Fort Lyon Facility
The role of Fort Wise, later named Fort Lyon, has changed several times over the years, and each one was not advocated or encouraged by the people living in the area. Certainly the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians living in what is now Sourtheast Colorado were not pleased the United States chose to establish a Cavalry Post on land they had occupied for generations. (They had a pretty good claim of ownership by their long use of it.) They must have been really distressed when Colonel Chivington used Fort Wise as a staging area to attack an Indian Village on Sand Creek and kill several hundred of them, mostly women and children. Possibly, when the first location of the fort was flooded by the Arkansas River, they may have felt their gods were punishing the white men for intruding on their lands. Rather than abandoning the area, the army chose to move to higher ground a few miles up stream and again, without compensation, set corner posts, and started erection of another fort.
Since that time the facility has been abandoned by the Army, taken over By the Navy as a T.B. hospital, abandoned again, then turned into a Veteran's hospital. Now it is abandoned by the Federal government again. No one in this area, including our Senators and Representatives in Washington, our Governors, local officials or private citizens have had the clout to derail any of these decisions.
Is Las Animas and Bent County better off that the V.A. hospital is no Longer a reality? Probably not. But would it be more acceptable to have it abandoned and turned into a ghost town? Of course not! We are fortunate a use for the facility has been found, with an owner financially capable to maintain it and provide jobs for the area.
Today's (August 30) edition of The Pueblo Chieftain has an article Relating to a tour by members of the Joint Budget Committee of the Colorado legislature. I quote from the article a couple of paragraphs that should answer some of the concerns of what will happen out there.
"While touring the laundry building, state Rep. Ken Kester, R. Las Animas, said the laundry operation now can handle four times the needs of Fort Lyon. He believes the Department of Corrections should contract with other government agencies to do their laundry, which would generate extra income for the DOC. On the grounds, Golding (warden of the proposed prison) showed the JBC where his crews are installing prison fencing. Golding said there are more than 700 trees on the property, and 53 are being removed to make room for the fence that will surround the main portion of the grounds."
Apparently, the "politicians" and the people with the Department of Corrections recognize the importance, historical value and respect due The Kit Carson Chapel. It is their intention to move the building (piece By piece of necessary) to a location either near the front gate of Fort Lyon or adjacent to the National Cemetery now there.
Jerry Bryant
Please send comments or suggestions to
.
Littleton, CO
