Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site has announced a special program which will be hosted from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. June 14. This program will commemorate the 250th Birthday of the United States Army, which is also Flag Day.

The program will include a military timeline, formal programs, and a historic weapons demonstration. The regularly scheduled tours of the fort will also take place, in addition to our Stories from the Borderlands Programming.

• 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Living History Volunteers and staff will be at locations near the fort in a timeline showcasing the involvement of the United States Army in the Arkansas Valley. They will be available to answer questions, show equipment, and discuss the period they are representing.
• 9:00 a.m. Guided Tour of the fort. This tour is limited to the first 25 visitors to arrive for the program. No reservations will be taken in advance. You will meet the Ranger near the front of the fort.
• 10:00 a.m. A Reexamination of Roles: Bent's Fort as a Military Installation? This park ranger-led program will discuss the reality of the situation in 1846 when the US Army of the West arrived on site in preparation for the invasion of New Mexico, essentially converting the fort into a Forward Operating Base on the Mexican Border. This program will take place in the corral at the rear of the fort.
• 11:00 a.m. Guided Tour of the fort. This tour is limited to the first 25 visitors to arrive for the program. No reservations will be taken in advance. You will meet the Ranger near the front of the fort.
• 12:30 p.m. Go for Broke: The Most Decorated Unit in U.S. Military History.   This program presented by a Ranger from Amache National Historic Site will discuss the history of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion, composed of 12,000 Nisei volunteers recruited out of incarceration centers including Camp Amache. This program will take place in the corral at the rear of the fort.
• 1:30 p.m. Let Lose the Dogs of War!  This Historic Weapons Demonstration will discuss the evolution of technology used by the military from the early 19th Century into the middle of the 20th Century, and the importance of those weapons in the region.
• 2:30 p.m.  A Reexamination of Roles: Bent's Fort as a Military Installation? This park ranger-led program will discuss the reality of the situation in 1846 when the US Army of the West arrived on site in preparation for the invasion of New Mexico, essentially converting the fort into a Forward Operating Base on the Mexican Border. This program will take place in La Junta at the Woodruff Memorial Library.
• 2:30 p.m. From Neighbors to Volunteers. This program will discuss the service of the New Mexico Volunteers in the region during the American Civil War, specifically their role at the Sand Creek Massacre. This program will take place in the corral at the rear of the fort.

All programs are free to the public. As always, visitors should be prepared for the weather. Water, sunscreen, bug spray, and comfortable walking shoes are recommended. It is a 1/4 mile walk from the parking lot to the fort.

 For more information about upcoming Bent’s Old Fort programs, visit the park’s web page at www.nps.gov/beol, and check Status of the Reconstructed Fort for current information on the structure.