Exploring Earth's Priciest Abandoned Structures
13.Santa Clara, New Mexico's Fort Bayard Historic Site
Location: Santa Clara, New Mexico
Year Established: 1866
Proposed Renovation Cost: $35 million (as of 2013)
Originally built in the 1800s, Fort Bayard served as a crucial security outpost for settlers during a tumultuous period in American history. Throughout the Wild West era, African-American "Buffalo Soldiers" played a vital role in defending these settlers against Native American attacks while stationed at Fort Bayard.
After its military service, Fort Bayard was repurposed as a sanitarium for tuberculosis patients and later transformed into a VA hospital, serving the needs of veterans.
Fort Bayard Historical Site
During the 1940s, Fort Bayard also housed German POWs, adding another chapter to its storied history. After serving various purposes over the years, the fort is now largely abandoned. However, a portion of the site continues to function as a drug treatment facility and long-term care institution, providing essential services to the community.
Today, the only remnants of this once-vibrant establishment are the surrounding landscape and the Fort Bayard National Cemetery, which stands as a solemn reminder of the lives that have been touched by the fort's long and varied history.
