View source for Fort Tejon

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox NRHP
| name                     = Fort Tejon
| nrhp_type                = HD
| image                    = Fort_Tejon_Barracks_from_CO_Qtrs.JPG
| alt                      =
| caption                  = Fort Tejon Barracks
| nearest_city             = [[Lebec, California]]
| built                    = 1854
| architect                =
| architecture             =
| added                    = 1971
| designated_nrhp_type     =
| designated_other1        = California
| designated_other1_date   = 1954
| designated_other1_number = 129<ref name=CHL>{{cite ohp|129|Fort Tejon|2012-10-07}}</ref>
| visitation_num           =
| visitation_year          =
| refnum                   = 71000140
| mpsub                    = 
}}
'''Fort Tejon''' in [[California]] is a former [[United States Army]] outpost which was intermittently active from June 24, 1854, until September 11, 1864. It is located in the [[Grapevine, California|Grapevine Canyon]] (''La Cañada de las Uvas'') between the [[San Emigdio Mountains]] and [[Tehachapi Mountains]]. It is in the area of the [[Tejon Pass]] along [[Interstate 5]] in [[Kern County, California]], the main route through the mountain ranges separating the  [[Central Valley (California)|Central Valley]] from the [[Los Angeles Basin]] and [[Southern California]]. The fort's location protected the [[San Joaquin Valley]] from the south and west.

==Purpose==
The fort's mission was to suppress [[Cattle raiding|stock rustling]] and protect settlers from attacks by discontent [[Californio]]s (pre-statehood residents) and [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] tribes (including the [[Northern Paiute|Paiute]] and [[Mojave (people)|Mojave]]), and to monitor the less aggressive Emigdiano living nearby. The Emigdiano, who were closely related to the [[Chumash (tribe)|Chumash]] of the coastal and interior lands to the west, had several villages near Fort Tejon.  After the earlier Spanish and Mexican colonial [[Indian Reductions]], they were generally cooperative with the European-American settlers and the U.S. Army.

==History==
[[File:Fort Tejon Parade Ground.JPG|thumb|left|400px|Parade ground at Fort Tejon, California, June 2006. The restored barracks are at left and the commanding officer's quarters are at the center, to the right of and behind which are the stabilized but unrestored officers' quarters. Split rail fences outline the foundations of buildings that have not been reconstructed.]]
At the urging of [[Edward Fitzgerald Beale]], Superintendent of Indian Affairs in California, the U.S. Army established Fort Tejon in 1854. Fort Tejon was the headquarters of the [[1st Cavalry Regiment (United States)|First U.S. Dragoons]] until those [[Regular Army (United States)|Regular Army]] troops were transferred to the East in July 1861 soon after the outbreak of the [[American Civil War]].  The fort was re-occupied by California volunteer troops in 1863. Those units included Companies D, E and G of the 2nd California Volunteer Cavalry from July 6 to August 17, 1863; and Company B of the 2nd California Volunteer Infantry, which remained there until Fort Tejon was abandoned for good on September 11, 1864.<ref>[http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/uncacav.htm#2ndcav "2nd California Volunteer Cavalry"], Civil War Archive Website, accessed 11-11-08</ref>

The fort lay along the [[Stockton - Los Angeles Road]]. From 1858, it was a [[stagecoach]] station on the [[Butterfield Overland Mail]], which followed the same route as far as [[Visalia, California|Visalia]]. From 1858, Fort Tejon was the western terminus of the experimental [[U.S. Camel Corps]], which used imported [[camel]]s in an effort to carry supplies across arid regions in the [[Southwestern United States|Southwest]]. The soldiers found the camels hardy, but temperamental, and they spooked the horses used by the cavalry.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The mythical West : an encyclopedia of legend, lore, and popular culture|author=Slatta, Richard W.|date=2001|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9781576071519|location=Santa Barbara, Calif.|oclc=50174716}}</ref>

In the early part of 1863, California Volunteer regiments fought Paiute tribes in the Owens Valley, killing hundreds of them in a Native roundup. Finally, on July 11, 1863, the remaining 850 survivors were marched south across the San Joaquin Valley to Fort Tejón, the lone interior southern California Indian reservation under federal jurisdiction.<ref>George Harwood Phillips, ''Bringing Them under Subjection: California’s Tejón Indian Reservation and Beyond, 1852–1864'' (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2004).pp. 244-248.</ref>

The great earthquake of 1857, which became known as the [[Fort Tejon earthquake]], was centered nearly 100 miles away. The earthquake became associated with the fort by name because the area near the [[epicenter]] was sparsely populated.  The most reliable report of the event was issued from the fort, nearly {{convert|93|mi|km|1}} distant.

