FORT HUACHUCA, CAVALRY STABLES HABS AZ-210 …

FORT HUACHUCA, CAVALRY STABLES HABS AZ-210 Clarkson Road AZ-210 Sierra Vista vicinity Cochise County Arizona

PHOTOGRAPHS

WRITTEN HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE DATA

HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street NW

Washington, DC 20240-0001

HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY

FORT HUACHUCA, CAVALRY STABLES

Location:

HABSNO.AZ-210

Seven cavalry stables (Fort Huachuca Buildings 30023-30028, 30031) are located along the west side of Clarkson Road, north of the intersection with Hungerford Avenue. The cavalry stables are aligned in a row on the site. The complex is located at Fort Huachuca (Sierra Vista vicinity), Cochise County, Arizona. The stables lie within the Quartermaster area of the fort (Figure 1).

USGS Quadrangle, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., 7.5 minute series, 1958, photo- revised in 1983

The seven stables are bounded by the following UTM coordinates:

Zone 12 Northing Easting NW 3491122.25 559978.36 SW 3491286.27 560033.46 NE 3491100.51 560041.58 SE 3491265.55 560096.89

Date of Construction: 1916.

Designer: Quartermaster Corps.

Builder: United States Army.

Present Owner: U.S. Department of the Army, Fort Huachuca.

Present Use: Various: Buildings 30023, 30025, and 30026-vacant; Building 30024- general-purpose storage/exchange; Buildings 30027 and 30028-general- purpose storage; Building 30031-office, dispatch, and tool cribs.

Significance: The seven cavalry stables at Fort Huachuca were completed in 1916 utiliz- ing a standardized Quartermaster Corps plan. The structures are eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places due to their association with the 10th Cavalry and the Punitive Expedition into Mexico in 1916- 1917 (Criterion A) and because they represent the only known examples of stables constructed using the Quartermaster Corps plan no. 291 (Crite- rion C).

FORT HUACHUCA, CAVALRY STABLES HABSNos. AZ-210

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LIST OF FIGURES

1. MAP SHOWING THE LOCATION OF THE SEVEN CAVALRY STABLES 23

2. MEMBERS OF THE 10TH CAVALRY MOUNTED ON THEIR HORSES AT FORT HUACHUCA, CIRCA 1916-1920 24

3. MONITOR-STYLE STABLES CONSTRUCTED AT FORT HUACHUCA IN THE 1880S, AS SEEN IN A PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE 1890S 24

4. AN 2004 AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH OF THE COMPLETE SITE 25

5. COTTONWOOD TREES ALONG HUACHUCA CREEK 26

6. OLD RAILROAD BED WITH COTTONWOOD TREES, EAST OF THE COMPLEX, LOOKING SOUTH 26

7. WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION STAIR FEATURE ON THE RAILROAD BED EMBANKMENT. THE FEATURE HAS STONE MASONRY WALLS, A ROUND END POST, AND RAMPED CONCRETE STAIRS 27

8. "MAP OF FORT HUACHUCA, AT., SHOWING THE SEWAGE SYSTEM," OCTOBER 1887 28

9. VIEW OF STABLES LOOKING SOUTHWEST TOWARD THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS, CIRCA 1918 29

10. VIEW LOOKING SOUTH TOWARD THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS, CIRCA 1918 29

11. FORT HUACHUCA, ARIZONA, MAP, CORRECTED TO FEBRUARY 1923. NOTE THE THREE STABLES COMPLEXES 30

12. AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN 1924, LOOKING TO THE SOUTHWEST, TOWARD THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS 31

13. A PORTION OF THE DEMOBILIZATION STUDY LAYOUT PLAN MAP, CREATED IN 1945 AND REVISED IN 1946 BY THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS 32

14. AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN 1954 SHOWING THE CAVALRY STABLES 33

15. A 1904 PHOTOGRAPH OF THE INTERIOR OF THE 1880S TROOP STABLES AT FORT HUACHUCA 33

FORT HUACHUCA, CAVALRY STABLES HABSNos. AZ-210

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LIST OF TABLES

1. NUMBER OF MOUNTS AT FORT HUACHUCA, 1907-1912 6

2. FORT HUACHUCA CAVALRY STABLES NUMBERING 14

3. OCCUPANCY OF FORT HUACHUCA STABLES, WITH NUMBER OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND FIRE BUCKETS, 1940 18

4. REPAIR EXPENDITURES FOR FISCAL YEAR 1941 AND TOTAL EXPENDITURES TO DATE FOR THE CAVALRY STABLES 19

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CAVALRY STABLES HABSNos. AZ-210

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A HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY OF THE FORT HUACHUCA CAVALRY STABLES COCHISE COUNTY, ARIZONA

Janet H. Parkhurst and J. Homer Thief

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE

Introduction

Seven wooden cavalry stables were constructed by the United States Army in 1915-1916 at Fort Huachuca, in Cochise County in southeastern Arizona (Figure 1). These buildings housed horses and mules used by the 10th Cavalry, popularly known as the Buffalo Sol- diers, from 1916 and 1931, including mounts that carried soldiers south into Mexico as part of the Punitive Expedition. The buildings continued to house horses until at least 1941. They were later converted for other uses.

Fort Huachuca personnel met with the Arizona State Historic Preservation Officer on 19 September 2003. It was agreed that three of the seven stables (Buildings 30025-30027) would be demolished and the area used as a corral. Building 30023 would be occupied as a working stable for up to 30 Army horses. This building will also store grain and tack. Building 30024 is to be used as an office for B Troop, 4th U.S. Cavalry (Memorial); hay storage; and an interpretative facility for the U.S. Cavalry. No plans have been developed for Building 30028. Building 30031 will continue in its present use (letter from Thomas G. Cochran, Chief, Environmental and Natural Resources Division, Fort Huachuca, to Arizona State His- toric Preservation Officer James Garrison, 11 May 2004).

This narrative forms part of the Historic American Building Survey documentation of the stables. A brief history of Fort Huachuca is presented, focusing on the role of the 10th Cavalry and on the Punitive Expedition of 1916-1917. Military stables are then examined, with the history of the Fort Huachuca cavalry stables discussed in detail. The stables complex and its evolution through time are also examined. The individual stables are described in detail in separate Outline Reports.

A History of Fort Huachuca

Fort Huachuca has caught the interest of a number of historians who have prepared ac- counts describing the history of the fort and the daily lives of the men and women who lived there. The fort is the oldest military base in Arizona presently in use, contains a large number of historic buildings with many dating back to the 1880s, and has seen its mission shift from fighting insurgent Native Americans, to protecting the border, and now to training soldiers in electronic warfare and military intelligence.

The most ambitious historical study is James P. Finley's Huachuca Illustrated, an eleven volume history of the fort. Finley's work goes beyond the basic facts and includes oral


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histories and biographies of many individuals who were once stationed at the fort. In 2005, the series was available online at <https://cms.portal.hua.army.mil/channels/content/history/ html/Hl.html>. Additional works include Patricia Lage's University of Arizona Master's thesis (1949); Cornelius Smith's history of the fort (C. Smith 1956); Steven Smith's report on African- American soldiers at the fort (S. Smith 2001); Stephen Wee and Stephen MikeseH's National Register of Historic Places nomination form (1993); and Rein Vanderpot and Teresita Ma- jewski's study of Apache Scouts (Vanderpot and Majewski 1998). Fort Huachuca documents, maps, and blueprints can also be found at the National Archives, National Archives II, and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C, as well as on file at the Fort Huachuca Historical Mu- seum. A brief history of Fort Huachuca is culled from these sources and presented below.

Southern Arizona became part of the United States in 1854 due to the Gadsden Purchase. American soldiers entered Tucson in March 1856, and a trickle of miners and ranchers followed. The United States military established several outposts throughout the area, primarily to protect settlers from hostile Apaches, who had actively resisted the occupation of the area since Spanish Colonial days (Officer 1989).

In February 1877, an Apache raiding party attacked homesteads in the Santa Cruz Valley and Sonoita, and traveled south into Sonora. These attacks alarmed local residents, and the United States military was called in. On 3 March 1877, Captain Samuel M. Whitside established a post at the mouth of Huachuca Canyon and named it Camp Huachuca. A good supply of water and grass, pine timber, along with a wide viewshed overlooking the area to the north, made the location suitable. Sixth Cavalry troops, members of which had been

^•^ transferred from Fort Lowell and Camp Grant, set up camp. Over the next few years Whit- side and his soldiers successfully pacified the Apaches in the area, leading to an influx of settlers, including miners and ranchers (Lage 1949). By 1879, construction of a number of wood frame, canvas, and adobe structures had been completed. The fort made use of a large number of horses and mules: "Animals of the Q.M. Dept. are kept tied while in camp, to a hay crib near the Post Guardhouse. The horses of Co. B, 6th Cavalry are kept stabled in a stockade shed with mud roof 160' x 20"* (Lage 1949:18).

