Camp Nichols
Encyclopedia
Camp Nichols, also known as Fort Nichols or Camp Nichols Ranch, was a historic fortification located in present-day Cimarron County, Oklahoma
. It was built by New Mexico and California volunteers under the command of Col. Kit Carson
to protect travelers on the Cimarron Cut-off of the Santa Fe Trail
from raids by the Kiowa and Comanche Indians. Established in 1865 and abandoned the next year, it was the only manmade structure along the Cimarron Cut-off while it was an active route.
Only ruins remain. The site is located on private property and is not accessible to the public.
The site was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1963 and subsequently listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Cimarron County, Oklahoma
Cimarron County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Throughout most of its history it has had the smallest population and the lowest population density of any county in Oklahoma. As of 2010 census, the population was 2,475...
. It was built by New Mexico and California volunteers under the command of Col. Kit Carson
Kit Carson
Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson was an American frontiersman and Indian fighter. Carson left home in rural present-day Missouri at age 16 and became a Mountain man and trapper in the West. Carson explored the west to California, and north through the Rocky Mountains. He lived among and married...
to protect travelers on the Cimarron Cut-off of the Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century transportation route through central North America that connected Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1822 by William Becknell, it served as a vital commercial and military highway until the introduction of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880...
from raids by the Kiowa and Comanche Indians. Established in 1865 and abandoned the next year, it was the only manmade structure along the Cimarron Cut-off while it was an active route.
Only ruins remain. The site is located on private property and is not accessible to the public.
The site was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1963 and subsequently listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.