Fort Bridger, Utah Territory Album photograph collection, circa 1860-1870

Dr. Charles Alexander Kirkpatrick traveled from Illinois to California as a member of the Jersey County Company in 1849. He married Mary Benjamin and together the two lived in Rio Vista, California, where Charles practiced medicine. When the American Civil War broke out, Charles joined the Union Army as a surgeon; he served the duration of the war, from October 1861 until October 24, 1865. Mary Benjamin Kirkpatrick joined her husband at his postings at various forts, and gave birth to several children during the war. Originally stationed at Fort Ruby, Nevada Territory, Charles was transferred to Camp Douglas (made Fort Douglas in 1878) outside of Salt Lake City. From there, he transferred to Fort Douglas, Utah Territory (present day Wyoming). After the war, Charles and Mary returned to California, settling in Redwood City, California, where they raised their children and lived until their deaths.

This photograph album, compiled by Mary or Charles, depicts the men and women stationed at Fort Bridger during the 1860s, particularly the American Civil War. Fort Bridger was founded as a trading post by Jim Bridger and Louis Vasquez in 1843, where it served as a juncture for several westward trails. In 1853, Bridger sold the trading post to the Mormons, who fortified the original buildings with stone and used it as a stopping point primarily for emigrants and travelers headed towards Utah. In 1857, during the Utah War, the Mormons fled the fort, burning it in their wake. The United States military occupied Fort Bridger from 1857 until 1890, using it in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. The fort was named a Wyoming Historical Landmark and Museum in 1933.