A group of men in uniforms holding rifles - historic forts

Self-guided · County in Kansas

Historic Forts in Wilson County, KS

Forts, blockhouses, batteries and stockades near you, from the frontier to the coastal defenses.

Wilson County is one of 105 counties in Kansas. The list below comes straight from the published records, with the distance from the center of Wilson County, KS and the source for each site.

A person and a child walking on a path between stone buildings - historic forts — Photo: Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash

Fortress surrounded by clear turquoise water under a blue sky - historic forts — Photo: RP C O N C I E R G E on Unsplash

Long brick corridor with arched doorways and old cannons - historic forts — Photo: Mick Kirchman on Unsplash

On the record near Wilson County, KS

The 12 nearest

13 listed sites on the record match historic forts within 200 miles of Wilson County, KS, out of 29 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 8 listed sites carry Wilson County as their county.

Fort Scott Public Carnegie Library61 miles from the center of Wilson County · Building · Fort Scott · listed 1987National Register of Historic Places
Fort Scott National Historic Site61 miles from the center of Wilson County · District · Fort Scott · listed 1966National Register of Historic Places
Fort Arbuckle Site98 miles from the center of Wilson County · Site · Sand Springs · listed 1978National Register of Historic Places
Fort Davis122 miles from the center of Wilson County · Site · Muskogee · listed 1971National Register of Historic Places
Triangle Battery and Service Company Building125 miles from the center of Wilson County · Building · Kansas City · listed 2003National Register of Historic Places
Fort Harker Officers' Quarters155 miles from the center of Wilson County · Building · Kanopolis · listed 1974National Register of Historic Places
Fort Harker Guardhouse155 miles from the center of Wilson County · Building · Kanopolis · listed 1972National Register of Historic Places
Spirit of the American Doughboy Monument--Fort Smith163 miles from the center of Wilson County · Object · Fort Smith · listed 1997National Register of Historic Places
Ft. Smith Confederate Monument164 miles from the center of Wilson County · Object · Ft. Smith · listed 1996National Register of Historic Places
Fort Smith US Post Office and Courthouse164 miles from the center of Wilson County · Building · Fort Smith · listed 1999National Register of Historic Places
Sebastian County Courthouse--Ft. Smith City Hall164 miles from the center of Wilson County · Building · Fort Smith · listed 1993National Register of Historic Places
Fort Smith Masonic Temple164 miles from the center of Wilson County · Building · Fort Smith · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Wilson County, KS. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Historic Forts in Wilson County, step by step

1
See every listed site of this kind in the area
2
Sort by distance and pick the closest few
3
Read the record for the year, the builder and the use
4
View from the public way and note what has changed
5
Collect the set and move on to the next county

What people in Wilson County, KS ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Wilson County, KS?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are these buildings open to the public?

Some are, many are not. Churches, courthouses and libraries usually keep regular hours. Houses, barns and mills are often private and best seen from the road. The record for each site tells you which kind it is.

What does it mean when a site is on the National Register?

It means the property was documented and accepted as historically significant. Listing honors the site, it does not open it to visitors or stop an owner from using it.

How a visit works in Wilson County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Wilson County, KS the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Wilson County, KS are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.