Fort Lyon.—In 1826 the Bent brothers, fur traders, built a stockade on the Arkansas river, above where the city of Pueblo, Col., now stands, but finding this location out of the line of trade between the United States and Taos, they removed down the river in 1829 to a point about halfway between the present towns of Las Animas and La Junta. There they erected "Bent's Fort," also called "Fort William," for William Bent. The fort was 100 by 150 feet, the walls of adobe being 6 feet thick at the base and 17 feet high. The new location brought the brothers in touch with the trade of Santa Fe, and the bit continued to be occupied by them until 1852, when it was destroyed by Col. William Bent. In 1853 a new fort was built on the same side of the Arkansas, near "Big Timbers," and this was occupied by the Bents as a trading post until 1859, when it was leased to the United States government. In the spring of 1860 the name was changed to Fort Wise, for Gov. Wise of Virginia, but on June 25, 1862, it was named Fort Lyon, in honor of Gen. Nathaniel Lyon, who was killed at the battle of Wilson's creek, Mo., Aug. 10, 1861. In the summer of 1866 the river undermined the fort, and on June 9, 1867, the new Fort Lyon was established on the north bank of the Arkansas, 2 1/2 miles below the Purgatory or Las Animas river. This post was in the Territory of Kansas until the passage of the act of admission in 1861, fixing the western boundary of the state as it is at the present time. By an act of Congress, approved Oct. 1, 1890, the Fort Lyon reservation was opened to entry under the homestead laws.