Fort Mary B was the first permanent structure in the Breckenridge, Colorado area. It was a wooden stockade built by the first prospecting party in 1859 due to the presence of Ute people in the area.[1][2] It was named Fort Mary B for Mary Bigelow, the only woman in the party.[1][a] The stockade covered a couple of acres and had a log cabin at each corner.[1] The first log cabin was built by Ruben Spalding.[3] The town of Breckenridge was established one mile south of the site,[2] which is near the Wells Fargo Bank.[1]
Fort Mary B | |
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Stockade | |
Nickname(s): Fort Independence, Fort Independent, Fort Breckenridge, Fort Meribeh | |
Fort Mary B The site was located very near the Wells Fargo Bank in Breckenridge | |
Coordinates: 39°29′16.08″N 106°2′49.9″W / 39.4878000°N 106.047194°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Colorado |
County | Summit |
Nearest town | Breckenridge |
It was first called Fort Independent or Fort Independence.[1] The fort is also said to have been called Fort Breckenridge and Fort Meribeh.[2] The town charter only list two names for the former Breckenridge area: Fort Meribeh and Fort Mary B.[4]