pip. miSr INVESTIGATIONS AT FORT STEVENSON — SMITH 201 



the history of the structure and were, in large part, clearly of recent 

 origin. 



Architectural evidence concerning the South Officers' Quarters, 

 from excavation and contemporary record, while scanty, suggests 

 that this structure was similar in every way to the Commanding Offi- 

 cer's Quarters, the site of which was subsequently excavated, and for 

 which more data are available. Like it, this building had been set 

 upon a stone masonry foundation, it was also a frame structure in 

 which adobe brick were used (probably in somewhat different fashion 

 from that seen in larger buildings such as the Hospital and Bar- 

 racks) , and the building had been provided with fireplaces and chim- 

 neys, constructed of common fired brick. As in other buildings of the 

 whole post, the common brick, as well as the lighter lumber and mill- 

 work used here, had doubtless been imported, only the heavier timber 

 being of local production, like the stone of the masonry and the adobe 

 brick. 



COMMANDING OFFICER'S QUARTERS 



The Commanding Officer's Quarters, the middle building of the row 

 of officers' homes, was located on the west side of the parade ground, 

 directly opposite the Guard House, and was a single dwelling (fig. 15) . 

 This building, during the winter of 1868-69, was the home of General 

 de Trobriand, at that time commanding a military district which, 

 with Fort Stevenson, included Forts Totten and Buford. It was 

 during de Trobriand's regime that much of Fort Stevenson was built, 

 and much of his entertaining and historically valuable journal was 

 probably written in this building. 



Although the construction of the Commanding Officer's Quarters 

 had been begun late in 1867, it was not possible to complete it until 

 the following summer, and it was first occupied in October 1868 

 (de Trobriand, 1951, p. 340). After serving as the home of 

 various post commandants, the building also served as the superin- 

 tendent's residence during the period of the use of the former post as 

 an Indian school. About the year 1897 it became the home for the 

 farm established on the site. Information concerning private owner- 

 ship of the site of the post, preserved in records of the Kegister of 

 Deeds, McLean County, at Washburn, might afford some further 

 knowledge of the later history of the building. A photograph of 

 this building, probably taken about 1910, during the period of the 

 use of the former quarters as a farm home, is owned by Mrs. Falstad, 

 of Garrison. This preserves some details of the exterior, as it then 

 looked, which are not visible on earlier photographs or sketches. 

 After having served various farm families, it was used as a granary, 

 and was finally torn down about 1945, the last of the original buildings 

 of Fort Stevenson. At some time during its use as a private home, 

 a cellar was dug beneath it, and portions of the masonry footings 



