Fort Wingate

Fort Wingate was a U.S. military installation near Gallup, New Mexico, established primarily to manage relations with Native American tribes.

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Fort Wingate was a U.S. military installation near Gallup, New Mexico, established primarily to manage relations with Native American tribes, especially the Navajo and Apache. Over the course of the 19th century, the fort underwent several relocations and name changes.

History

Westward Expansion

Fort Wingate’s origins are rooted in the U.S. Army’s expansion into the Southwest during and after the U.S.–Mexico War. Its early history spanned two locations and three name designations, beginning in 1846 with the arrival of U.S. forces in New Mexico.

In the late summer of 1846, General Stephen Watts Kearny led the Army of the West into the region, halting at the village of Las Vegas. ⁹ On August 15, he addressed the local population from an adobe rooftop, declaring himself a protector rather than a conqueror. His words were met with cautious optimism. For many in the New Mexican communities, the American presence was seen as a potential safeguard against ongoing conflict with Native groups, particularly the Navajo.

Origins at Seboyeta (1846–1851)

Acting on this perception, Kearny sought to secure the frontier. ⁹ On September 18, 1846, he dispatched three companies of Missouri Volunteers under Lieutenant Colonel Cosgreve Jackson to establish a military outpost at Seboyeta (Cebolleta), a mission village founded in 1746 by Spanish colonizers. ^{1 6 8 9} The location, roughly sixty miles west of Albuquerque, held earlier colonial significance and was now repurposed as a strategic foothold. Although the outpost served largely as a symbolic assertion of U.S. power, it failed to reduce hostilities. Raids and reprisals persisted across northern New Mexico, and regional leaders continually petitioned for greater military protection.

In response to growing unrest, the U.S. initiated diplomatic overtures. ^{6 8 9} On November 22, 1846, Colonel Alexander W. Doniphan, representing the U.S. government, met with Navajo leaders at Bear Springs, known in Diné as Shash Bitóh. The site held cultural importance and was the location of a violent episode in 1834 involving Manuel Antonio Chavez, a wounded participant in a failed raid against Canyon de Chelly.

At Bear Springs, Doniphan and his men were received with ceremonial parades and dances. ⁹ Fourteen Navajo leaders signed a treaty pledging peace and protection for Navajo communities and surrounding settlements. The agreement also stipulated the return of captives and stolen property. Doniphan later proceeded to Zuni Pueblo to negotiate a separate and more enduring agreement with the Zuni.

While the Bear Springs treaty represented the first formal diplomatic interaction between the Navajo and the U.S., it proved ineffective. ⁹ Deep-rooted animosities, particularly toward Mexican settlers, remained unresolved, and the presence of a foreign military power in Navajo homelands only exacerbated tensions.

Conflict intensified from 1847 to 1850. ⁹ Fort Marcy in Santa Fe became a staging ground for military expeditions into Navajo territory. Additional treaties were signed and quickly broken. In many instances, negotiations failed before treaty parties returned to their posts. The Seboyeta outpost was ultimately abandoned in 1851, marking the end of the first military installation associated with Fort Wingate. However, it was only the beginning of continued military involvement in the region.

During this period, the Army also conducted exploratory expeditions to assess the region’s terrain and military value. ^{6 9} These included campaigns by Beckwith (1849), Sitgreaves (1851), Beale (1857–1858), and Ives (1858). While these expeditions confirmed the strategic importance of northern New Mexico and Arizona, the area’s rugged landscape, lack of wagon infrastructure, and persistent conflict discouraged broader westward migration.

Seeking to restructure frontier defense, Colonel Edwin Vose Sumner assumed command of the Ninth Military Department on July 19, 1851. ⁹ He replaced Fort Marcy with Fort Union as the departmental headquarters and issued orders to abandon the outpost at Seboyeta. In its place, he established a new post at Tse Hootsooi, “the meadow between the rocks,” a site sacred to the Navajo, located along the eastern edge of the Defiance Plateau.

Completed in September 1851, Fort Defiance was intended to house five companies and serve as a central military hub. ⁹ Sumner’s strategy included efforts to cultivate more stable relations with the Navajo. He facilitated trade, distributed rations during harsh winters, and provided technical and agricultural assistance. He also promoted more participatory tribal governance structures, drawing on American democratic ideals. For nearly eight years, the post maintained a fragile peace. Although some thefts and killings occurred, most were resolved without triggering large-scale violence.

