Place

New Guardhouse (1876)

California National Historic Trail, Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, Oregon National Historic Trail, Pony Express National Historic Trail

A wood and lime-grout framed building. — New Guardhouse (1876)
NPS Photo

Accessible Rooms, Audio Description, Fire Extinguisher, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Wheelchair Accessible

Built in 1876, the new guard house was built to replace the Old Guardhouse as it was deemed unhealthy. The new Guardhouse sits on top of the first guardhouse built in 1854. The foundation and fireplace remnants can still be seen both inside and outside of the building. The New Guardhouse is the only building the National Park Service reconstructed the roof of. Today it houses an original 12 pound mountain howitzer, an original mountain Hotchkiss, and several wagons and limbers. The 1876 Gatling gun formerly housed here is now located in the Visitor Center