Fort Crook in Fall River Mills

Fort Crook Museum – Fall River Mills, California

Protecting travelers on the Shasta-Yreka Road and the Lockhart Ferries was the purpose of the building of the fort in 1857. The fort consisted of 25-30 log buildings enclosed by a pine-pole stockade 12 feet high. This stockade makes this fort different from many, although the movies and TV show the stockades surrounding the forts in reality not all had them, they often built the fort on the most advantageous lay of the land for protection rather than building the stockade.

The fort was originally called Camp Hollenbush, it was renamed when Lt. George Cook, then in command of Co. D., 4^th infantry. Cook became a General during the Civil War.

Major Henry B Mellen became commander of Fort Cook and served through most of the Civil War. He has a policy of treating the Indians justly, to impress them with the idea that while he would severely punish them when guilty he would protect them if they kept good faith and area peaceable. He proved himself to the Indians and peace was more stable.

Fort Cook lasted throughout the Civil War। At the end of the war, it was listed as one of the few camps that should remain for at least “the present winter.” When winter ended in 1866, so did the history of Fort Cook as the troops were moved to Fort Bidwell in the far northeastern corner of California.

Information taken from Beautiful California Website