Fort Colville
| Fort Colville | |
|---|---|
| Near Colville, Washington in United States | |
 |
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| Coordinates | 48°34′19″N 117°52′44″W / 48.57194°N 117.87889°WCoordinates: 48°34′19″N 117°52′44″W / 48.57194°N 117.87889°W |
| Site information | |
| Owner | United States Army |
| Site history | |
| Built | December 19, 1859 |
| In use | 1859–1882 |
| Materials | Timber |
| Fate | Abandoned in 1882 |
| Garrison information | |
| Past commanders |
Pinkney Lugenbeel (1859–1861) James F. Curtis (1861–1862) William R. Abercrombie (1871–1872) |
Fort Colville was a U. S. Army post in the Washington Territory located 3 miles (4.8 km) north of current Colville, Washington. During its existence from 1859-1882, it was called "Harney's Depot" and "Colville Depot" during the first two years, and finally "Fort Colville". Brigadier General William S. Harney, commander of the Department of Oregon, opened up the district north of the Snake River to settlers in 1858 and ordered Brevet Major Pinkney Lugenbeel, 9th Infantry Regiment (United States) to establish a military post to restrain the Indians lately hostile to the U. S. Army's Northwest Division and to protect miners who flooded into the area after first reports of gold in the area appeared in Western Washington newspapers in July 1855.
It was common practice to use existing Indian trails to develop military roads, and only make necessary improvements for the movement of artillery or supply trains. Brevet Major Lugenbeel followed the long established Hudson's Bay Company brigade trail from the Fort Walla Walla area to Fort Colvile (Hudson's Bay Company), but had to leave the trail at current Orin-Rice Road, two miles south of Colville, when the southernmost land claims of the Hudson's Bay Company started. Washington Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens and the U. S. Army were ordered by the United States Department of State to honor land ownership claims by the Hudson's Bay Company. The road became the Fort Walla Walla Fort Colville Military Road. Lugenbeel's command arrived from Fort Walla Walla on June 20, 1859.
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