Camp Huachuca became Fort Huachuca in February 1882, as problems with the Apaches continued (Lage 1949:47). The United States government set aside 42,000 acres and $20,000 for construction of the fort. Structures were built lining a long, almost rectangular parade ground, with officers' quarters on the east side, barracks and utilitarian buildings on the west, the post hospital on the north, and the Post Exchange and recreational buildings at the south. The Quartermaster's complex was located to the west of the barracks with a line of six wood frame stables (these early stables no longer exist) (Wee and Mikesell 1993).

As Apache attacks escalated in the 1880s, General George Crook was sent to the area to restore order. By January 1884 peace had been restored; however, Geronimo and his followers left the Apache reservation in March 1885 and returned to raiding. Geronimo was captured in 1886 but slipped away with a small group, and General Crook lost his job as a result. General Nelson Miles arrived and used Fort Huachuca as the campaign headquarters against Geronimo. Captain Henry Lawton led men from the 4th Cavalry and 8th Infan- try, along with Indian Scouts, in an expeditionary force from March through September 1886, ending with the surrender of Geronimo and his followers, who were subsequently ex- iled from Arizona (Lage 1949).

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Conflicts with Native Americans largely ended at that time. Afterward, Fort Huachuca was re- tained while other bases in Arizona were closed. Soldiers stationed at the fort protected southern Arizona from threats caused by bandits and outlaws. They also patrolled the United States-Mexico border. Local residents of the area used the fort hospital and school. The late 1880s saw the construction of a new stables complex immediately to the west of the troop barracks. Each of the new stables was estimated to cost $2,092.80, according to blueprints prepared in September 1884 (National Archives and Records Administration [NARA] Record Group 77, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., no. 22). The troop blacksmith shops and the quartermaster's shops and stable were to the west of the troop stables (these stables are not the subject of this HABS documentation). The Fort Huachuca region remained relatively peaceful into the early twentieth century (Lage 1949; S. Smith 2001).

African-American Soldiers

African-Americans have been members of the United States military since the Revolutionary War. The Civil War saw the enlistment of many free African-Americans and former slaves into segregated units. This segregation policy continued until formally ended by President Truman in 1948. Units of African-American soldiers were stationed at Fort Huachuca for much of the time during the period between 1892 and 1944. During this timespan the segregated African- American units trained and lived separately from their Euro-American counterparts (S. Smith 2001).

From 1892 to 1896, Companies A, B, C, and H of the 24th Infantry were stationed at the fort. This was a time period when relatively little happened-troubles with local Native Americans had ended, the Mexican border was quiet, and the economy had slowed as the silver mining industry collapsed. The most notable event was an attack by Yaqui Indians across the border from Mexico into Nogales. Soldiers from the 24th were sent to Nogales and Tubac, and the threat quickly subsided. In 1896 the 24th was sent north to Utah (S. Smith 2001:10-17).

From 1898 to 1912, a few small detachments of African-American soldiers were stationed at the fort. Work on the quartermaster complex was begun in 1906. Remodeling of the existing Cavalry Stables was planned in June 1903 to provide space for saddle rooms, a grain room, a storeroom for veterinary supplies, and an office (NARA Record Group 92, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., no. 2). This time period was also one of limited activity for the soldiers at Fort Hua- chuca. This was soon to change (S. Smith 2001). The number of cavalry mounts present at the fort gradually declined, reaching a low of 130 in September 1909. Afterward the number began to increase as tensions rose along the border (Table 1).

Table 1. Number of mounts at Fort Huachuca, 1907-1912 (NARA microfilm M617, roll 493, Returns from U.S. Military Posts, Huachuca, Fort, Ariz.; Jan. 1907-Dec. 1916).

Date Number of Serviceable Mounts Number of Unserviceable Mounts

11 2 5

22

January 1907 243 June 1908 239 September 1909 128 May 1910 127 June 1911 294 January 1912 352 April 1912 316


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Mexico had been ruled by Porfirio Diaz since 1877. His government distributed wealth to his friends and allies, while much of the rest of the nation suffered extreme poverty. Anger about the endemic corruption led to a groundswell of popular support for revolutionary poli- cies. Beginning in 1910, open rebellions took place. Diaz soon lost the presidency, and a bewildering set of individuals gained and lost power. Men who were rebels one day became politicians the next, often turning against former allies.

The border with the United States became a flashpoint as battles took place in Mexican communities while their American neighbors watched in alarm. Bullets aimed at the Mexican combatants often crossed the border into the United States, wounding and killing civilians and soldiers. The United States military began adding soldiers to border posts in the early 1910s in an attempt to halt the smuggling of arms and ammunition into Mexico and to safeguard American property and lives.

The official U.S. policy was neutrality, with the United States having to deal with the shifting balance of power among the various warring factions. U.S. military personnel were sent to guard the border beginning in 1911, and by 1912 there were 30,000 soldiers on duty. One of the problems of the period was the smuggling of weapons and ammunition into Mexico. The policy of neutrality continued into 1914 (Smith 2001:25-27).

At Fort Huachuca, preparations for the arrival of new soldiers included the construction of six temporary stables located to the north and one additional stable and a shop to the south of the existing monitor-style stables (these are not the subject stables). Monitor-style stables have a dormer-like structure located along the roofline of the stable. Most military stables of the period have a continuous monitor extending down the length of the roof. A few had a series of small monitors spaced along the roofline. Four of these were to accommodate 10 new "troops," and two were for soldiers transferred from Fort Apache. Three shops were built between the stables and were probably used for blacksmithing and tack repair. Provisional plans for an additional 13 stables and seven shops were also being made (NARA Record Group 92, Blueprint File, Ft. Huachuca no. 33 and no. 36; NARA Record Group 77, Entry 411, List of Standard Plan Tracings of Army Post Buildings, Received from the Quartermaster General's Office, 1891-1917).

In December 1913, all but one company of the 10th Cavalry, commonly known as the Buf- falo Soldiers, arrived at Fort Huachuca (Figure 2). The 10th Cavalry was well-known for its role of pacifying Native Americans on the Great Plains in the late nineteenth century. It is thought that Native Americans gave the cavalry soldiers their nickname, either because they thought the African-American men had hair like buffalo or because they showed the same courage (S. Smith 2001). The 10th Cavalry was commanded by white officers, with some junior positions held by African-Americans. The number of cavalry mounts increased dra- matically. By January 1915 there were 426 "serviceable" and 28 "not serviceable" horses at the post (NARA microfilm M617, roll 493, Returns from U.S. Military Posts, Huachuca, Fort, Ariz.; Jan. 1907-Dec. 1916).

Coinciding with the arrival of the 10th Cavalry was the construction of many new buildings at the fort, lasting until 1917. Construction mainly took place to the north of the 1880s fort, con- tinuing the pattern of officers' quarters to the east, barracks to the west, and a new quartermaster complex west of the barracks (Wee and Mikesell 1993). The number of horses and mules swelled again in March 1915 and rose to a high of 878 in November 1915, in part due

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to the arrival of 126 remounts from the Fort Keough remount station in September 1915 (NARA microfilm M617, roll 493, Returns from U.S. Military Posts, Huachuca, Fort, Ariz.; Jan. 1907-Dec. 1916). Temporary stables were first constructed to house the increased number of cavalry horses, with a set of permanent stables holding a total of 546 horses or mules completed in 1915-1916. These permanent stables are the subject of this HABS documentation and are extant in 2005.

The next few years saw the 10th Cavalry patrolling the border as hostilities in Mexico increased. The problems along the border intensified in 1915. Between July 1915 and June 1916, there were 38 raids across the U.S. border by Mexican bandits during which U.S. soldiers and civilians were killed and wounded and extensive property damage took place (Stout 1999).

During this time frame a revolutionary popularly known as Pancho Villa was abandoned by his partners, Alvaro Obregon and Venustiano Carranza. Obregon and Carranza began to openly campaign against Villa, and the United States government recognized the Carranza government's legitimacy in October 1915. The U.S. government then provided assistance by transporting Carranza's soldiers on several occasions. A battle by Carranza's forces against Villa at Agua Prieta, Sonora, across the border from Douglas, Arizona, led to the defeat of Villa's forces. In turn, Villa and his followers stepped up attacks against Americans (Stout 1999).

The Punitive Expedition and Fort Huachuca Soldiers

On 9 March 1916, Pancho Villa led an early morning attack against the town of Columbus, New Mexico. Soldiers stationed in the town had heard rumors of a possible attack, but these had been discounted. They were surprised when almost 500 Mexican men led by Villa entered the town and fought with civilians and a small force of soldiers. Eighteen U.S. citizens, including eight soldiers, were killed, and several buildings were destroyed. Villa lost dozens of men and retreated back to Mexico, taking along arms, ammunition, and a herd of horses and mules stolen from civilians and the U.S. military.

News of the attack was quickly spread by telegraph, reaching Washington, D.C., within a few hours. The American government immediately demanded that Carranza's government hunt down Villa, threatening to enter Mexico to pursue him and his followers. The Mexican government protested, but to no avail. President Woodrow Wilson quickly appointed Brig. General John J. Pershing to lead the American Expeditionary Force, more commonly known as the Punitive Expedition (Stout 1999).

