Fort Clark Guardhouse

The Old Guardhouse Museum actually began during the Brown Foundation’s “Guest Ranch” era 1950-1971 as a storage building for a collection of World War II aircraft nose art. The Fort Clark Community Council restored the building in 1976. When the Fort Clark Historical Society was chartered in December 1979, the same month the Fort Clark Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the old guardhouse seemed the appropriate place to display the growing number of Fort Clark artifacts being donated to the Society by veterans, visitors, and local residents. It was retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Donald A. Swanson who, as curator from 1986-1996, took the museum to the next level of care by meticulously cata-loging the collection and markedly improving the museum’s displays. His singular effort in establishing the museum’s archives created an invaluable resource for genealogists, researchers, and military history buffs.

A lone sentinel of the guard stands at attention in his white helmet and white duck trousers, while his fellow soldiers gather on the porch. The Guardhouse was finished in 1874 as part of the expansion of the post. This building was the heartbeat of the garrison, as it never closed. Most soldiers who served at Fort Clark experienced this building while on guard duty or more unluckily as a prisoner. In the center of the picture is a caisson, further left a field piece, and the square building to the rear is a company sink or latrine.

The Guardhouse served two functions, to house the soldiers on guard duty and to hold prisoners. The building has a central guard room were the soldiers on guard duty slept and ate, a prison room where soldiers accused of minor offenses were held, a cell block where prisoners with more serious crimes were confined, and an office for the officer and sergeant of the guard.