Fort Sill History: From the 1869 Frontier Post to Today

Founded in 1869, Fort Sill is one of the Army's oldest active posts. Here's the story of the Old Post, Geronimo, and the Fires Center of Excellence. Fort Sill has served the U.S. Army since 1869, making it one of the oldest active military installations in the country. From its frontier origins on the Southern Plains to its modern role as the Fires Center of Excellence and a basic training post, its history is woven into the story of Southwest Oklahoma.

When Was Fort Sill Founded?

Major General Philip H. Sheridan staked out the site of Fort Sill on January 8, 1869, during the campaigns of the Indian Wars. The post was named for Brigadier General Joshua W. Sill, a West Point classmate of Sheridan who was killed in the Civil War. Its original purpose was to control the Comanche, Cheyenne, Kiowa, and other Southern Plains peoples who were raiding settlements in Texas and Kansas, and the garrison helped open the region to settlement.

What Is the Old Post at Fort Sill?

The Old Post is the preserved original 19th-century frontier fort, a National Historic Landmark with roughly 50 historic buildings and grounds including the Old Post Quadrangle. Limestone structures, the old guardhouse, and the burial ground known as Chief's Knoll, where Kiowa chief Satanta and Comanche chief Quanah Parker are interred, remain part of the landscape. Much of the Old Post is still in active use, and it is well worth a visit.

What Is Fort Sill's Connection to Geronimo?

Fort Sill is perhaps best known for its connection to Geronimo, the Chiricahua Apache leader who was held at the post and lived out his final years there. Geronimo died at the Fort Sill hospital on February 17, 1909, and is buried in the Beef Creek Apache Cemetery on the post, unable to return to his homeland in Arizona. The cemetery and the Old Post are among the most-visited historic sites in the region.

Why Is Fort Sill Called the Fires Center of Excellence?

Fort Sill became home of the Army's Field Artillery in 1911 with the establishment of the Field Artillery School. When the Air Defense Artillery joined in 2011, the post became the Fires Center of Excellence, the Army's center for artillery and fire support training. Today Fort Sill trains Field Artillery and Air Defense Artillery soldiers and is one of the Army's Basic Combat Training locations, so thousands of new soldiers pass through each year.

How Do I Visit Fort Sill's Historic Sites?

Historic Fort Sill is open to visitors, and the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum offers a deep look at the post's story. It is a natural pairing with the other museums and cultural attractions in Lawton. For military families and history buffs alike, a walk around the Old Post is one of the most memorable ways to understand the area's past. See our military resources page and our Fort Sill community page for more.

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