Department of the Platte
| Department of the Platte | |
|---|---|
The Department of the Platte as it existed beginning June 22, 1875.
|
|
| Active | 1866–1898 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | administrative district |
| Part of | Division of the Missouri |
| Headquarters |
Omaha, Nebraska Fort Omaha |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
George Crook Oliver O. Howard |
The Department of the Platte was a military administrative district established by the U.S. Army on March 5, 1866, with boundaries encompassing Iowa, Nebraska, Dakota Territory, Utah Territory and a small portion of Idaho. With headquarters in Omaha, the district commander oversaw the army's role initially along the Overland route (or Oregon Trail) to Salt Lake City, then later the construction route of the Union Pacific Railroad. The district also included the Montana road (or Bozeman Trail) through eastern Wyoming. The district was discontinued when the Army's command was reorganized in 1898.
The Headquarters of the Department of the Platte was located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska for many years. When the headquarters was transferred to Fort Omaha in 1878, the building it was located in was found unsuitable, and the headquarters were again transferred downtown.
(Wyoming Territory was transferred from the Department of Dakota on July 25, 1868)
Coordinates: 42°N 104°W / 42°N 104°W
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