Fort Stanton Living History

See history come alive in these monthly programs. Watch a flag raising ceremony at 10 a.m. Take a ranger-guided tour of the cemetery at 11 a.m. with Interpretive Ranger Javier who will talk about the history of cemeteries and some of the history of the local citizens buried here from the 1850s to the 1970s. Learn about a World War I veteran, the youngest person buried, and the possible resting places of two individuals who fought in the Lincoln County War. Hats, water bottles, and hiking sticks are encouraged for the 1-mile round trip. At 1 p.m., listen to special guest lecturer Hal Hoffman, give a presentation entitled "Historical Communication Techniques and Methods in the Southwest and Its Ties to Fort Stanton" in the chapel. Communication is an important need within communities in the Southwest and in and around Fort Stanton. This talk will discuss the advantages and limitations of various historical communication techniques that would have been used by people surviving at the isolated fort. Beginning with the Native American use of smoke signals and battle drums, this presentation will then review the use of hand mirrors and the US Army’s implementation of a heliograph network in the Southwest. Other communication methods, such as the telegraph and crystal radios, will also be discussed. 

Admission to the site and activities is $7 for adults. Admission is free to children 16 and younger, NM disabled veterans, NM foster families, and MNMF members.