Book Five in the Series of Eight

This work presents the fascinating story of a western military post on the Santa Fe Trail. The fort was established 1865 to control the "Indian problem" in southwestern Kansas. The challenge proved frustrating and at times fatal for both soldiers and Indians as they vied against one another in a world of cultural clash and radical change.

The fort was part of a network of frontier forts founded on the overland routes across the Plains to protect the trails and later the construction and operation of railroads and the settlements that developed. After the railroad reached Dodge City on the edge of the military reservation in 1872, Fort Dodge had a close relationship with that notorious frontier town. The post was an important point in the systerm of supplies for troops in the field and at other military posts during campaigns against Indians.

The book tells the story of the role the Fort Dodge played in the white settlement of southwestern Kansas. It covers the fort's history from 1865 through 1890 when it was turned over the to the State of Kansas to establish the state soldiers' home. The fort continues to serve that mission.

Oliva, a Woodston resident, is a historian specializing in Kansas and the American West. He has published numerous books and articles on the military and the trails. Thomas, a Manhattan resident, created cover artwork for each of the books in the forts series. He is a full-time artist who has received numerous national awards for his wildlife and historical paintings.

This series has been financed in part with federal funds from the National Parks Service, a division of the United States Department of the Interior, and administered by the Kansas Historical Society. The contents and opinions, however, do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the United States Department of the Interior or the Kansas Historical Society.