Historical Note
Fort Walla Walla was established as a U.S. Cavalry post in 1856. It
was used by the U.S. military from 1856 to 1866, and from 1873 to 1910. The
fort played a significant role in U.S. military engagements with Native
American tribes and the protection of white settlers in the Inland Northwest in
the 1860s and 1870s. After 1880, military personnel stationed at the fort
devoted their time to exploration, occasional rescue of civilians from the
elements or conflicts with Native Americans, and the protection of civilian
property.
In 1910, the U.S. War Department abandoned Fort Walla Walla. A fire in
the Walla Walla’s St. Mary’s Hospital in 1915 prompted the use of buildings of
the former Fort Walla Walla for the provision of medical care to the community.
In 1922, a U.S. Veterans’ Hospital was opened at the former Fort Walla Walla
complex.
Content Description
This collection, consisting of three items, spans the transition of
Fort Walla Walla from an active military post to a veterans’ hospital. The
correspondence book is presumed to contain copies of letters sent by officials
at the fort from August 1864 to October 1965. Most describe the transfer of
receipts, contracts, reports, and supplies. The building records describe the
function, features, dimensions, repairs, and modifications made to buildings on
the Fort Walla Walla site between 1906 and 1918. A photograph accompanies the
description of each building. The Report of the Officer of the Day includes a
description of the duties accompanying that position. Daily reports from May
1922 to November 1924 include brief descriptions of activities and a summary of
the number of patients admitted, discharged, transferred, and deceased each
day.
