Fort Kearny Officer's Quarters

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

The two story officer's quarters were built in 1860. While housing on frontier posts was not what we would consider luxury, army regulations complicated matters. The regulations stated that when an officer reported for duty at any post, he could select the quarters of any officer junior to himself for his residence. This could lead to a game of musical chairs. Military protocol at the time also dictated a distinct separation between officers and enlisted men, with the enlisted men not even permitted to speak to an officer without permission. The special status of the officers accounts for the relative luxury of the time of these quarters. They were the sites of many social gatherings, and it was there that visiting officers and dignitaries stayed while visiting.

Images

Officers Quarters Design

Officers Quarters - 1866

Land lot, Monochrome, Black-and-white, Village

Officers Quarters - abt. 1860

Monochrome photography, Circle, Black-and-white, Oval

Lieutenant Eugene F. Ware

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

At the center of the south side of the parade ground stood a two-story frame officers' quarters. On October 4, 1863, Lieutenant Eugene F. Ware, of the Seventh Iowa Cavalry noted the following about the officers quarters: "On the south side of the square, was the largest building, and on the second floor of it was a large room which seemed as if it had at one time been used as a sort of officer's club. There was a large brick fireplace, and above it, the masonry of the chimney had been plastered with a hard, smooth finish, upon this white surface on the breast of the chimney were written a large number of names." Ware noted the names of many officers whose service in the Civil War made them well known. Among these names was that of Lieutenant R.E. Lee.

The annual report of the inspection of buildings in June 1864, indicates that the officers and enlisted men's quarters were in poor but repairable condition. The report states: "One two-story building fronting on the parade on the south, now occupied as officers quarters having six rooms on this floor, porches have been in bad condition but are now almost entirely new, having been repaired in June 1864 the entire building is now in good condition, and affords ample quarters for the post surgeon, one captain, and three lieutenants.

Sources

Roger T Grange Jr, “Digging at Fort Kearny,” Nebraska History 44 (1963): 101-121

Mantor, Lyle E. "The History of Fort Kearny." Ph.D. diss., 1938.

Post Inspection, Fort Kearny, N.T. June 28, 1864.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

History Nebraska

Kansas State Historical Society

Fort Kearny Officer's Quarters

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information