By the late 1850s, conditions began to deteriorate once more. ⁹ Treaties negotiated by Governors David Meriwether (1855) and Benjamin Bonneville (1858) imposed strict geographic boundaries on the Navajo. These restrictions confined Navajo movement between the San Juan River to the north and the Zuni River to the south, with additional limits to the east and west. Though the treaties nominally recognized Navajo lands, they effectively restricted their traditional migratory and subsistence patterns. Many Navajo came to view these boundaries as a form of forced containment.

Harsh winters and limited resources pushed some groups to resume raiding. ⁹ Small disputes escalated. On April 30, 1860, approximately 1,000 Navajo warriors attacked Fort Defiance. The garrison repelled the assault, which lasted the entire day, and the Navajo force withdrew under cover of darkness. The bold attack marked the beginning of a renewed period of military engagement between the U.S. and the Navajo Nation.

Forts Fauntleroy and Lyon

Establishment of Fort Fauntleroy (1860-1861)

In August 1860, Companies E, F, and K of the 3rd U.S. Infantry established a new military post at Bear Springs. ^{1 6 8} The installation was named Fort Fauntleroy in honor of Colonel Thomas T. Fauntleroy, then commander of the Department of New Mexico. The location was chosen as part of a broader effort to maintain a military foothold within Navajo territory. At the time, Fort Defiance was the only other active garrison in the region.

Fort Fauntleroy was designed to house eight companies, and a provisional military reserve of 100 square miles centered on Bear Springs was declared. ⁶ The post became a focal point for the U.S. military’s efforts to suppress Navajo resistance and protect nearby settlements. However, the fort also became a site of recurring tension.

Ration distributions were conducted monthly to reduce the Navajos’ reliance on raiding. ⁶ These events drew large gatherings of Navajo families and were often accompanied by horse races between Navajo riders and Army personnel, with considerable betting from both groups.

On September 22, 1861, a disputed horse race led to a violent confrontation. ⁶ A quarter horse owned by the post surgeon, Dr. Kavanaugh, raced against one owned by a Navajo man named Pistol Bullet. The Navajo alleged that the race had been unfair, and when military judges refused to rerun it, tensions escalated. A sentry shot a Navajo man attempting to enter the fort, prompting panic. Soldiers opened fire on the retreating crowd, killing twelve and wounding approximately forty others. Artillery was deployed against the fleeing group. The massacre ended all future ration distributions and severely damaged diplomatic efforts. Attempts to restore relations through intermediaries failed, and hostility toward the fort increased.

Transition to Fort Lyon and the Outbreak of Civil War

In the aftermath of the 1861 incident, the War Department renamed the post Fort Lyon, in honor of Union Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon, who had been killed at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. ^{1 6} Colonel Fauntleroy had resigned his commission to join the Confederacy, and the renaming served a dual symbolic and political purpose.

The fort was then garrisoned by Companies A, B, and C of the Second New Mexico Volunteers under Captains Manuel D. Pino, José D. Sena, and Manuel Baca y Delgado. ⁶ Lieutenant Colonel Manuel Antonio Chavez—previously wounded in the 1834 Bear Springs incident—was named post commander.

Soldiers stationed at Fort Lyon expressed frustration over its conditions and the behavior of its sutlers, whom they accused of price gouging and disloyalty to the Union. ⁶ Private William Need of the New Mexico Territorial Militia wrote critically of the fort’s internal affairs. Isolated deep within contested Navajo territory and far from major Union strongholds, Fort Lyon remained a tenuous outpost as the nation descended into civil war.

Original Fort Wingate

Following the instability at Fort Lyon, Brigadier General James H. Carleton ordered the establishment of a new military post bearing the name Fort Wingate on September 9, 1862, ^{1 2 6 8} and for the establishment of a supervised military reservation for the Navajo to end hostilities. ⁹ The site was located at El Gallo, near present-day San Rafael, New Mexico, and named in honor of Captain Benjamin Wingate, who had been killed in action earlier that year in the Battle of Valverde. ^{2 8 9} From that point forward, Fort Wingate became a central post for military operations across western New Mexico.

