Description:
A magnificent granite pillar 40″w x 50”h with a polished face mounted on a granite base 46”w x 16”h set on a concrete platform 120″w x 15”h with steps cast into the front edge, located southwest of Gilcrest. The monument was dedicated June 10, 1911. On September 23, 1952, the land deed of Fort St. Vrain was presented to the Weld County commissioners who guaranteed upkeep of the land. Faces W
How to get there:
From US-85 just south of Gilcrest, which is between Fort Lupton and Greeley, drive west on Road 40, a gravel road, for a total of 3.7 miles. Cross one paved north-south road enroute. Continue on past Road 23 down what appears to be a driveway to a white frame farmhouse. Continue on past the farmhouse to the top of a very short, steep hill at the bottom of which is a cattle guard. At the top of this hill is a lane to the right (north) distinguished by a pair of short power poles supporting a power line. The monument is about 50 yards down this lane on the right. Road 40 deteriorates to some extent near its end, and just west of the paved road, forks. ‘Take the right fork, which is the more traveled of the two.
Inscription:
FORT ST. VRAIN
BUILT ABOUT 1837
BY COLONEL CERAN ST. VRAIN
GENERAL FREMONT RE-ORGANIZED HIS
HISTORIC EXPLORING EXPEDITION HERE
JULY23, 1843
THIS FORT WAS ALSO VISITED BY
FRANCIS PARKMAN AND KIT CARSON
ERECTED BY
CENTENNIAL STATE CHAPTER
DAUGHTERS OF THE
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
1911.
History:
Fort St. Vrain (originally Fort Lookout, then Fort George, and finally Fort St. Vrain), was established in 1837 by Ceran St. Vrain of Bent, St. Vrain and Company as a fur trading post. Its history includes a stopover in July of 1843 by John Charles Fremont’s second expedition to the Rocky Mountain area. In the party were Kit Carson, and William Gilpin, later governor of Colorado. Reportedly, on July 4th, Fremont’s party celebrated there by dining on macaroni soup, buffalo meat, fruit cake, and ice cream.
