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Fort Simcoe, Washington Territory

© Elizabeth Gibson

Fort Simcoe was established in Washington territory in 1856. A fort was needed to keep an eye on the Yakamas, Cayuse, and other tribes that had been on the warpath since 1855. Major General John Ellis Wool, Department of the Pacific Commander, ordered establishment of the fort.

Colonel George Wright headed north from The Dalles to scout for a fort site in April 1855. It took some weeks before Wright finally selected the Simcoe location. He had convinced many of the bands to gather here. He wanted to isolate them from some of the trouble-making chiefs such as Kamiakin and Moses. Father Pandosy, of the Ahtanum Mission, also convinced them to do as Wright suggested. Pandosy was well respected by the Yakamas.

This site also had a good supply of trees for fort construction, there was a springs nearby for water supply, and it had a mild winter climate. There was plentiful grass for the livestock. It was located near the geographical center of modern-day Yakima County and about 50 miles from supplies at The Dalles, Oregon. The name of the fort is an Indian name derived from the Yakama word Sim-ku-ee or Sim-kwee, the name for a dip in the ridge about three miles northeast of the fort.

Major Robert Selden Garnett was chosen to build the fort. It was first meant to be a temporary post. Garnett soon recommended it to be a permanent post and so the buildings were built to last. Construction started on August 8, 1856 by companies G and F, of the Ninth Infantry, about 90 men. Ultimately the fort would contain officers' quarters, a parade ground, barracks, mess hall and kitchen, hospital, blockhouses for various shops, and a powder magazine. Approximately 218 men would be stationed at the fort.

The soldiers lived in tents until December 1856 when they completed the first barracks. In November a portable circular sawmill was set up, so the chore of whipsawing was reduced. There was already 4 feet of snow on the ground before they finally moved into their quarters in mid-December. Some had already suffered from frostbite. At times, they were cut off from receiving the mail and supplies. At other times, Indians were the only couriers that could get through.

Louis Scholl designed the buildings at the fort, as well as much of the interior finishing, such as mantels and window sashes. His style was adopted from Andrew Jackson Downing's Architecture of County Houses, a popular treatise on architecture at that time. This fact assisted greatly during the reconstruction of fort buildings. The rooms were heated by fireplaces built from bricks that were kiln-baked on the post.

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