John Pershing was born in 1860 and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1886. He was stationed on the Great Plains and participated in the last major campaign against the Apaches and later against the Sioux. He joined the 10th Cavalry in 1895, leading the African-American troops in the Spanish-American War in 1897 and in the Philippines in 1899. He was later stationed in Washington, D.C., and became a brigadier general in 1906. He was given command of the 8th Infantry Brigade at the Presidio of San Francisco in 1913 and was transferred to Fort Bliss in Texas the following year as border problems escalated. Pershing was chosen by President Wilson for a number of reasons including his experience in combat, his knowledge of both infantry and cavalry, and his past leadership of Buffalo Soldiers (Stout 1999:43).


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At Fort Huachuca, 9 March 1916 began as an ordinary day. But by 11:30 a.m., telegraph operators had relayed news of the early morning attack, and the leadership at Fort Hua- chuca ordered their troops to prepare for further orders. The fort leadership suspected that the 10th Cavalry would be sent into Mexico, and preparations commenced. Shortly afterward the regiment was ordered to head for Douglas, Arizona, to the east, fully equipped. The 10th Cavalry members packed their gear and were saddled by 4:00 p.m. Under the di- rection of Commander William Brown, the horsemen rode out of Fort Huachuca (Finley 1999:3).

The cavalry rode east, reaching Culbertson's Ranch in New Mexico on 13 March. The men entered Mexico on the 15th and 16th of March, joined in their endeavor by members of the 7th Cavalry and the 6th Field Artillery, among others. Also joining in were motorized vehicles, obtained by General Pershing (Finley 1993).

The 10th Cavalry did not have an easy time during the expedition. Supply trains failed to bring provisions, cooking equipment, and blankets. The men had to live off foraged food, including cattle they shot and butchered along the way. Clothing wore out and was patched with pieces of tents (Finley 1999:3-4). The Mexican government resented the intrusion of American forces and as the months progressed, it was often difficult to ascertain who was the enemy. Many of Villa's men had already been killed or scattered. Several battles also took place against Carranzistas (Mexican government forces), in which a number of men from Fort Huachuca died. As the war in Europe grew more intense, President Wilson ordered the Punitive Expedition home, and the 10th Cavalry re-crossed the border on 5 Feb- ruary 1917, never having killed or captured Villa, who would eventually be assassinated in 1923 (Finley 1993). This was the last major use of mounted cavalry forces, and although Villa was not captured, the Punitive Expedition was effective in ending the cross-border raids that had troubled the region.

Motorized Vehicles

The United States military was initially hesitant to use motorized vehicles. In 1911, only 12 of 25,000 trucks in the country were owned by the Army. Captain Alexander Williams wrote an article advocating their increased use, published in Infantry Journal in that year, but his superiors believed that horses would continue to be the main method of military transport into the foreseeable future (Sheck 2000).

Williams' work caught the attention of General James Aleshire, the Army's Quartermaster General. He placed Williams on special assignment to meet with automotive manufacturers to establish specifications for a standard army truck. Two different companies soon manu- factured prototypes. Williams insisted that a truck used by the military have the ability to travel off-road and under difficult conditions. The following year, beginning in February 1912, a test was conducted in which four trucks traveled 1,500 miles over a seven-week period. A second test of trucks took place soon afterward, and army leaders came to the realization that motorized vehicles would soon replace horses and mules. As World War I raged on the European continent, an additional test convoy took place in 1915, confirming that transportation of men and equipment was more efficient using the new vehicles. The actions of the military governor of Paris, General Joseph Gallieni, had caught the attention of the U.S. military. As the German army advanced toward Paris, Gallieni loaded every available soldier


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into Renault taxicabs and sent them out to counter the Germans. The success of the rapid deployment, which resulted in an Allied victory, convinced military leaders of the usefulness of motor vehicles (Sheck 2000).

General John Pershing's Punitive Expedition initially included five motorized supply trains, each with 27 vehicles. At first his request seemed impossible to meet, but Pershing got his way and trucks brought food, ammunition, and other supplies into Mexico. As the campaign progressed, increasing numbers of vehicles joined the force, with Columbus, New Mexico, becoming the location of repair shops. By June 1916 the Quartermaster Corps had pur- chased 588 motor trucks, 57 motor tank trucks, 75 automobiles, 61 motorcycles, and a vari- ety of other vehicles. One problem that quickly surfaced was the vehicles were made by many different manufacturers and replacing broken parts could be a nightmare. The need for standardized equipment was immediately evident. Several future leaders in the army, such as George Patton and Dwight Eisenhower experienced the usefulness of vehicles during the campaign, and it became clear that motor vehicles were replacing horses (Risch 1989:597; Scheck 2000).

Fort Huachuca After the Punitive Expedition

The cavalry soldiers returning to Fort Huachuca after the Punitive Expedition had probably seen the proverbial writing on the wall. Horse mounts had been an important component of the expedition, but the military saw that motor vehicles had many advantages-they did not require fodder, could often be quickly repaired if damaged, and did not require rest.

The U.S. Army still considered that horse-mounted soldiers had their place, so men continued to train at Fort Huachuca and completed their routine duties. Men from the 10th Cavalry were stationed in small camps along the border. In January 1918, a band of Yaqui Indians crossed into the United States and were spotted by members of the cavalry. A firefight took place, resulting in the capture of ten Yaqui, one of whom later died from his wounds. The Yaqui men later explained that they had thought the African-Americans were Mexican soldiers and that the gunfight sprang from this mistake. This battle was the last between United States soldiers and Native Americans (Finley 1999:15-20).

In August 1918, men from the 10th Cavalry participated in a shootout in Nogales later called the "Battle of Ambos Nogales." The town of Nogales spanned both ["ambos"] sides of the border, and fears that German agents were mingling with Mexicans had raised concerns on the American side. The afternoon of 27 August 1918 saw the altercation start at the border crossing station and rapidly spread, as snipers fired across both sides of the international boundary. Five U.S. soldiers were killed during the three-hour battle, which ended in a ceasefire. Border tensions calmed with the end of World War I in November 1918 (Finley 1999:22-33).

The end of the war also saw reductions in the number of soldiers at the fort, with the 10th Cavalry losing seven troops. The men stationed at Fort Huachuca continued to use mounts. Among their activities were border patrolling and marches to nearby communities (Finley 1999:57). In the mid-1920s the 10th Cavalry had a polo team and participated in equestrian events at the fort (Finley 1999:61).


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Congress decided to expand the Army Air Corps in 1926, and cuts in other units were needed. The 10th Cavalry and 25th Infantry in Arizona were among those slated for reduc- tion, despite the objections of the African-American press and civic leaders. Beginning in October 1931, the cavalry was split up with troops stationed at various posts including West Point, New York; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and Fort Riley, Kansas. The duties of these men were transformed. Instead of providing protection against bandits and illegal border crossers, they escorted VIPs or cared for horses at other cavalry schools. Some members were absorbed by other units (Finley 1999:73-76, 92). Horses or mules were still housed at the fort until at least 1941. However, the lessened need for stables led to the demolition of the older stables built in 1907 and 1912 in the late 1930s (NARA Record Group 77, Entry 393, Box 95, Folders 1 and 2 of 6).

Fort Huachuca in the Modern Era

As time passed other changes took place at the fort. Apache Indian Scouts, who were first stationed at the fort in 1877, were phased out in September 1947 (Vanderpot and Majewski 1998). Fort Huachuca had been declared a surplus property following the end of World War II and was transferred to the State of Arizona at that time. It was reactivated in 1951 during the Korean War but closed again in 1953. The Army's Chief Signal Officer selected Fort Huachuca for the Electronic Proving Ground in 1954, deciding the area's climate was best suited for testing electronic and communication equipment. In 1967, the Army Strategic Communications Command [STRATCOM] was moved to the base followed by the Intelli- gence Center and School in 1971. STRATCOM was renamed the United States Army Communication Command in 1974, and subsequently renamed the U.S. Army Information Systems Command in 1981. Currently the fort is operated by the U.S. Army Intelligence Center (Cook 2003).

Military Stables

Fort Huachuca's cavalry stables are often popularly referred to as the "Mule Barns," although historic pictures depict cavalry troops mounted on horses on the premises. Mules were definitely used at Fort Huachuca as pack and draft animals. Historic photographs depict "civilian packers" and large groups of mules being prepared to form pack trains. Mules were considered to be the most important four-legged animals in the Army, which set exact- ing standards for selecting them. In his pursuit of Apaches in territorial Arizona, General Crook is credited with modifying the Army's reliance on unwieldy, mule-drawn wagon transport to employing the agile, smaller Mexican pack mule and superior saddle called the aparejo (Essin 1997:4, 15, 22).

Horses and mules were the primary modes of transportation by the United States military from the Revolutionary War until the 1910s. Motorized vehicles, whose use became preva- lent during World War I, quickly replaced horses during that decade, and after the 1930s these animals were reserved mostly for ceremonial functions.

