Fort Riley Army Base, Kansas

On June 27, 1853, Camp Center became Fort Riley, named in honor of Major General Bennet C. Riley, who had led the first military escort along the Santa Fe Trail in 1829. The post was originally called Camp Center for its proximity to the geographical center of the United States. Legends of America The fort's design followed the standard frontier post configuration, with buildings constructed of the most readily available material, native limestone.

The early history of Fort Riley is closely tied to the movement of people and trade along the Oregon Trail and Santa Fe Trail. In the spring, troops were dispatched to escort mail trains and protect travel routes across the plains. The fort was a linchpin of frontier security during the era of westward expansion.

Kansas immediately became embroiled in the national debate over the expansion of slavery. Debate turned to bloodshed as violence erupted back and forth across the Kansas and Missouri border. Officers stationed at Fort Riley came from all parts of the United States, J.E.B. Stuart and Louis A. Armistead, who both became Confederate generals, were stationed at Fort Riley before the war. Civil War on the Western Border In early 1862, Fort Riley temporarily held 133 Confederate prisoners captured during the New Mexico campaign.

The conclusion of the Civil War in 1865 saw Fort Riley again assume an important role in protecting railroad lines being built across Kansas. In the summer and fall of 1866, the 7th Cavalry Regiment was mustered in at Riley, and in December, Brevet Major General George A. Custer arrived to take charge of the new regiment. Fort Riley was also a post for the 9th and 10th Cavalry, the all-Black Buffalo Soldiers of the late 19th century.

In 1887 Fort Riley gained the U.S. Cavalry School, leading in time to the post becoming the "Headquarters of Cavalry." Fort Riley's cavalry training created a golden age for U.S. horsemanship, which led to horse-mounted cavalry training persisting well into the 20th century. Notable officers trained there included George S. Patton, Terry Allen, and Jonathan Wainwright.

When the U.S. entered World War I, a cantonment site, Camp Funston, was constructed five miles east of Fort Riley. It was used as a training center and could house up to 50,000 people. Camp Funston is widely believed by historians to have been the origin point of the catastrophic 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, which killed an estimated 20 to 50 million people worldwide. Camp Funston officially ceased to exist by 1922.

During WWII, the fort was used as a POW camp for German soldiers and expanded with another 32,000 acres. About 125,000 soldiers trained there during the war. Notable trainees included actor Mickey Rooney and heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis, both assigned to Special Services.

In 1955, the post became the home of the 1st Infantry Division, which prompted another 50,000 acres to be acquired. In the summer of 1965, the Big Red One was the first division called to fight in Vietnam. In 2005, as a result of BRAC, the 1st Infantry Division units from Korea and Germany were relocated to Fort Riley.

The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres in Geary and Riley counties. The fort consists of six functional areas including the Main Post, Camp Funston, Marshall Army Airfield, Camp Whitside, Camp Forsyth, and Custer Hill. Fort Riley is one of only two Kansas forts established before the Civil War that are still in active operation, the other being Fort Leavenworth.