating in the Passport activity, the code word is located on the inside of the box, on the top of the lid and is clearly identified as Code Word.  Permission to set caches has been obtained.  We ask that all cachers please respect all property at the sites where our caches are set.  

Old Fort Lyon is less than 1 mile west of Bent's New Fort. Originally called Fort Wise, this fort was built by the Army in 1860. A treaty with the cheyenne and Arapaho Indians was signed here in 1861, but it was not honored by either side. Fort Lyon was deeply involved in the Indian troubles of this region during and after the Civil War. This fort was relocated in 1867, and today only a few foundations of the officers' quarters remain. Santa Fe Trail wagon ruts are still visible north of this site. 
New Fort Lyon is 1 mile south of US Highway 50 on Colorado 183, east of Las Animas. Active from 1867 to 1889, this post replaced the Old Fort Lyon and helped to guard the Santa Fe Trail and later the railroad line. The fort has served as a veterans hospital, a prison, and is presently in use as a program for homeless veteran needing dependency treatment.  Some of the original buildings have been remodeled for use as part of the hospital complex. 

The Kit Carson Connection-- On May 23, 1868, famous Indian scout, trapper, guide and former U.S. Army General, Kit Carson, died at Fort Lyon. In 1867, he had resigned his commission in the army and moved his family to Boggsville, Colorado, about three miles south of Fort Lyon, as he had been appointed Superintendent of Indian affairs for the Colorado Territory. (From Legends of America.com)

Though his health was beginning to fail and his wife was pregnant, he conducted a Ute delegation to Washington, D.C. in early in 1868. His wife, Josefa, died in childbirth in April and with his health deteriorating even more, he visited Assistant U.S. Surgeon H.K. Tilden's quarters at Fort Lyon, and while there suffered an abdominal aortic aneurysm and died at the age of 58.

The Kit Carson Chapel was moved from a location within the correctional facility complex in 2002.  The stone building was first used as quarters for the post surgeon, who in 1868 was Dr. H. W. Tilton.  The Chapel is open to the public and can be visited at the intersection of Gate Road and Cemetery Road, Fort Lyon,  CO  81038, (719) 456-2948


 
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GC4TFN0 SFGT: Boggsville (7.50 kms SW)
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GC4TFCK SFGT: Holly Cemetery Ruts (90.44 kms E)
GC1JC3R Hoopoe (146.35 kms NW)

   


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 Logs

10 Logs: Found it 10  

Found it 07/01/2019 By Batsk
Buggy

Found it 06/18/2019 By Jayhawk222
Indeed this a special place.

Found it 06/05/2019 By RicknJoy
On our way home on the Mountain Route after a trip to NM and CO. This stop also gives us a find for Bent county.
TNSL; L-wooden nickel
TFTC!
RicknJoy
Maries county, MO

Found it 05/29/2019 By Yoda'sTreasure
I am on my way back home to Aurora, CO. I had to do some geocaching on the way there. Thank you for the fun hide. TNLN.

Found it 05/21/2019 By Tick_Magnet
I’m working on the Santa Fe Trail GeoTour. Hoping to complete it this year. Out on a wonderful day of geocaching made even better by your cache.
Thanks for the fun.

Found it 09/03/2018 By mmk3x
Lovely chapel. After logging cache I drove down to look at the earthworks. They are impressive. Thanks for the cache.

Found it 09/02/2018 By AbvAvg
Nice little chapel along a tree lined street; beautiful setting. SL, TNLN

Found it 08/31/2018 By Mean Kitty
Find #48223

Its been a long hot summer in Texas, I've been trying to get out and do a caching trip a couple of times this summer, but it never worked out. Finally managed to get a week off, and am so happy to be out here in Colorado. The weather if perfect, and there is a load of caches that need my name on Smile Thanks so much for the hide SantaFeTrail.org, I really enjoyed finiding this cache!

Found it 08/31/2018 By trohill
Nice and peaceful.

Found it 07/23/2018 By ZenGuru
Our second day for following the Santa Fe trail. First cache of the day. Signed log. Thanks for the cache.