Construction of the new post began on September 30. ⁹ Progress was slow, as permanent buildings were erected using materials salvaged from old Fort Lyon, located approximately 45 miles to the west and transported by wagon. The new installation was formally commissioned on October 22. Fort Lyon was officially abandoned on December 10, and its garrison was transferred to the newly established Fort Wingate at San Rafael. ⁶ Four companies of the Fourth New Mexico Mounted Rifles and one company of California Volunteers, all under the command of Lieutenant Colonel José Francisco Chavez, were stationed at the post. ^{6 9} The garrison was further reinforced by Companies E, F, and H of the First New Mexico Volunteers, commanded by Colonel Christopher “Kit” Carson.

The San Rafael installation was constructed as a permanent and fortified military base. ^{6 8} Its strategic location made it a key supply depot and staging area for operations into Navajo homelands. By mid-1863, Fort Wingate played a central role in the U.S. Army’s campaign against the Navajo under General Carleton’s direction.

Under the supervision of Lt. Col. Chavez and First Lieutenant Benjamin Stevens, the acting assistant quartermaster, construction efforts were undertaken to build a well-organized military post. ^{6 8} Civilian laborers and enlisted personnel assigned to extra duty worked as carpenters, masons, millworkers, and adobe-makers. A contract for 380,000 adobe bricks was awarded to Pool and McBride for the construction of officers’ quarters, barracks, a quartermaster’s storehouse, and a hospital.

The fort was laid out along cardinal directions, with a parade ground separating officers’ housing from the enlisted men’s barracks. ^{6 8} Shade trees were planted throughout the post, and the facilities were equipped to support both garrison life and field operations. Modest agricultural efforts were undertaken during the summer of 1863, though with limited success due to the region’s elevation and climate.

Military activity at Fort Wingate intensified with the arrival of additional forces, including California Volunteers and more units from New Mexico. ⁶ In September 1862, Companies D and G of the First Cavalry (formerly the First Dragoons) were assigned to the post under Captain H. R. Selden, who later died in service as Colonel of the First New Mexico Volunteer Infantry. Many of these soldiers, including Chavez and his men, had previously served in the Battle of Val Verde and were experienced in frontier operations.

The Long Walk

In July 1863, Kit Carson arrived at Fort Wingate to lead a campaign against the Navajo under General James H. Carleton’s orders. ^{6 9} After a brief stay to gather supplies, Carson left two companies at the post and advanced toward Canyon de Chelly. Fort Wingate soon became a staging point for military operations and a central holding area for Navajo captives before their relocation to Fort Sumner. The arrival of the first group of 51 detainees in September marked the beginning of the Long Walk, a U.S.-enforced displacement of thousands of Navajo people from their homelands.

Military pressure on the Navajo intensified in October 1863. ⁹ Carson’s troops, under Carleton’s directive, carried out an aggressive campaign, destroying homes, food supplies, orchards, and livestock. The intent was not only to compel surrender but to dismantle the Navajos’ means of survival. By the end of the year, with resources depleted and a harsh winter setting in, many Navajo were in crisis. On January 12, 1864, Carson attacked Canyon de Chelly, prompting the surrender of many who remained. The forced march that followed, the Long Walk, was a 350-mile journey to Bosque Redondo during which hundreds perished from disease and exposure. ⁹

Conditions at Bosque Redondo quickly deteriorated. ⁹ The camp suffered from poor sanitation, inadequate supplies, and tensions among detainees and officials. Contaminated water from the Pecos River caused widespread illness, and the camp was vulnerable to external raids. Public criticism of the policy grew, prompting a congressional investigation. A Joint Special Committee, led by Senator James R. Doolittle, visited the site in 1865 and recommended transferring Native affairs to civilian control. The following year, the Territorial Assembly condemned Carleton’s policies, and he was relieved of command on September 19, 1866.

On December 31, control over Indian affairs formally shifted to the Department of the Interior, limiting the military’s role to assistance when requested. ⁹ A government survey confirmed the viability of returning the Navajo to their homeland. A peace commission, headed by Lieutenant General William Tecumseh Sherman, was formed to negotiate terms. Sherman arrived at Fort Sumner on May 28, 1868, and a treaty was signed three days later. At sunrise on June 18, approximately 7,000 Navajo began their return journey, reversing the route of the Long Walk. ^{6 8 9} Major Charles J. Whiting of the 3rd Cavalry oversaw their return to the Southwest. ⁶

Following the war, Fort Wingate transitioned into a more stable military post. ^{6 9} Its strategic location and role in the Navajo campaign sustained its importance in the region. The garrison’s duties included patrols, military surveys, and escort missions. It also served as a base for ethnological and archaeological expeditions throughout the Southwest.