Stables, fodder or grain storage buildings, blacksmith shops, and corrals were usually built at military bases to house horses and mules, their equipment, and their food. Very little has been written on these structures. A search of the Library of Congress catalog failed to identify any books focusing exclusively on military or cavalry stables. A comprehensive bibliog-


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raphy of barns, stabfes, and outbuildings lists one article on stables at Fort Robinson, Ne- braska (Schulz 1986:108). Plans for some of the buildings appear in Quartermaster Corps design books, which provided basic blueprint and cross-section plans for military structures. The National Archives has several Standard Plans for stables created by the Quartermaster General's Office, and additional architectural plans can by found in files for individual forts. A few stables have been documented by the Historic American Building Survey (HABS), with these data available through the Library of Congress website, although these early HABS records are not as detailed as modern HABS documentation. Other military stables have been included in property and district nominations to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Army's Quartermaster Department was tasked with construction and repair work in the United States and overseas. Architects and draftsmen were employed in the Construction and Repair Division, and, when the number of projects increased in the early 1900s, additional men were hired, including an experienced architect. The architect

was directed to revise drawings and specifications to improve the general appearance of buildings and, in the interest of economy, to eliminate unduly elaborate details of design and construction so that better buildings might be constructed at no increase in cost (Risch 1989:581).

A review of available photographs, plans, and descriptions of standing and demolished stables indicates that the architectural plans prepared by the Quartermaster Corps changed through time, perhaps as a result of the influence of corps architects. The variation in the external appearance of stables was also a result of local environment conditions, availability of materials, and the architectural style of nearby buildings.

The prototypical cavalry stable was the central Union cavalry depot, located at Giesboro, District of Columbia. Built in the early 1860s, the stables once housed 6,000 horses. It was demolished at the conclusion of the Civil War, but the "pattern of the later cavalry barn became fixed, and although built of various materials, stables were thereafter almost identical in plan and elevation on every post" (Sadler and Sadler 1981:75).

Stables constructed between about 1895 and 1914 typically consisted of a long, rectangular structure with a gabled roof. A dormer-like feature called a "monitor" ran down the center of the roof, providing ventilation and lighting to the stables' interior. One or two aisles ran down the length of the stables, lined with horse stalls. Doors were present at the narrow end of the building and along the sides, where cross aisles allowed easier access to and from the stables. Fodder and tack rooms were usually present along one side, sometimes with additional fodder storage in a loft area (Sadler and Sadler 1981:75-76).

Three standardized plans created by the Quartermaster General's Office survive at the Na- tional Archives II branch at College Park, Maryland. Standard Plan 54B, Quartermaster's Stable, was drafted in March 1897 and consists of a two-story, slate-roofed stable with a shortened monitor (called a ventilator), a passage down the center of the stable, and a cross-center passageway. The stable could house 58 horses or mules (NARA Record Group 77, Entry 411, Plan 54B, List of Standard Plan Tracings of Army Post Buildings, 1891-1917). Plan 54F was created in August 1904 and was for a much smaller stable, holding 19 horses, with a second-story hay loft and grain room. Instead of a monitor, these stable relied on small vent structures to introduce air into the building (NARA Record Group 77,


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Entry 411, Plan 54F, List of Standard Plan Tracings of Army Post Buildings, 1891-1917). Standard Plan 139 was drafted in April 1900 and was for a 134-horse stable. This structure had two aisles and had a saddle and harness room at one end. The walkways were paved with brick while the rest of the building had a clay floor. A long monitor feature ran down the center of the building (NARA Record Group 77, Entry 411, Plan 139, List of Standard Plan Tracings of Army Post Buildings, 1891-1917).

Examples of monitor-style stables include those found at Fort Ethan Allen in Vermont, constructed between 1894 and 1904; Fort Apache in Arizona, built in 1906; the Presidio of San Francisco in 1914-1915, Fort Robinson in Nebraska; Fort Wayne in Michigan, built in 1908; Fort Russell, Wyoming; Fort Meade in South Dakota; and those at Fort Yellowstone, Wyo- ming, dating to circa 1879-1883. This type of stable was also constructed at Fort Huachuca in the 1880s (Figure 3).

Although the exteriors of the military stables strongly resemble each other, they vary dra- matically in size, material, and layout. The use of locally available material resulted in the Fort Yellowstone stables being made from stone, the Fort Ethan Allen and Fort Apache from wood, and the Presidio of San Francisco from brick. The stables at Fort Assinniboine in Montana differ in that the long monitor feature has been replaced by a series of six individual dormers. It appears that contractors were given some leeway during the construction of individual stables. It is probable that the original plans for many of these stables are found at National Archives II in the blueprint files for each fort.

Military Stables in the 1910s

The seven cavalry stables at Fort Huachuca were constructed in 1915-1916 using plans generated by the Office of the Constructing Quartermaster Corps. An eighth identical stable was built to the south of the existing 1880s stables (NARA Record Group 77, Entry 393, Box 95, Folder 2 of 6, Building No. 84).

The Constructing Quartermaster was one of five divisions within the Office of the Quarter- master General, based in 1916 in Washington, D.C. The Quartermaster Corps issued new standardized plans for stables in the mid-1910s. One example is "Drawing 16-17, Shelter for Animals," which depicts a wood frame structure with a gabled roof. The plan indicates that animals, presumably horses and mules or perhaps cattle, faced the center of the building, where feed boxes and hay racks were fastened. The roof was covered with roofing paper and the exterior of the building clad in wood (U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps 1917).

The Manual of the Construction Division of the Army, Section C (Construction Division, U.S. Army 1919) contains a plan, "Drawing 620-421 .Typical Buildings, Closed Stables." The plan's layout, framing system, windows, roofline, and exterior siding are similar to the Fort Huachuca stables. It features a long, rectangular floor plan with a central aisle with mangers mounted on the wood frame walls. Tack and forage storage rooms were placed at the right end of the building. The gabled roof was to be covered with two-ply prepared roofing (probably tarpaper). The elevation includes small vents along the roofline.

The actual architectural plans or blueprints for the Huachuca stables have not been located and may have been lost during the two time periods during which the base was deactivated (September 1947-April 1951 and June 1953-February 1954). A map of Fort Huachuca

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drafted in 1922 and updated on 8 February 1923 indicates that "O.Q.M.G. Plan No. 291" was utilized in the construction of the seven stables (NARA Record Group 393, Posts, Fort Huachuca, Arizona). The surviving standardized plans created by the Quartermaster Gen- eral's Office are housed at the National Archives II building in College Park, Maryland. The plans for several of the other buildings depicted on the 1923 map are on file at the National Archives; however, O.Q.M.G. Plan No. 291 is missing. Numerous other plans are not present, and it is likely these were mislaid before the plans were submitted to the National Archives in 1992 (NARA Record Group 77, Entry 411, List of Standard Plan Tracings of Army Post Buildings, Received from the Quartermaster General's Office, 1891-1917).

The Complex and Its Site

The seven cavalry stables are located to the northwest of the original Fort Huachuca core. Changes in the organization of the fort and the evolution of the cavalry stables complex are discussed in the following section. The seven cavalry stables have been assigned individual Building Numbers that have changed over the years (Table 2). An identical stable, desig- nated Building No. 84, was constructed south of the 1880s stables, and was completed on 17 July 1912. This stable was "salvaged" on 9 March 1937 (NARA Record Group 77, Entry 393, Box 95, Folder 2 of 6, Building No. 84).

Table 2. Fort Huachuca cavalry stables numbering.

1916-1917 Number Post-1916 Number 1951 Number Current Number

85 121 3034 30023

86 122 3035 30024 87 123 3036 30025 88 124 3037 30026

89 125 3038 30027 90 126 3039 30028

91 127 3040 30031

Description

Fort Huachuca's historic cavalry stable complex is dominated by seven parallel, southeast- northwest trending, elongated, front-gabled buildings situated near the northwest corner of the intersection of Hungerford Avenue and Clarkson Road. East of Huachuca Creek and aligned along Clarkson Road, these former stable buildings constitute a property of regularly arranged, matching units spaced approximately 70 ft apart. The space between each building was once a paddock. With the exception of modified Building 30031, this array is striking for the similarity of its units. Each is entered from Clarkson Road, has board-and-batten walls and a corrugated metal roof, and is punctuated on its side walls by double-hung and uniformly spaced, square windows. Building 30031 now has stone masonry walls, a De- pression-era modification, yet nonetheless performs the role of north end unit for the property. Starting at the south end, units are numbered 30023 through 30028, then, out of se- quence, 30031 (HABS No. AZ-210-1 to 5).

The site is a microcosm of the expanded Quartermaster area. It incorporates the stable complex and a surrounding area that constitutes a sphere of influence. The boundaries of


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this zone include the right-of-way of former railroad tracks to the east, Hungerford Avenue to the south, Huachuca Creek to the west, and a portion of the paved parking lot of Building 30031 to the north. (As the buildings are not on a true east-west axis, directions given are for convenience.) The terrain slopes considerably to the northwest, dropping approximately 21 ft from Building 30023 to Building 30031 and draining into Huachuca Creek. The elevation in the center of the building complex is 5,000 ft above sea level (Figure 4; HABS No. AZ-210-6, HABS No. AZ-210 sheet 2).

