Fort Atkinson, Nebraska

Although Fort Atkinson's physical remains disappeared rather quickly after its abandonment in 1827, memories of its existence were kept alive - not only in dusty records and military archives but also in memories and reminiscences - first of the soldiers and civilian adventurers who peopled the fort, then of the pioneers who settled near its collapsed chimneys and sunken cellar holes, and finally of the sons and daughters of those pioneers, and of historians who felt it important to preserve the record of this chapter in American history.

In 1919, a committee of Fort Calhoun residents organized a centennial celebration commemorating the founding of Fort Atkinson a hundred years earlier. The celebration featured a pageant, "Landing of the United States Army and Greeting by Omaha Indians," acted before a 12- by 60-foot mural depicting "keel boats, the steamboat Western Engineer and the river front along the Council Bluff a century ago." A reported 6,000 people attended the event, which also included Washington and Douglas County pioneer reunions, delegations of Omaha Indians and uniformed contingents of soldiers and lodge members, a balloon ascension, and addresses by notable citizens (including Col. B. W. Atkinson of New York, grandson of General Henry Atkinson, founder and first commandant of the old fort). In reporting the event, Addison E. Sheldon, founder and editor of Nebraska History, the quarterly journal of the Nebraska States Historical Society (Vol. II, No. 3, 1919) made a strong plea for the establishment of a park on that site.

"As the decades and centuries come and go, the beginnings grow in importance, honor, and public consideration. The placed of historic interest will grow into objects of perpetual pilgrimage and patriotic inspiration. In Nebraska, a few such places will become famous.

"One of these is the Council Bluff plateau at Fort Calhoun. A hundred years hence it will be another Plymouth Rock in interest and attraction, visited by tourists from all parts of the world . . . .

"An historical park should be made here. A building to preserve the many relics of the early years should be in the park. An automobile drive should circle the park, giving a view to the Missouri valley. The expense of such a park should be met jointly by the citizens of Fort Calhoun and the state. Plans to achieve this result will be worked out during the coming months".

Concern for the preservation of the sites especially in the face of a contemplated commercial development and possible suburban housing culminated in 1969 with a meeting which included representatives of the Washington County Historical Society, the Greater Omaha Historical Society, the Fort Atkinson Foundation, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and others. The result was an agreement that the site would be purchased, the Commission paying half, and half to be raised by the other interested parties. A successful fund raising drive placed title to the land in the Commission's hands two years later.

Slowly, over the next 20 years, development and restoration continued, with archaeological investigations pinpointing the location of various structures, the installation of a termporary visitor center, and partial reconstruction of some of the barracks buildings.

In the 1980's, however, the pace quickened, thanks in large measure to the support of the Game and Parks Foundation which has channeled donations approaching one million dollars into development of the park In addition to these donations of funds and materials, hundreds of hours of volunteer labor have also been devoted to the reconstruction effort, particularly construction and manning of the armorer's shop, where volunteer blacksmiths have been staging living history demonstrations during the summer.

Plans call for the eventual reconstruction of the entire barracks and bastions, and additional buildings outside the original fort walls, including the council house, where treaty negations and other consultations with the Indians, as well as fort parties, took place.

Potentially, the reconstruction is an almost unlimited project, for the original post included many structures which might, at some future time, be reconstructed. And in addition to the physical reconstruction of the fort, interpretation of its history is constantly being refined. In the future the Commission expects to be able to expand its telling of the story of old Fort Atkinson through additional interpretive material and living history demonstrations.

Even though work is far from complete, and new reconstruction may be initiated in the future, old Fort Atkinson has certainly risen again from the cornfields in which it seemed to have been buried forever, and visitors will find much to entertain and instruct them. The grounds are open year-round, and the visitor center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the summer.

Sidebar: The Lewis and Clark Connection