Johnson County Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum. - Buffalo

EARLY FORT MCKINNEY. This early-1880s photograph is the earliest known picture of the fort.Sited in 1878 on the eastern flank of the Big Horn Mountains, the post at this time had some30 buildings and a military garrison of 250 to 300 cavalry and infantry. The fort was establishedto monitor for Native American activity off the reservations in adjacent Montana and SouthDakota, and to provide deterrence against any hostility. The specific site for the post was selectedbecause of the excellent water quality from Clear Creek that ran through the grounds and thenearby source of lumber on the Big Horn slopes. The early growth of Buffalo provided a widerange of workers and craftsmen along with food supplies in support of the military personnel andtheir livestock. (JGMM.)

FORT MCKINNEY PARADE GROUNDS. These pictures of the forts parade grounds are dated around1884. The views are to the west. The photograph above was probably taken from the post hospitalat the eastern edge of the forts building complex; its picket fence is seen in the foreground. Thecurved road and line of houses at the mid-background right are officers quarters and were referredto as The Line. They formed the north boundary of the parade grounds. The Regimental Bandis shown below assembled at the flagpole near the center of the parade grounds. That flagpolewas distinctive in being especially tall and well made. Its maker, William Daley, had emigratedfrom the New England area, where he was involved in the construction of masts for sailing ships.The symmetrical peak seen on both pictures horizons is North Ridge, which forms the northboundary for Clear Creeks exit from the Big Horns. (Both, JGMM.)

FORT MCKINNEY BUILDINGS. For enlisted soldiers there were four barracks for the infantry andtwo for the cavalry. These structures were large, two-story buildings with two porches along onefull side (pictured above). The barracks were located along the south side of the parade grounds.The hospital building (shown below) was the best-built structure on the post and probably thehandsomest. Of the eventual 40-plus post buildings, it is the only one that has survived to thepresent day. After Fort McKinney was decommissioned in 1894 the federal government ceded itto the State of Wyoming. In 1903, the state made it the Soldiers and Sailors Home. The namewas changed to the current Wyoming Veterans Home, and it continues in that function for thestates veterans. The hospital building now holds some state offices. (Both, JGMM.)

FORT MCKINNEY BUFFALO SOLDIERS. The famed Buffalo Soldiers were stationed at Fort McKinneybetween 1885 and 1894. There were up to five 9th Cavalry companies (pictured above) and300 personnel present. Having that many African Americans coming into town on a regular basiswas a new experience for the Buffalo residents. According to Buffalo Bulletin articles throughoutthe period, the two groups got along very well and seemed to enjoy each others presence. Thosesoldiers participated in aftermath conflicts of the 1890 Wounded Knee tragedy in South Dakota.Following those engagements, their corporal, William O. Wilson, was awarded the CongressionalMedal of Honor for gallantry. Inspections were, of course, a routine fact of life for both the BuffaloSoldier Cavalry and the Caucasian Infantry (shown below) at Fort McKinney. (Both, JGMM.)