Beecher Island
Encyclopedia
Beecher Island is a sandbar located along the lower course of the Arikaree River
, a tributary
of the North Fork of the Republican River
near Wray
in Yuma County, Colorado
. The site is notable for having been the scene of an 1868 armed conflict between elements of the United States Army
and several of the Plains Indian
tribes. The island was named for Lt. Fredrick H. Beecher of the 3rd Infantry (nephew of Henry Ward Beecher
and veteran of the Battle of Gettysburg
), one of the heroes of the engagement who was killed during what became known as the Battle of Beecher Island
. The "island" and the courses of the river have been modified by several floods since 1868.
Arikaree River
The Arikaree River is a tributary of the Republican River that starts near Limon in Lincoln County, Colorado. The river flows east into Kansas, crossing the extreme northwestern corner of that state before entering Nebraska...
, a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the North Fork of the Republican River
Republican River
The Republican River is a river in the central Great Plains of North America, flowing through the U.S. states of Nebraska and Kansas.-Geography:...
near Wray
Wray, Colorado
The City of Wray is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat of Yuma County, Colorado, United States. The population was 2,187 at the U.S. Census 2000. The school mascot is the Eagles for high school and Eaglets in the lower grades. School colors are purple and white and the Eaglets are...
in Yuma County, Colorado
Yuma County, Colorado
Yuma County is the 14th most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 9,841 at U.S. Census 2000...
. The site is notable for having been the scene of an 1868 armed conflict between elements of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and several of the Plains Indian
Plains Indians
The Plains Indians are the Indigenous peoples who live on the plains and rolling hills of the Great Plains of North America. Their colorful equestrian culture and resistance to White domination have made the Plains Indians an archetype in literature and art for American Indians everywhere.Plains...
tribes. The island was named for Lt. Fredrick H. Beecher of the 3rd Infantry (nephew of Henry Ward Beecher
Henry Ward Beecher
Henry Ward Beecher was a prominent Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, abolitionist, and speaker in the mid to late 19th century...
and veteran of the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
), one of the heroes of the engagement who was killed during what became known as the Battle of Beecher Island
Battle of Beecher Island
The Battle of Beecher Island, also known as the Battle of Arikaree Fork, was an armed conflict between elements of the United States Army and several of the Plains native American tribes in September 1868...
. The "island" and the courses of the river have been modified by several floods since 1868.
Historic designations
- National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
#NPS–76000569 — "Beecher Island Battleground Memorial" site - Colorado State Register Property
External links