Historic California Posts, Camps,
Stations and Airfields
Fort Ter-Waw
"Sketch
of Fort Ter-Waw, Spring of 1862," by G. E. Young. (NPS)
Fort Ter-Waw
by Robert B. Roberts
Established on October
12, 1857, by 1st Lieutenant George Crook, 4th Infantry, who suggested
the name "Ter-Waw" (Yurok Indian for "beautiful
place"), it was located in Del Norte County, on the north
bank of the Klamath River, about six miles above its mouth, on
Klamath Indian Reservation land and across the river from the
reservation agency's headquarters. The post was evacuated on
June 11, 1861, but reoccupied on August 28, 1861. Flooded four
times during the winter of 1861-62, with 17 of its 20 buildings
undermined and washed away, plans were made to relocate the camp
on a new site. However, during the following late spring, on
June 11, Brigadier General George Wright countermanded the order
to rebuild the post since any site on the river would be subjected
to flooding. The post's troops were moved to the Smith River
Valley where Camp Lincoln was being constructed six miles north-east
of Crescent City.
Extracted
from Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer,
and Trading Posts of the United States
Fort Ter-Waw
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fort Ter-Waw, a former U. S. Army fort,
that was located six miles from the mouth of the Klamath River,
in the former Klamath River Reservation and to the east of the
present town of Klamath, California, Klamath on SR 169.
It was a United States military post that
was created to guard the Klamath River Reservation and to keep
peace between the Tolowa and Yurok Indians and whites. It was
established in what was then Klamath County, October 12, 1857
by First Lieutenant George Crook and the men of Company D, U.
S. 4th Infantry Regiment. The fort was part of the Humboldt Military
District headquartered at Fort Humboldt. Most of the fort was
destroyed during the Great Flood of 1862 in December 1861, and
abandoned June 10, 1862. The garrison was moved to Camp Lincoln.
The site is now in Del Norte County and
is marked by a California Historical Landmark (#544). Its location
can be found, from Hwy 101 taking Ter-Wer Valley exit (Hwy 169),
going 3.4 mi to the end of the road, turn right on Ter-Wer Riffle
Road. Site at intersection of Ter-Wer Riffle and Klamath Glen
Roads, in Klamath.
References:
"Del Norte". California Historical Landmarks. Office
of Historic Preservation. Retrieved 2005-08-29.
Historic California Posts: Fort Ter-Waw, The California State
Military Museum
Location:
Ter-Wer Riffle and Klamath Glen Rds., Klamath, California
Coordinates:
41.50992°N 123.98855°WCoordinates: 41.50992°N 123.98855°W
Accessed 15 December 2015
