Fort Union

A couple of weeks ago we went on a day trip to Fort Union National Monument, located about 95 miles by road northeast of Santa Fe.  Fort Union is located near the intersection of the Mountain and Cimarron Branches of the Santa Fe Trail and was the largest 19th century military fort in the region (U.S. National Park Service).

There were three separate forts at the site, constructed during the forty years the United State Army used it as an outpost.  The majority of the site consists of the second of the three forts, with ruins of the third still visible.

There is a path that runs in a roughly circular pattern around the site, which is typically walked in a clockwise direction.  One of the first things you come across are the remnants of officer's quarters.  Most of the walls are gone, but there remains numerous chimneys in varying states of decay.

Further along the trail are the ruins of the storehouses, the walls of which are largely intact.  The windows of the storehouses were perfectly aligned - it was this looking through the window, through the window, through the window, perspective that caught my eye.

Next to the storehouses was the mechanics corral.  This area held several wagons, and since wagons have become one of my favorite "old west" things to photograph, I spent some time trying different compositions and perspectives.

On the way out of the mechanics corral, looking back, I stopped to grab a few wider shots of the area...

Fort Union was integral in protecting commerce on the Santa Fe Trail, staging ground for Union troops protecting the territory from the Confederacy during the Civil War, and defender of the southwest during the mid to late 1800s.  I wouldn't consider it a "destination" locale, but definitely worth working into your itinerary if you're in the area...

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 10-24 DX
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