Fort Selden

From the New Mexico History Museum

Soldiers stand at Fort Selden, now a New Mexico State Monument north of Las Cruces, in this circa 1886 photo by J.R. Riddle. Established in 1865, Fort Selden housed units of the U.S. Infantry and Cavalry. Their intent was to protect settlers and travelers in the Mesilla Valley from desperados and Apache Indians. Several of the units stationed at the fort were black troopers, referred to as Buffalo Soldiers. A young Douglas MacArthur called the fort home while his father was post commander in the late 1880s.

Palace of the Governors Photo Archives, Neg. No. 014523.


Note: Representative image at left is often cropped for display purposes. Downloaded high-resolution images are not cropped.