Fort Independence (California)
Encyclopedia
Fort Independence, originally Camp Independence, was established on Oak Creek, 3 miles (4.8 km) north of nearby modern Independence, California
on July 4, 1862 during the Owens Valley Indian War
. The fort was abandoned at the end of hostilities with the Owens Valley
Paiute
, in December 1864. However it was reoccupied by Nevada Volunteers in March 1865, due to renewed conflict with the local Paiute. The post was finally abandoned on July 5, 1877. The military reservation was transferred to the Interior Department for disposition on July 22, 1884. When the military had left the valley, native people of the area held various allotments adjacent to the fort. The Fort Independence Reservation was officially established through executive orders Number 2264 and 2375 in 1915 and 1916. This provided the Tribal members with 360 acres (1.5 km²) of land adjacent to Oak Creek in Independence California.
Independence, California
Independence is the county seat of Inyo County, California. Independence is located south-southeast of Bishop, at an elevation of 3930 feet . The population of this census-designated place was 669 at the 2010 census, up from 574 at the 2000 census....
on July 4, 1862 during the Owens Valley Indian War
Owens Valley Indian War
The Owens Valley War was fought between 1862 and 1863, by California Volunteers and local settlers against the Owens Valley Paiutes, and their Shoshone and Kawaiisu allies, in the Owens Valley of California and the southwestern Nevada border region. The removal of a large number of the Owens River...
. The fort was abandoned at the end of hostilities with the Owens Valley
Owens Valley
Owens Valley is the arid valley of the Owens River in eastern California in the United States, to the east of the Sierra Nevada and west of the White Mountains and Inyo Mountains on the west edge of the Great Basin section...
Paiute
Paiute
Paiute refers to three closely related groups of Native Americans — the Northern Paiute of California, Idaho, Nevada and Oregon; the Owens Valley Paiute of California and Nevada; and the Southern Paiute of Arizona, southeastern California and Nevada, and Utah.-Origin of name:The origin of...
, in December 1864. However it was reoccupied by Nevada Volunteers in March 1865, due to renewed conflict with the local Paiute. The post was finally abandoned on July 5, 1877. The military reservation was transferred to the Interior Department for disposition on July 22, 1884. When the military had left the valley, native people of the area held various allotments adjacent to the fort. The Fort Independence Reservation was officially established through executive orders Number 2264 and 2375 in 1915 and 1916. This provided the Tribal members with 360 acres (1.5 km²) of land adjacent to Oak Creek in Independence California.