The site is visually striking during all seasons. The sparse, scrub oak-vegetated, nearby foothills of the Huachuca Mountains rise steeply to the southwest. The broad plain of the San Pedro River Valley and the mauve-hued mountain ranges beyond appear to the north. Huachuca Creek, dry for much of the year, is a prominent site feature below, lined with dense riparian vegetation and very large, old cottonwood trees (Figure 5). Cottonwood trees also grow along the railroad right-of-way and adjacent to the northwest corner of Building 30026, and they contribute strongly to the historic feeling of the site. On the east bank of Huachuca Creek, west of Building 30025, is an old, concrete, watering trough feature approximately 3 ft by 12 ft in plan. Part of a cottonwood trunk has broken through this feature (HABSNo.AZ-210-7).

Today's Clarkson Road, originally an unnamed dirt access way along the railroad tracks, is a 24-ft-wide, asphalt-paved street without curbs. It is located east of the stables.

Only the right-of-way of the former El Paso and Southwestern Railroad tracks, installed in 1913, remains. A distinct historic feature, the railroad bed constitutes a variable-width, level strip on top of a steep, 5-ft-high embankment. East of the right-of-way is a stone-lined drainage ditch and a row of cottonwood trees. On the west face of the embankment, within view of the stables, are a number of mortared, stone masonry features, most likely Depression- era, Works Progress Administration (WPA) work. These include low, stone retaining walls, stairs with side walls, and a timber and stone culvert. The masonry is constructed of local ochre-, gray-, and mauve-colored stones, either gathered or quarried nearby (Figures 6 and 7;HABSNo.AZ-210-8).

The strip between the east building facades and Clarkson Road, the average width of which is 8 ft, 0 inches, is commonly packed dirt where angled concrete aprons have been installed to serve individual building entries. Currently the former paddock areas between buildings are used for storage or parking. Historically, horses and mules were turned out into these paddocks and communally watered and possibly fed. Today's paddock space is grass or packed earth from Building 30023 to Building 30026. The north paddock of Building 30026 and the remaining buildings have asphalt-paved paddock zones and west parking lots. Building 30031 has an especially large, paved, motor pool parking lot to the north and west. As shown on early property record card photographs, paddock fencing originally was wood post and rail, then pipe rail by 1941 (U.S.A.Q.M.C. 1916; U.S. Army War Dept. 1941). Today it is chain link or absent. The sloped zone west of the cavalry stables extending to Huachuca Creek, where not paved, is largely grass or riparian shrubs.

Adjacent to the site and southwest of Building 30032 is a 1970s complex that includes a stucco-clad veterinary clinic, a military police dog clinic, a dog pen, dog runs, and paddocks for treating and quarantining horses. There is an equine veterinarian on the premises. A canine

f^ and equine veterinary function in this location has been present at least since 1945 (U.S.

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Army Corps of Engineers [U.S.A.C.E.] D.O. Series 1124-6, 1945; U.S.A.C.E. 1951) There is an access drive from Hungerford Avenue and asphalt paved parking lot to serve this complex.

Today, although motorized vehicles, not railroad trains or mule-drawn wagons, pass in front of the buildings, Fort Huachuca's cavalry stable complex retains much of its historic feeling. The striking setting, the prominence of natural and built site features, and the uniform, parallel, stable buildings still clad in their original materials are reminiscent of much earlier times.

Evolution of the Cavalry Stables Site

Historic Fort Huachuca and its corresponding Quartermaster compound grew during several construction eras, related generally to military campaigns or the Great Depression. The following information about the physical evolution of the subject cavalry complex site was partly de- rived from maps, dated 1887, 1893, 1922, 1945, and 1955, found in various repositories on the base. Further information was gleaned from Wee and Mikesell's 1993 National Register nomination form; Janus Associate's Draft Technical Synthesis Report of 1987/8; David Myrick's Railroads of Arizona, Vol. 1 (1975); Willard B. Robinson's American Forts - Architec- tural Form and Function (1977); and a 1951 building inventory list from Fort Huachuca's Real Property Division (U.S.A.C.E. DD Form 290 1951). Discussions and material provided by Dr. Charles Slaymaker, Fort Huachuca Historic Properties Manager; William T. Phillips, Fort Hua- chuca Historical Museum Director; Steve Gregory, Museum Assistant; and Ray Easton, Real Property Clerk at Fort Huachuca, contributed greatly to this section of the narrative.

--v In the arid Southwest, forts were often sited at canyon entrances due to the proximity of water at the base of bluffs, hills, or mountains (Robinson 1977:149). Exemplifying this practice, Fort Huachuca was located at the base of Huachuca Canyon, from which meandering Hua- chuca Creek sprang. This strategic location, more than 5,000 ft above sea level, offered tac- tical views of the broad San Pedro River Valley below. Since Native Americans occupying this region did not besiege, posts like Fort Huachuca developed as open building complexes without fortifications (Robinson 1977:147). A rectangular parade ground (parade) was commonly the origin of initial perimeter and subsequent growth.

Due to the topographical constraints of Huachuca Creek, Fort Huachuca's parade field layout was trapezoidal and narrower at the canyon (south) end, rather than rectangular. Its axis pointed from the southwest to the northeast. Formally grouping buildings in a hierarchical, orderly pattern around a parade field that was sited at an angle with the cardinal points was a typical, American, military tradition found at earlier posts (Robinson 1977:147). Officers' quarters generally faced barracks on the long sides of the parade field, with an institutional building, like a headquarters or chapel, at each narrower end (Robinson 1977:154). Service buildings were conveniently located behind the structures they served. To reinforce the sense of formality, buildings of a type, like barracks and stables, were commonly replicated and arranged in an orderly fashion.

The first development era at Fort Huachuca was between 1882 and 1887. This early growth is illustrated on the 1887 map of Fort Huachuca's sewage system drawn by 1st Lt. James E. Runcie (Figure 8; Runcie 1887). Buildings appeared around the four sides of the parade field in orderly, functional groupings. Officers' residences were located along the east, a hospital on the north, and recreational buildings on the south sides. Lining the west side of

f^ the parade field were barracks to the south and utilitarian buildings to the north (Wee and

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CAVALRY STABLES HABSNos. A2-210

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Mikesell 1993:Sec. 7.5). Some Quartermaster-related buildings were among these utilitarian buildings, as well as in a zone between this row and Huachuca Creek. These included a commissary storehouse, six stables, corrals, teamsters' quarters, storerooms, and a shop. To the northwest (near the area where the subject cavalry stables would be built in two dec- ades) was a garden. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, gardening was encouraged at forts, and agriculture was a distinct military activity (Robinson 1977:181).

The Quartermaster Department (the Quartermaster Corps after 1912) was one of the oldest support agencies of the United States Army. Although its functions changed over time, during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries its primary responsibility was to provide transportation, construction, and supplies for the Army. Quartermaster personnel superin- tended arrangements for quartering and movement of troops. Under the division of the Con- structing Quartermaster, they built edifices like stables, officers' residences, and barracks, eventually using standardized plans supplied from Washington, D.C. Among the myriad of supplies, the quartermaster department furnished horses, pack animals, and forage (Risen 1989). At Fort Huachuca, what would evolve into the Quartermaster area included buildings related to this support function.

Construction continued between 1887 and 1910, when Fort Huachuca became Arizona's only permanent military post, valued for its strategic location near the Mexican border. While the Quartermaster area first developed just west of the parade ground, during this era it filled in and spread southwest to the opposite bank of Huachuca Creek. Among buildings that appeared were an ordnance magazine, an ice house, a butcher shop, two troop blacksmith shops and a storehouse. Near the Quartermaster corral, a granary, wagon shed and hay shed were built (Wee and Mikesell 1993:Sec. 8.61).

A most dramatic period of growth at the post and its Quartermaster area occurred from 1913 to 1917, the era of border patrol involvement. In 1913, the El Paso and Southwestern Rail- road (EP&SW) completed a 14.3-mile branch to Fort Huachuca. Financed by magnates af- filiated with copper mining in nearby Bisbee, the EP&SW had become involved in troop transportation as problems with Mexico escalated (Myrick 1975:231). The tracks entered Fort Huachuca from the northeast, made a wide bend, then turned south into the heart of the Quartermaster area. The arrival of the EP&SW undoubtedly spurred the construction of railroad-related buildings and facilitated the shipment of all manner of supplies like construction materials, horses, mules, and animal fodder. Shipments deposited in warehouses and hay barns were most likely transported by wagon to destinations like the cavalry stables. The EP&SW Railroad was sold to Southern Pacific in 1923.

The post expanded during this era, with a new headquarters building, officers' quarters, barracks, latrines, a hospital annex, and storage buildings, among others. Other structures were modified by additions (Janus Associates 1987/8:24; Wee and Mikesell 1993:Sec. 8.71). The Quartermaster area expanded to the northwest. The seven subject cavalry stables were built in 1916, just west of the railroad tracks and near the east bank of Huachuca Creek (Figure 9). On a rise of land directly across the tracks to the east, four frame stable guard and shop buildings with pyramidal roofs were constructed (Figure 10; HABS No. AZ- 210-7). These buildings no longer exist. North of the cavalry stables, utility support buildings were built, including an electric power house and ice plant and laundry building.

