All posts by CavalrymanSteakhouse

Fort Sanders Development

Fort Sanders History

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Development at Fort Sanders

Benjamin “Ben” Holladay was an American transportation businessman responsible for creating the Overland Stage to California during the height of the 1849 California Gold Rush.

Holladay moved the route for his Overland Stage Line in 1862 from the more northerly Oregon Trail route. He believed that this would make it safer from Native American attacks, as well as closer to Denver, by then booming from the Pikes Peak gold rush. Holladay named the route for his company and maintained stations along the line, which passed from Colorado into what’s now Albany County, then headed west across Wyoming Territory. The present U.S. 287 highway follows the old stage route north from Colorado.

Holladay’s stations served travelers and agents at Virginia Dale, Colorado Territory, and in Dakota Territory at Willow Springs, Big Laramie, Little Laramie, Cooper Creek and Rock Creek. Holladay outfitted his stations with hunters, blacksmiths and various other accommodations.

Native American attacks on travelers and the stations increased in 1865.  As a result, the U.S. Army decided to establish a post on the Big Laramie River as near to the Overland Stage route as possible. General John Pope ordered Capt. Mizner of the 18th U.S. Infantry to find the best location for this fort.  Fort Collins and Fort Halleck were being decommissioned at the time and their structures and stores were used in the creation of the new fort. In 1866, Mizner built the first permanent structure in the area — a wooden fort initially named Fort Buford in honor of General John Buford, a hero at Gettysburg and a friend of General Pope.  As there was another Fort Buford in Dakota territory, confusion caused the name to be changed within months to Fort Sanders, in honor of Brig. Gen. W.P. Sanders.

At one time 600 soldiers were housed here, but numbers dropped due to fear of Native American attacks. The military reservation covered 81 square miles of southeastern Wyoming in its heyday. The fort grounds were 223 feet by 400 feet, including a parade ground. The post was originally built for four companies, but was later expanded to accommodate six. Nearly all of the buildings were constructed of wood except for the magazine (powder house) and the stone guardhouse, which was built in 1869 and remains the only structure standing today. Very little remains of the settlement, which was decommissioned in 1882. The post Commander’s quarters were originally moved near the intersection of 6th and Grand Avenue,e and later moved to LaBonte Park in Laramie. The quarters have since been used as a community center and pre-school for decades.

The garrison at Fort Sanders frequently protected railroad crews from Indian attacks along the line over the Laramie Range and across the plains. Initially, Fort Sanders was the county seat for the original Laramie County (as created by the Dakota Territory), which was almost all of what later became the Wyoming Territory. On December 27, 1867, Dakota lawmakers moved the Laramie County seat to Cheyenne and created a new Carter County out of the western half.

Learn more about this history of Fort Sanders. 

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Congressional Bill Reducing the Size of Fort Sanders

Fort Sanders History

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A bill from Congress reducing the overall area of Fort Sanders. 

The “Pacific Railroad Acts” were a series of Congressional acts that promoted the construction of a transcontinental railroad in the United States through government bonds and grants of land to railroad companies. Inadvertently, the Union Pacific Railroad was granted, as one of its alternating sections, the exact square mile where the town of Fort Sanders was laid out, increasing its size to 81 square miles in 1869.

Local citizens who had purchased lots from the railroad wanted their land titles, but no one was sure who owned the land – the Interior Department or the War Department—and the two agencies  were not communicating with each other. In 1874, President Ulysses S. Grant signed a resolution that reduced the size of the military fort and allowed the landowners to have clear titles to their properties.

Learn more about the Congressional bill that reduced the size of Fort Sanders.

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Possibles Bag

Trappers and Native American History

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A mountain man’s “possibles” bag and two powder horns.

In the days of the mountain man, a “possibles bag”  held everything that could possibly be needed for the day: black powder, powder measurer, flint and steel, lead balls and patch, a patch knife, and a skinning knife, as well as other personal items.

The horn on top of the bag is the priming horn for a Flintlock rifle, while the larger horn below would contain the main gunpowder that was loaded down the barrel.

Learn more about the mountain man’s possible bag.

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Tom Horn

Laramie History

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Tom Horn was an American legend who carried out varied roles as a hired gunman, an agent with the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, range detective and soldier.

Horn was hired in 1892 by the Swan Land and Cattle Company in Wyoming as a horse breaker. In truth, however, he was a stock detective working for cattle barons who were fighting for their very existence. He was hanged in 1903 for having allegedly murdered the 14-year-old son of a southern Wyoming sheep rancher. But was he guilty as charged? Although Horn was undoubtedly responsible for many other deaths, some historians believe the jury convicted him on the basis of a drunken confession.

Learn more about the life and death of Tom Horn.

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Early Day Wyoming Lottery & Swindles

Laramie History

There’s nothing worse than buying a ticket for a fake lottery!

