The final shot for this trip was at Fort
Stanton.  This two was a photo that I was
able to easily identify.  Researching
places to go for our 2010 vacation in
which we were staying in a vacation
home in Ruidoso, I had come across Fort
Stanton, New Mexico’s newest State
Monument.  Although we had not visited
there in 2010, my research allowed me to
recognize the architecture in the photo.

Fort Stanton is in wonderful condition.  A
very active volunteer organization is
restoring and refurbishing the buildings.  
One of the buildings houses a museum
with exhibits displaying information on
the many uses the Fort has had
throughout the years.

The volunteer that greeted us did not
provide me any information on the
location of my photo.  It was somewhat
comical.  I showed him the photos and
explained the contest.  I did ask him “this
is here isn’t it” and he did reply it was,
but gave me no location.  When Jim and I
walked out of the building, we
discovered it was that very building we
had just walked out of.

1986 the Fort was abandoned and closed

1899 the Fort was acquired by the US
Public Health Service for use as a
tuberculosis hospital for the Merchant
Marines.

As well as a hospital during the Great
Depression it was also used to house the
CCC work camp, and was also used as an
interment camp for Germans and
Japanese-Americans

1953 the Fort was given to the State of
New Mexixo and was used as a tubercular
hospital until the 1960's.

1960's-1995 the Fort was used as the
State Hospital for the Developmentally
Handicapped, and for a short time it was
a low security women’s prison and has
housed several juvenile drug and alcohol
programs.

1997 Fort Stanton Inc. was created to
save the Fort

2007 Fort Stanton State Monument was
established