Additionally, the discovery of gold in the Arizona Territory brought increased traffic along western supply routes. ⁶ While Fort Wingate remained an active garrison, national attention shifted eastward with the intensification of the Civil War. As volunteer enlistments ended, regular army units began replacing the California and New Mexico troops. The final wartime garrison included four companies from the 37th Infantry and the Third Cavalry, consisting of six officers and 286 enlisted men.

New Fort Wingate

Reestablishment

Following the 1868 treaty that permitted the Navajo to return to their homeland, U.S. officials reevaluated the location of Fort Wingate. The original site, situated along the Rio de Gallo, had been deemed too remote for effective oversight and was abandoned after six years of use. ^{3 6 8} General G. W. Getty, then Department Commander of New Mexico, considered reestablishing the garrison farther west to provide better support for resettled Navajo communities. ⁹

Fort Canby, vacated after the 1864 Navajo roundup, was initially considered. ⁹ However, the post had fallen into ruin and was located 35 miles north of the main east-west supply road, rendering it unsuitable for logistical operations. Getty determined that Bear Springs (Ojo del Oso) offered a more strategic location. As a result, he ordered the reactivation of Fort Lyon (previously Fort Fauntleroy), renaming it Fort Wingate. He also issued a general order designating the former post at Ojo del Gallo as “old” Fort Wingate.

The new Fort Wingate was laid out in 1868 at Bear Springs. Its location was favored for its proximity to a steady water supply, nearby forests for timber, and local game. ⁶ Though originally designed as a “circle within a square,” this layout was quickly abandoned in favor of a more functional rectangular arrangement.

Soldiers stationed at the fort faced significant hardships, including harsh weather, delayed pay, and threats of violence. ⁶ In 1868, raids were reported near Cubero, resulting in livestock theft and fatalities. That same year, records also noted instances of alcohol smuggling, prisoner escapes due to inadequate adobe jail construction, and the failure of a proposed self-sustaining agricultural model. Of the 6,000 acres designated for cultivation, many were found to be saturated with alkali, which limited productivity. ⁹

Although the majority of Navajo communities had resumed peaceful subsistence living after their return, isolated disturbances prompted continued military activity. In 1869, Lieutenant Henry Ayers led an expedition in pursuit of individuals accused of theft from the fort. Later that year, Major A. W. Evans reported ongoing unrest in the surrounding region. ⁶

Also in 1869, construction was completed on a road between Fort Wingate and Agua Azul, reducing the travel distance to the Rio Grande by nearly ten miles. ⁶ Mail delivery to Washington, D.C., required roughly nine to ten days via the Kansas railhead.

On February 18, 1870, President Ulysses S. Grant formally designated a ten-square-mile military reservation around Fort Wingate. ^{6 9} An additional thirty square miles were added in 1881 to ensure access to firewood and construction materials. This expansion, which extended into the Zuni National Forest reserve, drew criticism from nearby cattle ranchers, who claimed the land was used primarily for grazing the post commander’s private herds.

By the early 1870s, garrison life had become routine. ⁹ The fort’s principal duties included patrols, military surveys, and escort operations. It also served as a headquarters and outfitting base for ethnological and archaeological expeditions throughout the Southwest.

Most of the early buildings at Fort Wingate were constructed of adobe and locally milled timber. Later structures were built of sandstone, which was also abundant in the region. ⁶ Medical reports from the 1870s noted few serious illnesses among the troops, and the mortality rate remained relatively low. Washington Mathews, who would later become Surgeon General of the U.S. Army, served at the post hospital during the 1880s.

A significant fire on July 2, 1896, destroyed many of the original wooden structures at the fort. ⁹ The incident underscored the vulnerability of early construction methods and hastened future reliance on more fire-resistant materials.

Final Armed Expedition and Continued Activity

In 1907, troops from Fort Wingate carried out what is considered the last U.S. military expedition against Native Americans. ⁶ A group of Navajo individuals, led by Polly and Bylilie, was apprehended after defying Indian Agency directives. They were later sentenced to imprisonment at Fort Sill.