In 1875, a man named William Pattee began a phony lottery-by-mail operation aptly named the “Wyoming Lottery.” Everybody loved it…but nobody won! After Congress made it a felony to swindle the public through the United States mail, Pattee came up with new schemes. The Laramie Sentinel’s editor Haford, who had originally enjoyed sizeable advertising proceeds from the lottery scam, called Pattee’s new investment ventures a “swindle.” Although arrested in his home state of New York for mail fraud in Wyoming, Pattee was never convicted.

In August 2014, the State of Wyoming instituted a real lottery branded as WyoLotto. Wyoming was the 44th state to create a lottery.

Learn more about Wyoming’s early-day phony lottery scam.

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Cavalryman Atrium

Restaurant History

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The Atrium of Cavalryman Steakhouse (pictured here in 2006) was once the swimming pool of the Laramie Country Club. It has had a number of uses over the years — from live entertainment, a dancing floor, a meeting room and a large space for celebrations.

History of Cavalryman Steakhouse
Cavalryman Steakhouse is located on the parade grounds of historic Fort Sanders, established in July of 1866. Originally named Fort Buford, for Major General John Buford, the post was designated Fort Sanders on September 5, 1866, in honor of Brigadier General William P. Sanders. In its heyday, the Fort Sanders Military Reservation protected the Overland and Lodgepole Creek emigrant routes, the Denver-Salt Lake City stage route, and the construction crews for the Union Pacific Railroad.

The post headquarters were laid out according to standard military plans around a parade ground some 400 ft. by 200 ft. in size. Troops from Companies A and F of the Third Battalion, 18th Infantry, and Company G of the 2nd Cavalry salvaged logs from the decommissioned Forts Collins and Halleck to build the barracks and kitchens, as well as the officers’ quarters on the southeastern side of the parade grounds.

Ruins of the Fort’s powder keg are visible just southwest of the restaurant’s main building. The Cavalryman Steakhouse building was built in 1925 to serve as the clubhouse for the local country club. Just to the east, remnants of the nine-hole golf course can still be found, with the pro shop building still standing just to the southeast.

On March 1, 1970, Robert & Betty Gerard founded the Cavalryman Supper Club in its present location. Cavalryman Steakhouse quickly became known as a great western steakhouse. Marion Griffin and various partners owned and operated the restaurant from 1975 to 2005. In January 2006, a group of investors purchased the restaurant with the intent of honoring its rich tradition while modernizing the restaurant concept. In December 2012, the local managing partner acquired the business and revitalized this historic steakhouse.

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Cavalryman Front Entrance

Restaurant History

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The front entrance of Cavalryman Steakhouse (pictured here in 2006) when it was first acquired by its current owners. Today, we have added a courtyard with fencing and planters  to enhance the front entrance.

History of Cavalryman Steakhouse
Cavalryman Steakhouse is located on the parade grounds of historic Fort Sanders, established in July of 1866. Originally named Fort Buford, for Major General John Buford, the post was designated Fort Sanders on September 5, 1866, in honor of Brigadier General William P. Sanders. In its heyday, the Fort Sanders Military Reservation protected the Overland and Lodgepole Creek emigrant routes, the Denver-Salt Lake City stage route, and the construction crews for the Union Pacific Railroad.

The post headquarters were laid out according to standard military plans around a parade ground some 400 ft. by 200 ft. in size. Troops from Companies A and F of the Third Battalion, 18th Infantry, and Company G of the 2nd Cavalry salvaged logs from the decommissioned Forts Collins and Halleck to build the barracks and kitchens, as well as the officers’ quarters on the southeastern side of the parade grounds.

Ruins of the Fort’s powder keg are visible just southwest of the restaurant’s main building. The Cavalryman Steakhouse building was built in 1925 to serve as the clubhouse for the local country club. Just to the east, remnants of the nine-hole golf course can still be found, with the pro shop building still standing just to the southeast.

On March 1, 1970, Robert & Betty Gerard founded the Cavalryman Supper Club in its present location. Cavalryman Steakhouse quickly became known as a great western steakhouse. Marion Griffin and various partners owned and operated the restaurant from 1975 to 2005. In January 2006, a group of investors purchased the restaurant with the intent of honoring its rich tradition while modernizing the restaurant concept. In December 2012, the local managing partner acquired the business and revitalized this historic steakhouse.

Resources

Cavalryman Dining Room

Restaurant History

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Cavalryman Steakhouse in 2006, pictured with much of the restaurants original decor. Note the wheel from the famous Cavalryman Steakhouse Salad Bar in the bottom right of the picture.

