Fort Bayard Days was forced to be shortened this year due to the uncertainty of the old Fort Bayard Medical Center Demolition. The hospital is down, but the fence is still up.
Cecilia Bell, Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society president, managed to pull together two evening events on Friday and Saturday and several presenters of historic personages to tell their stories Saturday during the day.
Photos by Mary Alice Murphy
Fort Bayard Days 2016
Fort Bayard Days 2016
At the Buffalo Soldier statue, Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society member Ansel Walters talks to Barbara and Dale Zion of Las Cruces. Barbara once lived in 23B on the fort.Fort Bayard Days 2016
A U.S. Army Department medical pack saddleG??called a Pershing saddle. It carried medical supplies and carried dead soldiers from battle back to their families.
Fort Bayard Days 2016
Colorful wildflowers on the former parade ground.Fort Bayard Days 2016
Doug Dinwiddlie tells visitors the history of Fort Bayard before taking them on a walking tour.Fort Bayard Days 2016
Patricia Kiddney, representing the Harvey Girls and the El Paso Concordia Cemetery's Walk Through History.
Fort Bayard Days 2016
FBHPS President Cecilia Bell and Edna Puleston, representing the Daughters of the American Revolution, sell snacks and register visitors.
Fort Bayard Days 2016
Marilyn Weaver, portraying Mrs. McMahon, who had a grocery and laundry business at Fort Bayard. Weaver also owns Weaver's Cottonwood Ranch south of Las Cruces.
Fort Bayard Days 2016
The scrub board for the laundry.
Fort Bayard Days 2016
Alice Pinkston of the Friends of Fort Selden portrays a sutler, who followed soldiers and sold provisions, such as sewing kits called "housewives," and civilian haversacks.
Fort Bayard Days 2016
Ira Pinkston, also a Friend of Fort Selden, holds a Walker pistol and shows other pistols and long guns from the Civil War and Indian War.Fort Bayard Days 2016
John Smith, a friend of Fort Selden, visits with FBPHS members Bill and Dorothy Kupke.
Fort Bayard Days 2016
A display of Fort Bayard weapons and some of the military history of the fort.
Fort Bayard Days 2016
Prince McKenzie, director of the Railroad Museum of El Paso, told the stories of joining the rails in Deming in 1881 and of how the railroad worked with soldiers. "Soldiers brought peace and the railroad, the economy." He introduced his wife, Becky, "as my favorite camp follower."
Fort Bayard Days 2016
The Harvey Girl hands over some information to a visitor.