In 1911, a portion of the Fort Wingate reservation was designated as the Zuni District of the Manzano National Forest. ⁸ The post was deactivated on February 4, 1911, and placed in charge of a caretaker. ⁹ During a brief period during the Mexican Revolution in 1914–1915, the post was temporarily reactivated as a detention and refugee camp for approximately 4,000 Mexican Federal soldiers and their families who had fled the advance of Pancho Villa. ^{6 8 9} These troops, remnants of a routed army, had crossed the border at Marfa, Texas, and sought asylum in the United States. Concerned that rebel sympathizers might be among them, U.S. authorities moved the group away from the border near El Paso and relocated them to Fort Wingate.

The displaced population—housed in tents and placed under military guard—included not only soldiers but also circus performers, musicians, and soldaderas (female camp followers). ⁶ Despite limited resources and harsh conditions, the community remained self-sustaining through internal organization and mutual support.

Wingate Ordnance Depot

In 1918, the U.S. Army Ordnance Department assumed control of the former Fort Wingate military reservation and redesignated it in 1921 as the Wingate Ordnance Depot for the storage of high explosives, including TNT, that were being returned from Europe after World War I. ^{6 8 9} Initial construction of wood-frame magazines and support buildings began approximately one mile west of the existing administrative area.

At the time, security was minimal. Two non-commissioned officers, two mounted guards, and thirteen Native laborers provided oversight. ⁶ Horses remained used for patrols into the 1930s, when additional fencing and personnel were introduced. Guards such as Mac Carmichael and Dee Roberts—both future McKinley County sheriffs—performed these duties under harsh winter conditions.

By 1921, the depot included 163 wooden storage magazines and one underground magazine, which was considered the world’s largest storage depot for high explosives. ^{6 8 9} It was officially renamed the Wingate Ordnance Reserve Depot. That same year, M.J. Connelly and Co. was contracted to manufacture nine million cartridges using picric acid drawn from the depot’s stockpiles.

By 1928, the depot shifted from passive storage to active operations involving the repacking and shipment of explosives. ⁶ Many TNT stockpiles. initially stored under tarps or in temporary shelters, had become compromised due to moisture exposure and rodent contamination. The repacking process required specialized safety measures, including the use of wooden rollers operated remotely to minimize ignition risks.

Working conditions remained dangerous. Potbelly stoves, sometimes fueled with wooden crates soaked in TNT residue, were used for heating. ⁶ Safety inspections were irregular and often informal. In 1937, a lightning strike detonated a magazine, fusing the surrounding sand into glass. No injuries were reported.

By 1930, the depot stored an estimated 46 million pounds of explosives, with large shipments bound for destinations such as the Panama Canal Zone, Corregidor, the Philippines, and Picatinny Arsenal. ^{6 8} Safety protocols were later revised after it was discovered that explosive warning placards had been used for target practice.

Modernization and Expansion (1936-1945)

A comprehensive modernization effort began in 1936, placing storage magazines on concrete foundations. ⁶ By 1940, the depot housed 15 million pounds of explosives, including munitions prepared for shipment to Britain and France in anticipation of a wider war. ^{6 8}

Under Technical Sergeant John C. Wilson, the depot’s entire TNT stock was sold to the British Purchasing Commission. ^{6 8} Despite limited equipment and personnel, the staff, including many Navajo workers, met critical shipping deadlines. The first shipment was dispatched during the Battle of Dunkirk; while some of it was lost in transit, much arrived in Britain and supported its early World War II defense.

With Captain Evan M. Johnson IV assuming command in 1940, preparations accelerated for large-scale wartime operations. ^{6 8} Construction of earth-covered magazines (“igloos”) and new administrative facilities began in early 1941. That October, the first practice bombs arrived for handling and shipment, with construction on the administrative buildings concluding that December. Civilian pay remained modest; more than 90% of the workforce earned under $200 monthly.

By 1943, the depot was shipping over 60 railcars of munitions daily and employed more than 1,500 civilians, 90% of whom were Navajo. ^{6 8} Communication and safety efforts encountered early obstacles. Some traditional beliefs initially discouraged standard housekeeping practices, prompting leadership to consult a local Navajo medicine man to encourage safe procedures. Training emphasized how ammunition work directly supported family members serving overseas, which improved morale and safety compliance.

In 1944, Fort Wingate contributed 100 tons of Composition B high explosives to the Manhattan Project. These materials were used in the first atomic bomb test at the Trinity Site. In 1950, part of the installation, already contaminated by years of munitions storage, was transferred to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for use as a boarding school serving Indigenous students.

