Some park buildings are temporarily closed to clean up after the Fire Suppression System replacement. Closed are Officer's Quarters #1 & #2, some of the Post Headquarters, and some of the Dragoon Barracks, A virtual tour link below. More
Looking at hundreds of candle lanterns on the parade ground at dusk.
NPS Photo
The first weekend in December, Fort Scott National Historic Site presents its Annual Candlelight Tour. Tours on Friday will begin at 6:30 p.m. and leave every 15 minutes until 9:00 p.m. On Saturday the tours will start at 5:00 p.m. with the final tour leaving at 8:45 p.m. Please arrive 10 minutes early to allow time to park, present/pick up your ticket, and get oriented.
Tickets go on sale November 1st and are available by calling the Fort at 620-223-0310 (with a major credit card) or by stopping by the Visitor Center on Old Fort Blvd. They are $8.00 per person and non-refundable, children 5 and under are free. It is recommended that you get your tickets early for your choice of tour times as this event frequently sells out. Participants are advised to please dress for the weather and the terrain, as they will be outside and on sidewalks.
1,000 candle lanterns illuminate the site and dozens of volunteers (plus yourself) bring the fort to life.
Fort Scott was an active military post from 1842-1853, which was a time of rapid growth and change in the country. Solders returned three additional times from 1857-1873. As Fort Scott was being built, the nation grew west, expanding all the way to the Pacific Ocean. With this growth, Fort Scott changed, the mission of its soldiers changed, their experience changed, the environment changed, and the nation changed. Soldiers at Fort Scott lived their lives to the fullest despite the constant change.
