Fort Selden Historic Site

Fort Selden Historic Site Fort Selden is the ruins of an old adobe fort built along the banks of the Rio Grande River and the El Camino Real,15 miles north of Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Visitors to Fort Selden Historic Site can experience more than 1400 years of history! As early as 400 A.D. Native American farmers, the Mogollon, lived on the same land that would become Fort Selden centuries later. In 1598, the area was known as Paraje Robledo, or Cruz de Robledo, a welcome paraje [campsite] on El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, or the Royal Road to the Interior Lands. Today, visi

tors to Fort Selden can walk on an authentic portion of El Camino Real. Fort Selden was established in April 1865 to bring peace to the region. Several of the units that served there were African-American only regiments referred to as Buffalo Soldiers. Fort Selden was abandoned in 1891 as hostilities lessened and the needs of the military changed. Today, ghostly adobe ruins are all that remain of Fort Selden offering visitors a glimpse of another time. If you are looking for more information about Fort Selden Historic Site, please visit http://nmhistoricsites.org/fort-selden.

Address

1280 Fort Selden Road
Radium Springs, NM
88054

Opening Hours

Wednesday 8:30am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 8:30am - 4pm

Telephone

+1 575-526-8911

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Our Story

Experience Fort Selden Historic Site and more than 1400 years of history!

As early as 400 A.D. Native American foragers and farmers, the Mogollon, lived and prospered on the same land that would become Fort Selden centuries later. The Mogollon lived in earthen pit houses throughout the Southwest borderlands near primary trade routes that connected central Mexico with the lands to the north. By the 1400s the Mogollon disappeared from the region.

In 1598, Spanish explorer Juan de Oñate formally established a trade route for the Spanish known as El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, or the Royal Road to the Interior. During this time, the site was known as Paraje Robledo, or Cruz de Robledo, a welcome paraje—campsite—on the trail where travelers could refresh themselves with water before entering a treacherous 90-mile stretch north that became known as Jornada del Mu**to, or Journey of Death. Today, visitors to Fort Selden can walk on an authentic portion of El Camino Real.

In 1848, New Mexico formally became a United States territory. With the new government came more settlers further encroaching into the traditional homelands of the Apache leading to a worsening of hostilities that had been increasing throughout the 19th century. In an effort to bring peace to the region, the U.S. government established Fort Selden in April 1865. The New Mexico Volunteers and troops from California constructed the adobe buildings. For 25 years, about 1800 soldiers were stationed there protecting settlers from Native American raiding and general lawlessness. They also es**rted travelers throughout the New Mexico Territory.