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CAVALRY STABLES HABSNos.AZ-210

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The excerpt from the 1923 map is labeled to indicate some of the functions of buildings in existence at that time (Figure 11; Constructing Quartermaster 1923). It is probably a rea- sonable guide to what was in place during the border patrol era. At that time the Quarter- master area had three stable complexes including the 1880s troop stables, Quartermaster stables, and the 1916 cavalry stables. The cavalry stables are numbered 121-127 on this map. The stable guard/shop buildings are numbered 104-107. Troop blacksmith shops appeared just west of the first stables (identified as the "troop stables"). Quartermaster shops and barracks were located south of the Quartermaster stables. Due west stood a blacksmith shop and pack train barracks. North of the cavalry stables was an oil house (built in 1920) and, nearby, a salvage warehouse. Just south of the cavalry stables were two corrugated iron hay sheds. Building 130, of corrugated iron, was also a hay shed. East of the stable guard and shop buildings were a rolling kitchen shed and a wagon shed (Figure 12; HABS No.AZ-210-13).

Another major, historic-period construction era at Fort Huachuca occurred during the Great Depression. The Works Progress Administration (WPA), formed in 1934, was one of the employment programs initiated by the Roosevelt Administration to combat the Great De- pression. The largest of three WPA programs was responsible for the construction of buildings, roads, parks, and similar undertakings. Building projects depended on local initiative and reflected local, state and federal cooperation (Collins 1999). At Fort Huachuca, the WPA built a range of building types, such as garages; modified existing buildings; and constructed culverts, retaining walls, and drainage feature linings. Especially noteworthy was the excellent-quality stone masonry produced during this era. Stones were either collected from the immediate vicinity or obtained from a quarry about 2 miles south of Fort Huachuca (Brooks, n.d.). Examples of WPA work in the Quartermaster compound include retaining walls, culverts, and building modifications such as the wall replacement on stable Building 30031.

The stables remained in continuous use from 1916 until the 10th Cavalry were reassigned to other installations in 1931. Although one source suggests the stables were then adapted for new uses (Wee and Mikesell 1993:8-71), building records at the National Archives indicate six of the seven stables continued to house horses and mules, totaling 140, until at least 1941 (Table 3; NARA Record Group 77, Entry 393, Box 94, Folder 1, Historical Record of Buildings and Record of Equipment and Condition of Buildings at Active Army Posts, 1905- 1942).

Table 3. Occupancy of Fort Huachuca stables, with number of fire extinguishers and fire buckets, 1940.

Stables

121 122 123 124 125 126 127

The need for fire equipment is evident from a newspaper account of a fire at an unidentified f^ stable at the fort in September 1929 (apparently one of the 1880s stables). The fire broke

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Occupancy Fire Extinguishers Fire Buckets

24 of 78 2 10 Oof 78 1 4 41 of 78 2 8 12 of 78 2 4 26 of 78 2 5 28 of 78 2 10 9 of 78 1 11

CAVALRY STABLES HABS Nos. AZ-210

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out at 11:30 p.m. and completely destroyed the structure, killing six mules and nine horses, and burning a large quantity of feed. Efforts to rescue the animals had failed when they became panicked and refused to leave the building (Arizona Daily Star 1929).

Records at the National Archives indicate that the stables were being maintained in the late 1930s and early 1940s (Table 4). The stables were wired for 25- or 40-watt electrical lighting, the number of outlets in use ranging from two to seven (NARA Record Group 77, Entry 393, Box 94, Folder 1, Historical Record of Buildings and Record of Equipment and Condition of Buildings at Active Army Posts, 1905-1942; House Lighting and Watt-Hour Meters, 1938).

Table 4. Repair expenditures for Fiscal Year 1941 and total expenditures to date for the cavalry stables (NARA Record Group 77, Entry 393, Box 94, Folder 1, Historical Record of Buildings and Record of Equipment and Condition of Buildings at Active Army Posts, 1905-1942).

Stable Repairs in Fiscal Year 1941 Total Expenditures to Date

"l21 $43.18 $1,637.83 122 $44.38 $1,052.76 123 $43.61 $1,846.82 124 $47.54 $1,966.22 125 $44.01 $1,793.58 126 $43.18 $1,899.95 127 $43.76 $1,612.23

/~* In November 1941, new Quartermaster Corps Forms No. 117 (formerly known as form No. 173A) were completed for the seven stables, but they provide little additional information (U.S. Army War Department 1941).

World War II triggered a major building program at military bases across the country. Fort Huachuca constructed a large cantonment area northeast of the historic core with over one thousand new structures, including barracks, warehouses, recreational buildings, and other facilities. Most of these buildings have been torn down with one notable exception, the Mountain View Officer's Club, built for African-American officers in 1942. In 1945, in preparation for demobilization, a study was undertaken and a "Demobilization Study Layout Plan" drawn by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (U.S.A.C.E. 1945/6). The fort was deactivated in 1947, reactivated in 1951, and both deactivated and reactivated again in 1953. In 1951, an inventory of all buildings was undertaken to support the reactivation (Figure 12; U.S.A.C.E. 1951).

An excerpt from the 1945 demobilization study layout plan can be matched to the 1951 inventory to identify building functions (U.S.A.C.E. 1951). The cavalry stables are numbered 3034 to 3040 (Figure 13). Noteworthy changes to the Quartermaster compound include the removal of the 1880s stables and the conversion of the associated blacksmith's shops (3012 to 3015) to non-commissioned officers' quarters. There was a lumber yard in the Quarter- master's stable area. East of the cavalry stables, the four stable guard and shop buildings (3028-3031) remained. Just to the south was a small, former gas station (3032) converted to a barber shop. Adjacent to that was a gas storage tank (3033). A veterinary complex had been built south of the cavalry stables. Within this complex were a veterinary hospital (3020), a veterinary kennel (3021), and a dog kennel (3019). Nearby, on the opposite bank of Hua- r-


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chuca Creek, was a riding corral (3022). Today's Clarkson Road, originally an unnamed dirt road along the railroad tracks, was probably paved between 1945 and 1955 (Figure 14).

In recent years, the guard and shop buildings have disappeared, but the former gas station/barber shop remains. In 1970, new stuccoed veterinary clinic buildings were built to replace the older buildings in the veterinary complex.

The Evolution of the Cavalry Stables

Like Fort Huachuca itself, the function of the cavalry stable buildings themselves evolved over the years through adaptive reuse that reflects the above-mentioned construction eras. Much of this adaptive reuse may be considered historic in its own right, having been largely completed by 1955. Later modifications or deterioration found in the individual buildings of this relatively intact, unique, historic complex can be reversed or repaired.

The floor plans for the seven stables were very similar, each having stall spaces for 78 mules or horses, and measuring 218 ft long by 30 ft wide. The stalls ran down each side of the building and were separated by an aisle. Each building had enclosed storage areas along the eastern end. A saddle shop was present in the northeast corner. The southeast corner of the structures contained feed rooms, forage and grain rooms, tool rooms, and harness rooms (NARA Record Group 77, Ch. of Engineers, Entry 393, Historical Record of Buildings, Box 95, Folder 4).

Photographs of the stables reveal a number of other details. Axes and fire extinguishers were mounted on the exterior of the building, north of the double doors. One photo has additional firefighting equipment-a long hose mounted on a two-wheeled cart-while another has a set of buckets hanging above a water barrel. It is not particularly surprising that fire sup- pression was an important concern.

Q.M.C. Form No. 117 indicates the seven stables were completed on 5 January 1916. The form indicates that each of the buildings cost $4,105.18 to construct (U.S. Army Q.M.C. Form No. 117, Fort Huachuca Museum Annex, 1916).

Most of the subject buildings functioned as stables at least until 1941. Photographs on the 1941 property record card for each building show the presence of horses in some paddocks (U.S. Army War Dept. 1941), and the number of occupants per stable is provided in Table 3.

Building 30031 was undoubtedly altered by the WPA, probably soon after the 1941 photograph. Its exterior frame walls were replaced with stone masonry walls and piers. The exe- cution of the stone masonry matches WPA work elsewhere at Fort Huachuca. This building was still classified as a stable in the 1951 inventory, but this classification was probably not accurate (U.SAC.E. 1951).

Apparently between 1951 and 1955, at least five of the buildings were modified inside into warehouses (Post Engineer Office general site plan 1955; U.S.A.C.E. 1951). These buildings included today's Buildings 30024 through 30028. Earth floors were concreted, and interior walls were sheathed with a cladding system found in other Fort Huachuca buildings during this era. Building 30031 was further modified in 1954 and converted to an ordnance in-

■f^ spection station.

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In 1982, the interior of Building 30026 was modified and partitioned into offices. In 1984, the west end of Building 30023, the least modified building today, was converted to a veterinary care facility. Building 30023 is nearest to the veterinary clinic on site.

