Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site near La Junta, Colorado has been closed to the public due to safety issues with the structure.
The current fort building was constructed in 1976 on the footprint of the original mid-1800s trading post that was a meeting place and major settlement along the Santa Fe Trail for trappers, traders and travelers. The Park Service says that there are records of “significant engineering and design failures,” with the reconstruction, including “accelerated erosion caused by incompatible materials.”
The building is not in irretrievably poor condition, however. “This is a very redeemable, fixable situation and that is what we have been encouraging. Adobe structures require a special kind of care,” a spokesman said.
No decisions have been made yet, and the Park Service is exploring options regarding what to do with the building.
Everyone, including the National Park Service, can see how important the fort is to the local community. Hopefully, the site will be completely restored.
You can read the original article at theprowersjournal.com