Fort Fred Steele after 1886

Fort Fred Steele after 1886. . Officially abandoned in 1886, the fort came under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior in 1887. In 1892 and 1893 most of the buildings were sold a public auction. In 1897 the land, opened to homesteading, was patented by the Union Pacific Railroad. , Primary industries in the town of Fort Steele after the turn of the century were sheep ranching and tie processing. The Lincoln Highway, the nation's first transcontinental highway, passed through the town and boosted the economy between 1920 and 1939. When the highway was moved in 1939 most commercial activity ended. The number of residents declined rapidly and the town became practically deserted. , In 1973 the Wyoming State Legislature created the Fort Steele State Historic Site. Although the number of structures has declined dramatically over the years what remains standing is mute testimony to the flourishing and subsequent passing of several frontiers.