Today Building 30023 is vacant and relatively intact inside and out. Buildings 30024 through 30028 retain most of the original exterior fabric and much of their historic warehouse- conversion-era interior. Building 30025 is currently vacant, while Buildings 30024 and 30027 are furniture storage warehouses for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES). Building 30028 is a nearly vacant warehouse for adjacent Building 30031, which houses the offices and tool cribs for the Directorate of Installation Support (DIS).

The Cavalry Stable: Its Form and Function

Characteristic of the historic, formal military tradition, cavalry stables such as those at Fort Huachuca tended to be repetitions of the same type arranged in orderly groupings. Military stables typically had elongated plans and gabled roofs with or without monitors. Turn-out paddocks (corrals) were located adjacent to, or near, stables. The purpose of the buildings was to house large numbers of horses or mules as conveniently as possible so that animals could be readied in haste when a military need arose. Stables were thus built for convenience as well as protection of the inhabitants from the elements and predators (Sadler and Sadler 1981:8).

-^v The common, practical, military stable plan found in the 1880s and 1916 stables at Fort Huachuca was the double-loaded aisle type with stalls lining either side of a central corridor. The stall, or division of a stable where one or more equines was kept, was the basic unit re- peated throughout the building. Stalls were typically arranged within repetitive structural bays defined by posts. "Straight" or "tie" stalls, in which equines were tethered on the wall side, were not gated at the back and were separated by partitions of optimal heights. Stalls of this sort commonly had built-in tie rings and mangers. Straight stalls required an aisle of sufficient width to permit the movement of horses and people (Sadier and Sadler 1981:9). An early photograph of the interior of one of Fort Huachuca's 1880s stables depicts straight, gateless stalls and a typical central corridor (Figure 15). The 1916 cavalry stable stalls were also straight and approximately 9 ft, 6 inches square, large enough for two horses each.

A good military stable needed plenty of light and ventilation, especially if housing many horses in a hot, arid climate like Fort Huachuca's. Ventilation had to be thorough and continuous without a draft. Monitors provided both light and ventilation along the central corridor. A stable built without a monitor required operable windows for each stall and doors that could be opened wide at each end. Hopper windows, which force air up over animals, were preferable. If horses were turned out into side paddocks, the stable would also have a side door.

Stables were commonly equipped with convenient storage spaces for feed, bedding, and equipment. A separate space would be used to store tack and harness. Strict military regulations and specifications governed nearly all aspects of stable management of horses and mules, including the selection and purchase of the animals (U.S. Army O.Q.M.G. 1917). The 1918 manual of the American Expeditionary Forces details the kinds of procedures that

f^ the Army routinely applied at that time. Among them were food rationing, watering, shoeing,


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stable management, grooming, care of harness and saddlery, and equine shipment (A.E.F. 1918).

As mentioned, eventually a veterinary complex grew near the cavalry stables, and part of Building 30023 was modified into a horse care facility. Prior to World War I, there was no U.S. Army Veterinary Corps or organized veterinary service. Until that time, sick or injured animals were treated with limited supplies and knowledge. During World War I, veterinary services were needed for Army horses and mules and to safeguard perishable food of animal origin. A Corps composed entirely of licensed, college graduates was formed. Although veterinary service for the cavalry ended by World War II, the Corps continued to inspect meat and food (Kester 1996:554-557). Today, Fort Huachuca's veterinary clinic continues to treat horses, dogs, and small pets and inspect food. The equine veterinarian cares for horses and mules belonging to B Troop, 4th U.S. Cavalry (Memorial) and privately owned horses stabled at Fort Huachuca's Buffalo Corral. In addition, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Border Patrol horses receive care at this facility.

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Fort Huachuca Cavalry Stables A Historic American Buildings Survey

Fort Huachuca, Cochise County, AZ

USGS 75-minute Topographic Quad Fort Hudchura, AZ

UTM Projection Zone 12 NAD27

j^DeMrtAKhacologyTg)

Meters

1000 Feet

4000

r FIGURE 1. MAP SHOWING THE LOCATION OF THE SEVEN CAVALRY STABLES (USGS TOPO- GRAPHIC MAP FORT HUACHUCA, ARIZ. 7.5*, PHOTO-REVISED 1983).


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r^ FIGURE 2. MEMBERS OF THE 10TH CAVALRY MOUNTED ON THEIR HORSES AT FORT HUACHUCA, CIRCA 1916-1920 (FORT HUACHUCA HISTORICAL MUSEUM, PHOTOGRAPH 1910-15-07-05, UNIDENTIFIED PHOTOGRAPHER, CREATED BY AND THE PROPERTY OF THE U.S. ARMY).

r FIGURE 3. MONITOR-STYLE STABLES CONSTRUCTED AT FORT HUACHUCA IN THE 1880S, AS SEEN IN A PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE 1890S (FORT HUACHUCA HIS- TORICAL MUSEUM, PHOTOGRAPH 1890.00.00.07, UNIDENTIFIED PHOTOGRAPHER, CREATED BY AND THE PROPERTY OF THE U.S. ARMY).


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n

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FIGURE 4. AN 2004 AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH OF THE COMPLETE SITE (ON FILE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OFFICE, FORT HUACHUCA, ARIZONA).

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r FIGURE 5. COTTONWOOD TREES ALONG HUACHUCA CREEK (PHOTOGRAPH BY JANET PARKHURST2005).

r FIGURE 6. OLD RAILROAD BED WITH COTTONWOOD TREES, EAST OF THE COMPLEX, LOOKING SOUTH. NOTE DRAINAGE DITCH TO LEFT {PHOTOGRAPH BY JANET PARKHURST 2005).


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r* FIGURE 7. WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRA- TION STAIR FEATURE ON THE RAILROAD BED EMBANKMENT. THE FEATURE HAS STONE MASONRY WALLS, A ROUND END POST, AND RAMPED CONCRETE STAIRS. IT IS OPPOSITE THE NORTH PADDOCK OF BUILDING 30025 {PHOTOGRAPH BY JANET PARKHURST 2005).

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(Page 28)

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r FIGURE 8. "MAP OF FORT HUACHUCA, AT., SHOWING THE SEWAGE SYSTEM," OCTOBER 1887 (ON FILE AT THE FORT HUACHUCA HISTORICAL MUSEUM).


(Page 29)

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r FIGURE 9. VIEW OF STABLES LOOKING SOUTHWEST TOWARD THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS, CIRCA 1918. TRACKS OF THE EL PASO AND SOUTHWESTERN RAILROAD ARE VISIBLE IN THE FOREGROUND (FORT HUACHUCA HISTORICAL MUSEUM, PHOTOGRAPH 1918.00.00.127, UNIDENTIFIED PHOTOGRA- PHER, CREATED BY AND THE PROPERTY OF THE U.S. ARMY).

r FIGURE 10. VIEW LOOKING SOUTH TOWARD THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS, CIRCA 1918. THE SEVEN CAVALRY STABLES COMPLETED IN 1916 ARE ON THE RIGHT, WITH GUARD BUILDINGS ON THE LEFT (FORT HUACHUCA HISTORICAL MUSEUM, PHOTOGRAPH 1918.00.00.128, UNIDENTIFIED PHOTOGRA- PHER, CREATED BY AND THE PROPERTY OF THE U.S. ARMY).


(Page 30)

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(Page 31)

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r FIGURE 12. AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN 1924, LOOKING TO THE SOUTHWEST, TO- WARD THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS. THE 1880S STABLES ARE LOCATED IN THE CENTER, WHILE THE 1916 STABLES ARE ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE (FORT HUACHUCA HISTORICAL MUSEUM, PHOTOGRAPH 1924.10.15.03, UNIDENTIFIED PHOTOGRAPHER, CREATED BY AND THE PROPERTY OF THE U.S. ARMY).

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(Page 32)

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r^ FIGURE 13. A PORTION OF THE DEMOBILIZATION STUDY LAYOUT PLAN MAP, CREATED IN 1945 AND REVISED IN 1946 BY THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS (U.S.A.C.E. 1945). BUILDING NUM- BERS CAN BE MATCHED TO A 1951 INVENTORY LIST TO IDENTIFY BUILDING FUNCTIONS (U.S.A.C.E. 1951).


(Page 33)

r

FIGURE 14. AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN 1954 SHOWING THE CAV- ALRY STABLES (FORT HUACHUCA HISTORICAL MUSEUM, PHOTOGRAPH NO. 1954.00.00.002, UNIDENTIFIED PHOTOGRAPHER, CREATED BY AND THE PROPERTY OF THE U.S. ARMY).

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f~ FIGURE 15. A 1904 PHOTOGRAPH OF THE INTERIOR OF THE 1880S TROOP STABLES AT FORT HUACHUCA. THE VIEW SHOWS A DOUBLE-LOADED CORRIDOR LINED WITH GATELESS STRAIGHT STALLS. (FORT HUACHUCA HISTORICAL MUSEUM, PHOTOGRAPH NO. 1904.00.00.05, UNIDENTIFIED PHOTOGRAPHER, CREATED BY AND THE PROPERTY OF THE U.S. ARMY).


