Experience Fort Phil Kearny Through Tours, Talks and Living History

Just a short drive from Story, Fort Phil Kearny stands along a route many residents and travelers regularly pass. But according to Site Superintendent Sharie Shada, those who have never stopped are missing much more than a chapter of military history.

The historic site’s expanded interpretive center invites visitors to explore the people, cultures and landscape that shaped the area before, during and after the fort’s brief existence.

“We have a little something for everybody,” Shada said. “It’s not just military history.”

A New Way to Experience the Site

Shada has worked within the Wyoming State Parks and Historic Sites system for approximately 20 years. In addition to overseeing Trail End State Historic Site in Sheridan, she became superintendent of Fort Phil Kearny about four years ago.

Her responsibilities range from managing staff and scheduling school tours to coordinating public programs with the Fort Phil Kearny/Bozeman Trail Association and Kearny’s Frontier Regulars, the site’s historical reenactment group.

One of the most significant recent developments is the expansion of the interpretive center. The building was completed in the fall of 2024, and its permanent exhibits were installed in May 2026.

The new exhibit space includes additional artifacts, military documents, Native perspectives and interactive technology. Visitors can even take a video-game-style virtual tour that helps them imagine what the fort looked like when its original buildings were standing.

Native voices narrate Cheyenne stories, while other displays examine the soldiers, civilians, women and children who lived around the fort. Exhibits also explore the area’s plants, wildlife, homesteading history and its transition into a protected historic site.

“We present the people who were here before the fort for thousands of years, and then the fort itself,” Shada explained. “It’s not just an us-versus-them mentality. It’s looking at all the people who were here and using the land, and considering it through their eyes.”

Fort Phil Kearny, the Fetterman Battlefield and the Wagon Box Battlefield are Wyoming State Historic Sites and National Historic Landmarks. The interpretive center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through September.

History That Still Raises Questions

Fort Phil Kearny was constructed along the Bozeman Trail in 1866, placing the U.S. Army in the heart of territory used by Native nations.

One of the most debated events connected to the fort is the Fetterman Fight of December 1866. All 81 men in Captain William Fetterman’s command were killed by Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors.

Historians continue to debate exactly what orders Fetterman received, why his command crossed Lodge Trail Ridge and who was ultimately responsible for the decisions that led to the battle.

The following summer, the Wagon Box Fight unfolded west of the fort. This time, soldiers were equipped with newly issued Allin-conversion breech-loading rifles, which allowed them to fire more rapidly than the weapons used during the Fetterman Fight. The dramatic change in firepower helped the defenders withstand repeated attacks until reinforcements arrived.

These stories are among the reasons the fort continues to attract historians, researchers and visitors who want to understand the complexity of Red Cloud’s War and the conflict surrounding the Bozeman Trail.

Preserving the Landscape and Its Stories

Because the fort’s original buildings were destroyed after the Army abandoned the site, preservation primarily involves caring for the landscape and protecting the archaeological record.

The property supports several uses, including hiking, fishing, hunting and cattle grazing. Staff members must balance those activities while protecting the historic grounds.

Artifacts can still surface, but digging and metal detecting are prohibited. Shada encourages anyone who notices an artifact to leave it in place and report its location to site staff.

Knowing where an object was discovered helps archaeologists connect it with a specific building or activity. Removing an artifact without documenting its location can erase much of the information that gives it historical value.

Upcoming Events at Fort Phil Kearny

Sunset Wagon Tours — July 26 and 27

Tours depart at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Guests will explore the fort grounds from a horse-drawn covered wagon while guides share stories that are not always included during a traditional visit. The tours are presented in partnership with Moon Hitch Wagon Co. Space is limited, and advance tickets are required.

Author’s Talk — July 28 at 6 p.m.

Historian Shannon Smith will present Dee Brown and Mari Sandoz on the History of Fort Phil Kearny at the interpretive center. Smith will compare the two influential authors’ interpretations of the fort and examine how their backgrounds shaped the way they told its history.

Wagon Box Battle Anniversary Program — August 2 at 9 a.m.

Historian Donovin Sprague will lead an anniversary program at the Wagon Box Battlefield. Kearny’s Frontier Regulars will also present a period weapons demonstration. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

Sunset Wagon Tours — August 9, 10, 23 and 24

Tours will depart at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Advance reservations are required. Tour information, tickets and additional event updates are available through Fort Phil Kearny’s official events page.

For additional event information and reservations visit https://www.fortphilkearny.org/

Finding a Personal Connection

Whether someone visits because of an interest in military history, Native culture, archaeology, wildlife or the Bighorn Mountain landscape, Shada hopes everyone leaves having discovered something meaningful.

“Maybe it’s the military history. Maybe it’s the landscape or the natural resources. Maybe you become interested in a person you’ve read about,” she said. “We want everybody to connect with something there.”

For residents of Story and the surrounding communities, Fort Phil Kearny offers an opportunity to look beyond familiar monuments and roadside signs and experience the fuller human story that unfolded only a few miles from home