Cavalry Barracks

Cavalry Barracks. . This massive adobe structure was among the earliest built at the new fort. By the mid-1880s, it had a shingled and pitched roof, attractive porches, kerosene lamps, and landscaping. The kitchen was behind the barracks; the mess hall adjacent. , One trooper recalled that the barracks walls were plastered inside. No furniture was in the squad room other that single iron bunks, rifle racks, and wood-burning stoves. The mess hall had bare wooden tables and benches and was kept clean by scrubbing with sand. A bulletin board adorned the wall just outside the orderly room. Carbines were kept locked in the round rifle rack, to which only the duty sergeant had the key. The company reading room contained about 50 books, though no newspapers.