New Mexico Entertainment

Old Fort Sumner (1862-1869)

The early 1860's witnessed increased American expansion into New Mexico.  The Navajos and Apaches resisted the invasion of their homelands by the settlers and raided throughout the territory.   Fort Sumner was established by the U.S. Army in 1862 as a supply and control post for the Bosque Redondo Indian Reservation and, in the winter of 1863, the U.S. Army rounded up thousands of Navajos from the Four Corners region and forced them to march over 400 miles to the Bosque Redondo Reservation which was established here for their exile.   Approximately 11,000 Navajos survived the "Long Walk" and about 450 Mescalero Apaches were also interned at this site.
The reservation experiment was a nightmarish catastrophe.  There was never enough food, agricultural efforts met with failure, wood for cooking and warmth was scarce, and even the water seemed unhealthy.  3000 people died here in exile.  The prisoners were allowed to return to their homelands in 1868 and the fort was abandoned in the same year.  The site sold to Lucien Maxwell in 1870.

Located off US Hwy 60/84, near mile marker 331, east of the intersections with NM Hwy 212 and 272 on an intersecting road with an unknown name (perhaps Billy The Kid Rd - look for a sign that indicates which road to take), travel south on this road, where it ends at the intersection with NM Hwy 272 after 3 1/2 miles, and continue south.  The monument is located west of the Old Fort Sumner Museum (with Billy the Kid's grave located behind the museum) on a dirt road just after mile marker 5 of NM Hwy 272.

October 2002

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Fort Sumner State Monument Photographs Page