Fort Mary B

Fort Mary B
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
Country	United States
State	Colorado
County	Summit
Nearest town	Breckenridge

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]

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]

Notes

1. Fort Mary B may have been named for Mary Bigelow, the first woman to stay at the fort. Or, it may have been named for a Mr. Mabery who helped build the stockade.[3]

References

1. Hague, Rick (November 30, 2015). "How the early runs on Peak 7 at Breckenridge got their names". Summit Daily. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
2. Scott, Glenn R. (2004). "Historic Trail Map of the Leadville 1° × 2° Quadrangle, Central Colorado". pubs.usgs.gov. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
3. Frank Hall (1895). History of the State of Colorado, Embracing Accounts of the Pre-historic Races and Their Remains. Blakely print. Company. p. 326.
4. "Breckenridge Town Charter". Town of Breckenridge. p. 6. Retrieved June 13, 2018.