Fort Churchill at Lyon county, Nevada is an abandoned united states army fort. Constructed in 1860, fort Churchill was built to control the battle of Pyramid Lake. It was closed 8 years later and left to rot in despair.

Rise of fort Churchill

Fort Churchill which was named after the then General of the US army Sylvester Churchill was constructed to curb the Pyramid Lake War. The Pyramid Lake War was a battle between natives and immigrant settlers who occupied the region at the time. After two of their girls were kidnapped and raped by the natives, the other group of settlers attacked the natives seeking revenge. Native who did not admit fault retaliated back creating a never-ending war. The US army was therefore deployed to control the situation. After controlling the Pyramid Lake War, the army decided to build a fort nearby to protect the settlers and also to make sure that any other war does not arise in the region. It was built right where the initial mobilization of settlers vigilantes took place before going to war. At this point, the U.S army could easily protect mailmen traveling through the two territories. In 1869, Fort Churchill was deserted having only operated for 8 years.

Why was Fort Churchill abandoned?

After the civil war, the US Army saw no need to continue financing Fort Churchill for it was small and obsolete. On top of it, settlers in the region had learned to live together in harmony without conflict. Fort Churchill officially closed down in 1869 and its buildings were auctioned for less than 800 US  dollars. The state of Nevada refused to reclaim the property leading to its cheap auctioning. The state of Nevada later was compelled to claim the fort and the park that was soon established around it.

The birth of Fort Churchill State Park

After almost 7 decades of decay, Fort Churchill got another chance to life when an environmental conservationist Daughter of the American Revolution took interest in it.  Together with the help of the National Parks of Nevada, the group championed the transfer of Fort Churchill to the state of Nevada. In 1957, Fort Churchill became an official park and most of its ruins were restored. Current buildings which can still be seen in Fort Churchill Park are the ones that were restored and preserved by the National Parks.

What is the current condition of Fort Churchill Park?

Fort Churchill still exists although some of its buildings have completely deteriorated, those standing are open to the public for tours. Forth Churchill Park attracts millions of tourists yearly as it is a preferred park in the state of Nevada by both locals and visitors to the state. You do not require prior bookings to visit Fort Churchill State Park you can do it at your convenience.