The Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society will celebrate the fort’s 156th birthday with a series of talks by the organization’s local historians. The event will be held at the New Deal Theater on the grounds of Fort Bayard National Historic Landmark, on Saturday, August 20, beginning at 1 p.m. Entitled “Fort Bayard: A Cultural Crossroads in Southwest New Mexico”, the symposium is supported by the New Mexico Humanities Council, and is free to the public.  

Speakers will include Dr. Doug Dinwiddie, President of FBHPS, who will discuss the careers of two prominent “Buffalo Soldiers” from the 24th Infantry regiment, who served at Fort Bayard in the 1890s. The Reverend Allen Allensworth and Army musician Walter Loving went on to outstanding careers and even today are recognized as being among the most significant individuals to have spent time at the local fort. Both men’s lives were tragically cut short, but not before they had made lasting contributions to the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers.

Ms. Cecilia Bell, a founding member of the Preservation Society, and its current Vice President will give a presentation on a few of Fort Bayard’s significant women, including Josephine Clifford, Dita Kinney, and Cathay Williams. The lecture will demonstrate that while the role of women is sometimes overlooked, Fort Bayard’s history is deeply impacted by the contributions made by these and other women.

Joe Saenz of the Chihenne and Warm Springs Apache culture, and a longtime member of FBPHS, will talk on the impact Fort Bayard has had on the Native peoples of southern New Mexico, as well as speaking on the importance of the space occupied by the fort to the Native people.

Everyone is invited to come learn more about the legacy of Fort Bayard, and to join in sharing a birthday cake in honor of its 156 year legacy as a fort and medical facility. For more information, contact Doug Dinwiddie at 575-388-4862, or visit the organization’s website at historicfortbayard.org.