(Page 34)

Bibliography

Primary and unpublished sources

United States National Archives & Records Administration (NARA), Washington, D.C.:

Microfilm M617, roll 493, Returns from U.S. Military Posts, Huachuca, Fort, Ariz.; Jan. 1907-Dec. 1916.

Record Group 77, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., "Plan, Elevation, and Sections of Cavalry Sta- bles to be Built," no. 22.

Record Group 77, Entry 393, Box 94, Folder 1, Historical Record of Buildings and Re- cord of Equipment and Condition of Buildings at Active Army Posts, 1905-1942.

Record Group 77, Entry 393, Box 94, Folder 1, Historical Record of Buildings and Re- cord of Equipment and Condition of Buildings at Active Army Posts, 1905-1942; House Lighting and Watt-Hour Meters 1938.

Record Group 77, Entry 393, Box 95, Folders 1 and 2 of 6.

Record Group 77, Entry 393, Box 95, Folder 2 of 6, Building No. 84.

^ Record Group 77, Entry 411, List of Standard Plan Tracings of Army Post Buildings, Re- ceived from the Quartermaster General's Office, 1891-1917.

Record Group 77, Entry 411, Plan 54B, List of Standard Plan Tracings of Army Post Buildings, 1891-1917.

Record Group 77, Entry 411, Plan 54F, List of Standard Plan Tracings of Army Post Buildings, 1891-1917.

Record Group 77, Entry 411, Plan 139, List of Standard Plan Tracings of Army Post Buildings, 1891-1917.

Record Group 92, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., "Proposed Plan for Additions to Cavalry Stables at Fort Huachuca, AT.," no. 2.

Record Group 92, Blueprint File, Ft. Huachuca, no. 33 and no. 36.

Record Group 393, Posts, Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

Record Group 393, Posts, Fort Huachuca, AZ-1, Fort Huachuca, Arizona map, corrected to February 1923. (Copy on file at the Fort Huachuca Environmental and Natural Re- sources Office.)

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(Page 35)

Books, Reports, and Journal Articles

American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.), General Headquarters. Care of Public Animals and Horse Equipment. August, 1918.

Brooks, Major J. L. Constructing Quartermaster, Q.M. Corps. "Completion Report- Double Warrant Officers Quarters - Fort Huachuca Arizona." Date unknown.

Collins, William S. The New Deal in Arizona. Phoenix: Arizona State Parks Board, 1999.

Constructing Quartermaster, U.S. Army. Mexican Border Project, Camp Travis, Tex. Fort Huachuca Arizona. Layout plan. On file at the Fort Huachuca Historical Museum and the National Archives, R6 Posts Fort Huachuca, AZ-1. Corrected to date 27 May 1922. 8 Febru- ary 1923.

Construction Division of the Army. Manual of the Construction Division of the Army. Wash- ington, D.C.: Consolidated Supply Co., 1919.

Cook, Patricia. Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan for Fort Huachuca Military Reservation, Arizona. Tucson: Desert Archaeology, Inc., 2003.

Essin, Emmett M. Shavetails and Bellsharps - A History of the U.S. Army Mule. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1997.

Finley, James P. Buffalo Soldiers at Huachuca: Military Events in the American Southwest from 1910-1916. Huachuca Illustrated, Vol. 1, 1993.

Finley, James P. The 10th Cavalry at Huachuca. Huachuca Illustrated. Vol. 2, 1999.

Janus Associates, Inc. "Draft Technical Synthesis Report, Fort Huachuca Architectural/ His- torical Survey. Prepared for the Joint Venture Group, c/o Statistical Research, Tucson, Ari- zona." 1987/8.

Kester, Wayne O., D.V.M. "History of Veterinary Service with the Cavalry in the U.S. Army." Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Volume 209, Number 3. 1 August 1996.

Lage, Patricia. History of Fort Huachuca, 1877-1913. Unpublished Master's thesis. Tucson: University of Arizona, 1949.

Myrick, David F. Railroads of Arizona - Vol. 1 - The Southern Roads. Berkeley: Howell- North Books, 1975.

National Park Service. Guidelines for Completing National Register of Historic Places Forms, Part A: How to Complete the National Register Registration Form. National Register Bulletin No. 16. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1991.

f^ Officer, James E. Hispanic Tucson, 1536-1856. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1989.

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(Page 36)

Risch, Erna. Quartermaster Support of the Army: A History of the Corps 1775-1939. Wash- ington, D.C.: Center of Military History, U.S. Army, 1989.

Robinson, Willard B. American Forts - Architectural Form and Function. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1977.

Sadler, Julius Trousdale, and Sadler, Jacquelin D. J. Sadler. American Stables, an Architec- tural Tour. Boston: New York Graphic Society, 1981.

Scheck, William. World War I: The Wheels for the AEF. Online at <http://history1900s. about.com/library/prm/blthewheelsfortheaef1 .htm>, 2000.

Schulz, Leroy G. Barns, Stables and Outbuildings: A World Bibliography in English, 1700- 1983. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 1986.

Smith, Cornelius C. Fort Huachuca: The Story of a Frontier Post. Fort Huachuca, Arizona [no publisher listed]: 1956.

Smith, Steven D. The African-American Soldier at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, 1892-1946. Fort Huachuca, Arizona: U.S. Army, 2001.

Stout, Joseph A. Border Conflict: Villistas, Carrancistas, and the Punitive Expedition, 1915- 1920. Fort Worth, Texas: Texas Christian University Press, 1999.

United States Army, Office of the Quartermaster General (O.Q.M.G.). Specifications for Horses and Mules. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1917.

U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps (U.S.A.Q.M.C.), Manual for the Quartermaster Corps. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1917.

Vanderpot, Rein, and Teresita Majewski. The Forgotten Soldiers: Historical and Archaeo- logical Investigations of the Apache Scouts at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Technical Series No. 71. Tucson: Statistical Research, Inc., 1998.

Wee, Stephen R., and Stephen D. Mikesell. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for Fort Huachuca Historic District Washington, D.C.: National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1993.

Newspaper

Arizona Daily Star [Tucson, AZ]. 20 September 1929. "Animals Caught in Fort Blaze," Page 3, column 8.

f^

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CAVALRY STABLES HABSNos. A2-210

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Drawings

1st Lt. James E. Runcie. Map of Fort Huachuca, AT. Showing the Sewage System. On file at the Fort Huachuca Historical Museum, October 1887.

Fort Huachuca Arizona. Layout plan. On file at the Fort Huachuca Historical Museum, 1897.

Post Engineer Office, Fort Huachuca, Arizona. General Site Plan Building Use Map. On file at the Fort Huachuca Historical Museum, 9 June 1955.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District. D.O. Series 1124-6. Demobilization Study Layout Plan. On file at the Fort Huachuca Real Property Division Office, 1 November 1945, revised 1946.

U.S. Army Forms

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (U.S.A.C.E.), Los Angeles District, DD Form 290 - Transfer of New Construction/Real Property - RE-C-292-51. An inventory of properties for reactivation of the fort. On file at the Fort Huachuca Real Property Division Office and at the Fort Huachuca Historical Museum, 25 April 1951.

U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps (U.S.A.Q.M.C.), Q.M.C. Form No. 173a, 1916. Property record card, authorized for use on November 15, 1913. Cards are for Buildings No. 121-127. On file at the Fort Huachuca Historical Museum Annex, 1916.

U.S. Army War Department, Q.M.C. Form No. 117 (Old No. 173A), Property record card, revised June 28, 1939. Cards are for stable Buildings No. 121-127. On file at the National Archives II, College Park, Maryland, Record Group 77, Ch. of Engineers, Entry 393, Histori- cal Record of Buildings, Box 95, Folder 4,1941.

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CAVALRY STABLES HABS Nos. AZ-210

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PART IV. PROJECT INFORMATION

A number of individuals contributed to this project, working from December 2003 to March 2005. Architectural building documentation and historical research were completed by Tuc- son historic architects Janet H. Parkhurst, M.A., and Ralph Comey, M.A., AIA, of Ralph Comey Architects and Janet H. Strittmatter, Inc., Associated Architects. Historical research was also conducted by historical archaeologist J. Homer Thiel, M.A., of Desert Archaeology, Inc., at the National Archives and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.; the Arizona Historical Society and the University of Arizona Special Collections in Tucson, Arizona; and at the Fort Huachuca Historical Museum, Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

Peter L. Trexler, photographer, and Moira MacMahon, photography assistant, photographed the buildings and archival photographs at Fort Huachuca and prepared large-format photographs for inclusion in the report. Susan D. Hall, an archaeologist and former architect employed by Desert Archaeology, Inc., drafted the architectural drawings.

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ADDENDUM TO: HABS AZ-210 FORT HUACHUCA, CAVALRY STABLES AZ-210 Clarkson Road Sierra Vista vicinity Cochise County Arizona

REDUCED COPIES OF MEASURED DRAWINGS

HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street NW

Washington, DC 20240-0001

Documents

FORT HUACHUCA, CAVALRY STABLES HABS AZ-210 …