Fort Jesup

Infobox_nrhp | name =Fort Jesup
nrhp_type =nhl


caption =
nearest_city= Many, Louisiana
locmapin = Louisiana
area =
built =1822
architect= Unknown
architecture= No Style Listed
designated= July 04, 1961cite web|url=?
title=? |accessdate=2008-01-04|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = October 15, 1966cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
governing_body = State
refnum=66000381

Fort Jesup, also known as Fort Jessup or Fort Jesup State Monument, was built in 1822, 22 miles west of Natchitoches, Louisiana, to protect the United States border with Spain and to return order to the Neutral Strip. The Neutral Strip was created after the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, from which arose a disagreement about the location of the border between the US and Spanish territories. In order to avoid a war, the two countries agreed that the land in contention would remain neutral and free of armed forces from either side. This region stretched from Sabine River to Arroyo Hondo and encompassed the land that now makes up modern Sabine Parish. The Neutral Strip remained devoid of government and law enforcement until the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819 finally set the border at the Sabine River.

Future U.S. President General Zachary Taylor was in charge of Fort Jesup for the entire time that it was active. He quickly subdued the Neutral Strip, gaining experience and popularity. His forces, known as the Army of Observation, remained in the fort and monitored the Texas territory as it passed from Spanish to Mexican control, and finally broke away as an independent republic. Taylor’s army participated in the Mexican War of 1846, gaining popularity for Taylor that would propel his political career.

After the United States won the Mexican War and gained control of Texas, Fort Jesup was rendered unnecessary. The fort was officially evacuated in 1846 and was allowed to deteriorate. In the 1930s, the only remaining building at Fort Jesup was the kitchen. Residents of the nearby town of Many raised money to restore the building and turned the area into a park.

The site was acquired by the Louisiana Office of State Parks in 1956, and in 1961, the fort was designated a National Historic Landmark.citation|title=PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/66000381.pdf National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Fort Jesup] |343 KB|date=August, 1975 |author=Patricia Heintzelman |publisher=National Park Service and PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Photos/66000381.pdf "Accompanying 6 photos, exterior and interior, from 1958, 1960 and undated"] |1.22 MB]

Since then, the kitchen has been restored and decorated with historically accurate furniture. An officer’s quarter has been reconstructed, and now serves as a museum. [ [www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/caneriver/for.htm Fort Jesup, at National Park Service] ]

Quote

Committee: Committee on the Public Lands
March 15, 1869

Read twice, referred to the Committee on the Public Lands, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Julian, on leave, introduced the following bill: A Bill Declaring the lands constituting the Fort Jessup military reservation in the State of Louisiana subject to homestead entry and settlement. [ [http://learning.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/S?ammem/hlaw:@filreq(@band(@1(Read+twice,+referred+to+the+Committee+on+the+Public+Lands,+and+ordered+to+be+printed++Mr++Julian,+on+leave,+introduced+the+following+bill++A+Bill+Declaring+the+lands+constituting+the+Fort+Jessup+military+reservation+in+the+State+of+Louisiana+subject+to+homestead+entry+and+settlement+)+@field(FLD003+@1(llhb+c41)))+@field(COLLID+llhb)) Frontier Army Road Terminus] ]

It is located seven miles northeast of Many, Louisiana on Louisiana Highway 6.

References

See also

* Fort Scott National Historic Site

External links

* [http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/caneriver/ Cane River National Heritage Area, a National Park Service "Discover Our Shared Heritage" Travel Itinerary]