History of Cavalryman Steakhouse
Cavalryman Steakhouse is located on the parade grounds of historic Fort Sanders, established in July of 1866. Originally named Fort Buford, for Major General John Buford, the post was designated Fort Sanders on September 5, 1866, in honor of Brigadier General William P. Sanders. In its heyday, the Fort Sanders Military Reservation protected the Overland and Lodgepole Creek emigrant routes, the Denver-Salt Lake City stage route, and the construction crews for the Union Pacific Railroad.

The post headquarters were laid out according to standard military plans around a parade ground some 400 ft. by 200 ft. in size. Troops from Companies A and F of the Third Battalion, 18th Infantry, and Company G of the 2nd Cavalry salvaged logs from the decommissioned Forts Collins and Halleck to build the barracks and kitchens, as well as the officers’ quarters on the southeastern side of the parade grounds.

Ruins of the Fort’s powder keg are visible just southwest of the restaurant’s main building. The Cavalryman Steakhouse building was built in 1925 to serve as the clubhouse for the local country club. Just to the east, remnants of the nine-hole golf course can still be found, with the pro shop building still standing just to the southeast.

On March 1, 1970, Robert & Betty Gerard founded the Cavalryman Supper Club in its present location. Cavalryman Steakhouse quickly became known as a great western steakhouse. Marion Griffin and various partners owned and operated the restaurant from 1975 to 2005. In January 2006, a group of investors purchased the restaurant with the intent of honoring its rich tradition while modernizing the restaurant concept. In December 2012, the local managing partner acquired the business and revitalized this historic steakhouse.

Resources

Cavalryman Hostess Area

Restaurant History

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Cavalryman Steakhouse is located on the parade grounds of historic Fort Sanders, which was established in July of 1866.

Originally named Fort Buford, for Major General John Buford, the post was designated Fort Sanders on September 5, 1866, in honor of Brigadier General William P. Sanders.

In its heyday, the Fort Sanders Military Reservation protected the Overland and Lodgepole Creek emigrant routes, the Denver-Salt Lake City stage route and the construction crews for the Union Pacific Railroad.

Post headquarters were laid out according to standard military design around a parade ground some 400 ft. by 200 ft. in size. Troops from Companies A and F of the Third Battalion, 18th Infantry, and Company G of the 2nd Cavalry salvaged logs from the decommissioned Forts Collins and Halleck to build the barracks and kitchens, as well as the officers’ quarters on the southeastern side of the parade grounds. Ruins of the fort’s powder keg are visible just southwest of the restaurant’s main building.

The Cavalryman Steakhouse building was built in 1925 to serve as the clubhouse for the local country club. Just to the east, remnants of the nine-hole golf course can still be found, with the pro shop building still standing just to the southeast.

On March 1, 1970, Robert & Betty Gerard founded the Cavalryman Supper Club in its present location. Cavalryman Steakhouse quickly became known as a great western steakhouse.

Marion Griffin and various partners owned and operated the restaurant from 1975 to 2005. In January 2006, a group of investors purchased the restaurant with the intent of honoring its rich tradition while modernizing the restaurant concept.

In December 2012, the local managing partner acquired the business and revitalized this historic steakhouse.

Resources

Cavalryman Bar

Restaurant History

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The Cavalryman Steakhouse bar (pictured in 2006) has been preserved over the years to maintain continuity with the historical building. Minor updates, including a change from red vinyl bar tops to black, do not stray from the western frontier look and ambiance of the original establishment.

History of Cavalryman Steakhouse
Cavalryman Steakhouse is located on the parade grounds of historic Fort Sanders, established in July of 1866. Originally named Fort Buford, for Major General John Buford, the post was designated Fort Sanders on September 5, 1866, in honor of Brigadier General William P. Sanders. In its heyday, the Fort Sanders Military Reservation protected the Overland and Lodgepole Creek emigrant routes, the Denver-Salt Lake City stage route, and the construction crews for the Union Pacific Railroad.

The post headquarters were laid out according to standard military plans around a parade ground some 400 ft. by 200 ft. in size. Troops from Companies A and F of the Third Battalion, 18th Infantry, and Company G of the 2nd Cavalry salvaged logs from the decommissioned Forts Collins and Halleck to build the barracks and kitchens, as well as the officers’ quarters on the southeastern side of the parade grounds.

Ruins of the Fort’s powder keg are visible just southwest of the restaurant’s main building. The Cavalryman Steakhouse building was built in 1925 to serve as the clubhouse for the local country club. Just to the east, remnants of the nine-hole golf course can still be found, with the pro shop building still standing just to the southeast.

On March 1, 1970, Robert & Betty Gerard founded the Cavalryman Supper Club in its present location. Cavalryman Steakhouse quickly became known as a great western steakhouse. Marion Griffin and various partners owned and operated the restaurant from 1975 to 2005. In January 2006, a group of investors purchased the restaurant with the intent of honoring its rich tradition while modernizing the restaurant concept. In December 2012, the local managing partner acquired the business and revitalized this historic steakhouse.

Resources