About: Fort Douglas

Camp Douglas was established in October 1862, during the American Civil War, as a small military garrison about three miles east of Salt Lake City, Utah, to protect the overland mail route and telegraph lines along the Central Overland Route. In 1878, the post was renamed Fort Douglas. It was officially closed in 1991 pursuant to BRAC action and most of the property was turned over to the University of Utah. Many of the fort's buildings are preserved and used by the university for a variety of purposes. The Fort Douglas Military Museum is housed in two former barrack buildings, and a small section of the original post is still used by the U.S. Army Reserve. The fort was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975, for its role in the Civil War and in furthering the settlement of Utah.