Near Bowie in Cochise County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Cavalry Mess Hall and Kitchen
Photographed by Bill Kirchner, January 8, 2017
1. Cavalry Mess Hall and Kitchen Marker
Palatable food during the fort's early days was a constant problem; the soil was poor quality, lacking nutrients, and other sources of fresh food were distant. Though neighboring ranches supplied some vegetables and meats, they were still a day's ride or longer by wagon. There was no special designation for “cooks,” so they were picked sporadically from the ranks.
Sun-dried, pressed cakes of “desiccated vegetables” were boiled into soups or stews. One of these tasteless seven-pound cakes produced 42 gallons of soup. Cooks relied heavily on canned food for taste variety and less risk of food poisoning.
Enlisted men ate by-the-company on benches at long, bare wooded tables presided over by non-commissioned officers. By the late 1800s, white ironstone tableware replaced tin and iron utensils – a noticeable improvement.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Food & Drink • Forts and Castles • Wars, US Indian. A significant historical year for this entry is 1890.
Location. 32° 8.681′ N, 109° 26.123′ W. Marker is near Bowie, Arizona, in Cochise County. It can be reached from Fort Bowie Trail
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Regionally, this marker is in the Sky Islands and in Southeastern Arizona. It is also in the American Borderlands and in the Southwest. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also the Gadsden Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Cavalry Barracks (within shouting distance of this marker); Quartermaster Storehouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Second Fort Bowie (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Commanding Officer's Quarters (about 500 feet away); Infantry Barracks (about 600 feet away); Post Trader (about 600 feet away); First Fort Bowie (approx. ¼ mile away); Apache Spring (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bowie.
Photographed by Bill Kirchner, January 8, 2017
2. Cavalry Mess Hall and Kitchen Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on October 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 19, 2017, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 793 times since then and 37 times this year. Last updated on October 12, 2026, by Trudi Jacobson of Slingerlands, New York. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 19, 2017, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