==Fort Tejon State Historic Park==
The state historic park is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].  In 1940, at the urging of local citizens, the [[Tejon Ranch Company]] deeded {{convert|5|acres|ha}} to the State of California to establish a state park.<ref name="pamphlet">{{cite web |url=https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/585/files/FortTejonSHPFinalWeb062916.pdf |title=Fort Tejon State Historic Park |publisher=[[California State Parks]] |accessdate=8 January 2022}}</ref> Its original historic buildings have been documented by the [[Historic American Buildings Survey]].  Several buildings have been restored, and two are partially open to visitors.  The restored barracks contain display cases of uniforms and a recreated troopers' quarters.  The commanding officer's quarters have several restored and furnished rooms.  Officers' quarters nearby are only stabilized in a state of [[arrested decay]], with walls buttressed by masonry and lumber and tied together with reinforcing rods.

A [[quartermaster]] building has been reconstructed<ref name="pamphlet"/> and houses materials used in [[dragoon]] life and Civil War reenactments.  The sites of former buildings, planned for reconstruction, are marked by split rail fences along the outlines of their foundations.  A park office, containing exhibits of dragoon life and restrooms, is at the east end of the parade ground near the parking lot by [[Interstate 5]].

The park grounds include the original barracks, where the soldiers slept, and also the grave site of [[Peter Lebeck]], which is indicated with a historical marker. The nearby town of Lebec is named after him.<ref>[http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=11092 "Peter Lebeck"], Historical Marker Database</ref>

Fort Tejon is the site of frequent Civil War [[American Civil War reenactment|reenactments]] presented by the Fort Tejon Historical Association.<ref>Fort Tejon State Historic Park pamphlet, State of California, Department of Parks & Recreation, Sacramento, California, 1991.</ref>

The park contains a number of natural features of interest, including centuries-old [[valley oak]]s<ref name="parksite">{{cite web |url=https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=585 |title=Fort Tejon State Historic Park |publisher=[[California Department of Parks and Recreation]] |accessdate=8 January 2022}}</ref> and [[California condor]]s.<ref name="pamphlet"/>

== 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake ==
{{Main article|1857 Fort Tejon earthquake}}
 
The '''Fort Tejon earthquake''' occurred at about 8:20 AM (Pacific time) on January 9, 1857. It ruptured the [[San Andreas Fault]] for a length of about {{convert|350|km|mi|sp=us}}, between [[Parkfield, California|Parkfield]] and [[San Bernardino, California|San Bernardino]]. Displacement along the fault was as much as 9 meters (30&nbsp;feet) in the [[Carrizo Plain]] but less along the [[Palmdale]] section of the fault, closest to Los Angeles. The amount of fault slip gives this earthquake a [[moment magnitude scale|moment magnitude]] of 7.9, comparable to that of the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake]]. Based on the (uncertain) distribution of foreshocks for this earthquake, it is assumed that the beginning of the fault rupture (the epicenter) was in the area between Parkfield and [[Cholame, California|Cholame]], about 60 miles northwest. Nevertheless, it is usually called the "Fort Tejon" earthquake because this was the location of the greatest damage, most of the area being unpopulated at the time.

