Fort Hoskins Historical Park
Fort Hoskins Historical Park
The original Fort Hoskins was established in 1856 to protect and monitor the new coastal Indian reservation. Fort Hoskins was purchased by Benton County in 1991.
Fort Hoskins Historic Park, a 130-acre site, opened for public day use in July 2002. Fort Hoskins Historic Park offers accessible restrooms, picnicking, educational interpretive displays, and self-guided trails that will allow users to access the resource’s varied history, vegetation, and views. The group picnic area shelter is available for reservation rental. (See the Reservations Page for more information.)
We have additional information online for Fort Hoskins, including maps, photos, and newsletters. Also available online is the Fort Hoskins Historic Park Forest Stewardship Management Plan.
Reservation Information
Fort Hoskins Historic Park offers educational interpretive displays and self-guided trails that allow users to appreciate the park’s varied history, vegetation and views. The Fort Hoskins Shelter, constructed in 2002, is available for reservation and exclusive use. In addition to ten picnic tables and serving counter, there are two electrical outlets, a sink and electric cook top, spigot, drinking fountain and barbecues. A key for unlocking the access door to the sink and cooktop should be obtained from the Parks Office by 5:00pm the day before or the Friday before your event if it’s reserved on a Saturday, Sunday or Holiday. The park and the accessible restroom are available for use from dawn to dusk. The access road is gated from dusk to dawn.
Reservation Cancellations
Cancellations are subject to a $25.00 cancellation fee and need to be made 48 hours or more from the date of the reservation in order to receive a partial refund. If Cancellations are made within 2 days of the scheduled reservation date, they are subject to forfeiture of 100% of the reservation fees paid. We do not give credit or refunds due to discomfort of nature, or weather-related events.
Ft. Hoskins History
Construction on the post began in 1856 on the Luckiamute River under the supervision of then Captain Christopher C. Augur. Fort Hoskins was finished in 1857, with then-lieutenant Philip Sheridan in charge, and was named after Lt. Charles Hoskins, who had died in the Mexican–American War.[2] The fort is located about 19 miles northwest of Corvallis. The community of Hoskins took its name from the fort.
Captain Augur was assigned to Fort Hoskins as its first post commander from 25 July 1856 to 2 July 1861. He and his growing family became the first occupants of their newly constructed residence on Fort Hoskin’s “Officer’s Row.” 2nd Lt. Phil Sheridan oversaw the construction of Fort Hoskins during this period. Two soldiers who were stationed at the fort during the American Civil War kept journals of their experiences: Royal A. Bensell and William M. Hilleary. Their accounts are of unmitigated boredom and dampness, but they provide a good picture of 19th-century life in the area.
Fort Hoskins played an indirectly important role in local and state history because of the leadership of several out-of-state soldiers who decided to stay in the area after they were mustered out of the army. Several placenames in the area, such as Kings Valley, are connected with these soldiers. The fort never saw any action, though a bloodless insurrection by Native Americans at Yaquina Bay was put down by the soldiers.[2] After the Civil War ended, it was discovered that Fort Hoskins had been an outpost of interest to the former Confederate government. Fort Hoskins was abandoned in 1865.
Fort Hoskins was one of three “forts” (which were actually unfortified posts) built by the U.S. Army to monitor the Coastal Indian Reservation in Oregon Territory (later the U.S. State of Oregon) in the mid- 19th century. The Fort Hoskins Site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Fort Hoskins was garrisoned by a number of companies of soldiers throughout its short existence, and future Union Civil War generals Christopher Columbus Augur and Phil Sheridan were stationed there.
Supporting Documents
Directions
Fort Hoskins Historic Site
38150 Ft. Hoskins Road
Philomath, OR 97370