Every museum that I tour always teaches me something new and unique, or dispels a myth that opens up a new way of thinking about an historic topic. Fort Verde is one of these well preserved relics from the past that disproves most Hollywood movie and tv depictions of what most military installations were really like on our western frontier during the 19th century. What might surprise most visitors to this fort-turned-museum at Fort Verde State Park (established in 1970) is that all buildings which comprised the complex were completely out in the flat open space of Verde Valley. There was no wall or stockade to surround it for defensive purposes.
The vast majority of Hollywood westerns depict frontier forts as having a protective wall from which soldiers fought against Native American tribes or other enemies. The headquarters for the U.S. Cavalry are also presented in this manner, with large bands of marauding natives mounting large-scale attacks against these structures. Fort Verde, in fact, was never attacked by Native tribes “Indians” or anyone else during its entire history. The relative scarcity of construction materials may also have been the main reason which precluded building a such a wall. The remaining structures on the site such as the original administrative post which now serves as the visitor center and museum were, however constructed of wood.
Fortunately some of these buildings were saved to give present day visitors a window into our nation’s past and some idea of what life was like in the desert wilderness of Arizona Territory, circa 1880. Life would certainly be challenging as Fort Verde troops were expected to protect farmers, ranchers, and miners from attacks by the Apaches and other tribes who were resisting these encroachments on their lands. It should be noted, though, that regardless of what so many Hollywood productions depicted regarding tribal attacks on U.S. military installations – these were actually a fairly rare event.
Tribes like the Apaches were too smart for that because they knew that they would likely be outnumbered by soldiers who had more and superior weaponry at the forts. For them it was easier and more profitable to raid white settlers farms for food and to ambush stage coaches for passengers valuables. After all, these unwanted incursions into their lands disrupted their hunting and other aspects of the ways they had lived for centuries before Europeans arrived. The numerous Hollywood westerns depicting cavalry charges across the deserts or plains with sabers drawn is also a myth. Sabers served more as a prop for ceremonial purposes than anything else. It was actually considered too cumbersome and impractical to ride a galloping horse and try to wield that type of weapon in battle at the same time.
The prominence of U.S. Calvary wearing yellow scarves around their necks is also the figment of some screenwriters and costume designer’s imagination. Wearing bright colors like that made them easier targets for enemies, yet, so many movies and tv shows have presented this as factual. In any case, the Fort Verde State Park contains numerous artifacts, exhibits, and photos detailing the realistic history of U.S. military presence in the challenging frontier years before Arizona became a state in 1912. To carefully view all the exhibits takes about two hours. The park is also close to the Verde River and Rezzonico Family Park, which is a good spot to have a picnic after touring the museum.
The town of Camp Verde is also a major tourist attraction holding the annual Cornfest every July, the Pecan, Wine & Antiques Festival (in February) and Fort Verde days in October among other events. There are also wineries in the surrounding area such as Alcantara Vineyards in a gorgeous setting and offering a wide array of wines to sample! Cottonwood, Clarkdale, and Rimrock are other cool, nearby towns to explore for Old West history buffs and they will be explored in future posts.
For more information ℹ️ about Fort Verde State Park, checkout: the National Register Of Historic Places:
http://nps.gov/nationalregister
For more information ℹ️ about the Town of Camp Verde visit: http://campverde.az.gov