==See also==
*[[Fort Tejon Historical Association]]
* [[California Historical Landmarks in Kern County]]
*[[California Historical Landmark]]

==References==
<references/>

<gallery>
Image:Fort_Tejon_Restored_Barracks.JPG|East end of the restored barracks building.  The unreconstructed kitchen/mess hall is outlined by split rail fence to the left.
Image:Barracks_Interior_1.JPG|Barracks interior showing soldiers' quarters.
Image:Barracks_Interior_2.JPG|The day room in the barracks.
Image:Barracks_Interior_3.JPG|Uniform items on display in the day room.
Image:Uniform_Display_in_Barracks.JPG|One of the several uniform displays in the barracks.
Image:Dragoon_Display_in_Barracks.JPG|Model of Dragoon in the barracks.
Image:Fort_Tejon_Barracks_from_CO_Qtrs.JPG|View of the barracks from the front porch of the commanding officer's quarters.  The split rail fence at the near end of the barracks denotes the foundation outline of another barracks yet to be reconstructed.
Image:Fort_Tejon_Quartermaster_Building.JPG|The quartermaster building.
Image:Quartermaster_Building_interior.JPG|The interior of the quartermaster building showing materials used during Dragoon and Civil War reenactments staged at Fort Tejon.
Image:Fort_Tejon_Commanding_Officers_Quarters.JPG|The restored commanding officer's quarters.
Image:Fort_Tejon_CO_Quarters_Interior_1.JPG|A furnished room inside the commanding officer's quarters.
Image:Fort_Tejon_CO_Quarters_Interior_2.JPG|The dining room inside the commanding officer's quarters.
Image:Fort_Tejon_CO_Qtrs_Child_and_Servant_Bedroom.JPG|Bedroom for the children and servant on the second floor of the commanding officer's quarters.
Image:Fort_Tejon_CO_Qtrs_Adult_Bedroom.JPG|Wolf rug in the adults' bedroom on the second floor of the commanding officer's quarters.
Image:Fort_Tejon_CO_Qtrs_Roof_Reshingling.JPG|The roof of the commanding officer's quarters receiving new shingles, showing the detail of roof construction.
Image:Fort_Tejon_Unrestored_Officers_Qtrs.JPG|Officers' quarters.  This building has been stabilized but not restored, and is not open to the public.  The interiors may be viewed through the wire fencing.
Image:Wall_Stabilization_in_Officers_Qtrs.JPG|Detail showing the interior wall bracing needed to stabilize the structure of the officers' quarters.
Image:Army_Camel_Corp_training.jpg|Army Camel Corp training
</gallery>

== External links ==
{{commons category|Fort Tejon State Historic Park|<br/>Fort Tejon State Historic Park}}
*[http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=585 Official '''Fort Tejon State Historic Park''' website]
*[http://www.forttejonca.org/ The Fort Tejon Historical Association]
*{{HABS |survey=CA-39 |id=ca0189 |title=Fort Tejon, Highway 99, Lebec vicinity, Kern County, CA}}
*{{HABS |survey=CA-39-A |id=ca0190 |title=Fort Tejon, Barracks Number One |link=no}}
*{{HABS |survey=CA-39-B |id=ca0191 |title=Fort Tejon, Barracks Number Two |link=no}}
*{{HABS |survey=CA-39-C |id=ca0192 |title=Fort Tejon, Officers' Quarters |link=no}}
*{{HABS |survey=CA-39-D |id=ca0193 |title=Fort Tejon, Soldiers' Quarters |link=no}}
*{{HABS |survey=CA-39-E |id=ca0194 |title=Fort Tejon, Smokehouse |link=no}}

{{Coord|34.874000|N|118.89430|W|region:US-CA_type:landmark|display=title}}

{{Butterfield1}}
{{Protected areas of California|SP}}
{{Kern County, California}}
{{National Register of Historic Places}}

[[Category:Forts in California|Tejon]]
[[Category:American Civil War forts and army posts in California]]
[[Category:Mountain Communities of the Tejon Pass]]
[[Category:1854 establishments in California]]
[[Category:California Historical Landmarks]]
[[Category:Forts on the National Register of Historic Places in California|Tejon]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Kern County, California]]
[[Category:Formerly Used Defense Sites in California]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Kern County, California]]
[[Category:History of Kern County, California]]
[[Category:Military installations established in 1854|Tejon]]
[[Category:Stagecoach stops in the United States]]
[[Category:Butterfield Overland Mail in California]]
[[Category:San Emigdio Mountains]]
[[Category:Tehachapi Mountains]]
[[Category:Historic American Buildings Survey in California]]
[[Category:American Civil War on the National Register of Historic Places]]
[[Category:Military installations closed in 1864|Tejon]]
[[Category:1864 disestablishments in California]]