Near Lander in Fremont County, Wyoming — The American West (Mountains)

Site of Fort Thompson or Camp Magraw

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, May 30, 2016

1. Site of Fort Thompson or Camp Magraw Marker

Inscription. In 1856 the United States Congress appropriated money to build the central division of the Fort Kearney-South Pass-Honey Lake Wagon Road from Nebraska to California. W.M.F. Magraw was appointed superintendent by the Secretary of the Interior. He was later removed for mismanagement and replaced by W.F. Lander, who staked a new route known as the Lander Cutoff from Gilbert Station, or Burnt Ranch, to City Rocks, Idaho. Winter of 1857-58 overtook the workers at St. Mary's Station on the Oregon Trail. Frank Lowe, guide, led them to this location for winter quarters, officially named Fort Thompson, in honor of the incumbent U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Old timers called it Camp Magraw. The settlement above here, first known as Push Root, was renamed Lander by Lowe, in honor of his friend.

Erected 1965 by Wyoming State Archives and Historical Department and the Wyoming State Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Forts and Castles.

Location. 42° 51.102′ N, 108° 41.766′ W. Marker is near Lander, Wyoming, in Fremont County. It

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is on State Highway 789 near Chittim Road, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lander WY 82520, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Wind River Country.

It is also in the American Mountain West.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Site of Fort McGraw (within shouting distance of this marker); Lander Valley Historical Sites (approx. 2.1 miles away); Lander's Mill (approx. 2.1 miles away); I.O.O.F. Building (approx. 2.1 miles away); IOOF Building - Golden Rule Store (approx. 2.1 miles away); Palace Pharmacy, Albany Hotel, US Post Office (approx. 2.1 miles away); Main Street (approx. 2.1 miles away); Lander Hotel (approx. 2.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lander.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, May 30, 2016

2. Site of Fort Thompson or Camp Magraw Marker

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 24, 2014

3. Site of Fort Thompson or Camp Magraw Marker

The marker was missing at the time of this photo in 2014.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 26, 2016, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,502 times since then and 65 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 26, 2016, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 3. submitted on January 5, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.