04-06-2025
Bent's Old Fort celebrates 250th birthday of the U.S. Army
(LA JUNTA, Colo.) — Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site will commemorate the 250th birthday of the United States Army and Flag Day on Saturday, June 14, with a program that will include a military timeline with Living History volunteers, guided tours, a historic weapons demonstration, and discussions led by park rangers.
The program runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the following schedule:
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Living History volunteers and staff will be stationed near the fort in a timeline illustrating the involvement of the U.S. Army in the Arkansas Valley. Guests can ask them questions, observe equipment demonstrations, and discuss the period the volunteers are representing.
9 a.m. – Guided Tour of the fort – The tour will be limited to the first 25 visitors to arrive for the program. No reservations will be taken in advance. Guests on the tour will meet the Ranger near the front of the fort.
10 a.m. – Presentation – A Reexamination of Roles: Bent's Fort as a Military Installation?A park ranger-led program that will discuss when the U.S. Army arrived on site in 1846 in preparation for the invasion of New Mexico, converting the fort into a Forward Operating Base on the Mexican Border. This program will take place in the corral at the rear of the fort.
11:00 a.m. – Guided Tour of the fort – The tour will be limited to the first 25 visitors to arrive for the program. No reservations will be taken in advance. Guests on the tour will meet the Ranger near the front of the fort.
12:30 p.m. Presentation – Go for Broke: The Most Decorated Unit in U.S. Military by a Ranger from Amache National Historic Site, the program will discuss the history of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion, composed of 12,000 Nisei volunteers recruited out of incarceration centers, including Camp Amache. This program will take place in the corral at the rear of the fort.
1:30 p.m. – Weapons Demonstration – Let Loose the Dogs of War! A Historic Weapons Demonstration that will discuss the evolution of technology used by the military from the early 19th Century into the middle of the 20th Century, and the importance of those weapons in the region.
2:30 p.m. – Presentation – A Reexamination of Roles: Bent's Fort as a Military Installation?A park ranger-led program that will discuss when the U.S. Army arrived on site in 1846 in preparation for the invasion of New Mexico, converting the fort into a Forward Operating Base on the Mexican Border. This program will take place in La Junta at the Woodruff Memorial Library.
2:30 p.m. – Presentation – From Neighbors to program will discuss the service of the New Mexico Volunteers in the region during the American Civil War, specifically their role at the Sand Creek Massacre. This program will take place in the corral at the rear of the fort.
All programs are free to the public. Visitors should plan ahead for the weather, bringing sun or rain protection, and should wear comfortable shoes for walking. For more information, click the link above.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