Post-War Operations (1945-1988)

After World War II, depot activity declined but resumed during the Korean War. Fort Wingate continued shipping, maintaining, and refurbishing ammunition stockpiles. ^{6 8} By 1958, the workforce had decreased to around 300 civilian employees and five commissioned officers.

In 1960, the installation commemorated its 100th anniversary, tracing its origins to Fort Fauntleroy’s founding in 1860. ^{6 8} The Department of the Army redesignated the facility as the Fort Wingate Ordnance Depot. A centennial celebration was held from August 25 to 28, organized by local civic leaders, representatives of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Navajo and Zuni Nations, and Fort Wingate personnel. The four-day event included military demonstrations, parades, and a historical pageant reflecting the site’s extensive service record.

On August 1, 1962, Fort Wingate became part of the newly established US Army Supply and Maintenance Command. ⁸ In mid-1963, the White Sands Missile Range announced plans to use the Depot as a site to test-fire the Pershing Missile. By 1966, shipping workloads had climbed steadily to keep pace with the increase in military operations in Vietnam, reaching an all-time high in April 1968, despite an austerity program and a decreased workforce.

The Depot was then placed under the command of the Tooele Army Depot in 1971, and the name changed to the Fort Wingate Depot Activity (FWDA). ^{4 8}

In 1978, the Fort Wingate Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its enduring historical and military significance.

Navajo and Zuni Boarding School

In 1925, the grounds containing the old fort were transferred to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for utilization as a boarding school for Navajo and Zuni children. ^{6 8 9} The barracks were used as classrooms and dormitories while Officers Row provided homes for federally staffed personnel. The old parade ground was converted into a baseball field. About 9,000 acres of military reservation north of the railroad were turned over to the Interior Department as an addition to the Navajo Indian Reservation in the same year. ⁸

Portions of the original Officers’ Row at Fort Wingate remained until 1958, when they were demolished to accommodate new dormitories for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. ⁹ The oldest surviving structure built for military use dates back to 1906; it was initially constructed as a post exchange and recreation hall and later repurposed as a boys’ dormitory known as “The Hogan.” In 1965, a new Fort Wingate Senior High School was completed for $6 million. Designed in a modern campus style, the school provided boarding and secondary education for nearly one thousand Native American students.

Closure

The base was selected for closure during the first round of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process in 1988. Environmental restoration activities at FWDA began the following year. Finally, in January 1993, Fort Wingate was officially closed under BRAC legislation.

Post-Closure

Although Fort Wingate’s original military mission ended, the Missile Defense Agency has continued using 6,465 acres of the site to launch target rockets toward White Sands Missile Range. ⁵ In December 2005, the New Mexico Environment Department issued the U.S. Army a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit to guide the site’s environmental oversight and remediation activities.

As of 2016, FWDA encompassed 21,131 acres, including 15,280 acres of occupied land and 14,666 acres designated under the BRAC program. ⁵ Environmental cleanup and the gradual transfer of land to surrounding communities have continued into at least 2022. To date, 5,854 acres have been transferred to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The primary environmental concerns at FWDA involve explosives, perchlorates, and nitrates found in northern groundwater plumes, though these contaminants have not migrated off-site. ⁵ Other affected areas consist mainly of minor soil or building contamination, with substances such as explosives, semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), and metals like lead, but without associated groundwater risks.

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Gallery

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Sources

1. “Fort Wingate.” New Mexico Office of the State Historian.
2. Fraizer, Robert Walter. Forts of the West. University of Oklahoma Press, 1965.
3. Defouri, James H. Historical Sketch of the Catholic Church in New Mexico. 1887, p. 81.
4. “About FWDA.” Fort Wingate Depot Activity (FWDA).
5. “FY2016 Fort Wingate Depot Activity Base Realignment & Closure Installation Action Plan.” Fort Wingate Depot Activity (FWDA), 29 Nov. 2016.
6. Fort Wingate Ordnance Depot. Historical Program. ca. 1960.
7. Cook, Sylvia L. Fort Wingate Historic District: National Register of Historic Places Inventory–Nomination Form. National Park Service, 19 May 1977.
8. Higginbotham and Associates. Master Plan Report. Mar. 1988, pp. 3-4–3-9.
9. James, Harold L. “The History of Fort Wingate.” New Mexico Geological Society, Eighteenth Field Conference, 1967, pp. 151–158.