Site Audio Tour
Site Audio Tour: Stop 25
The Parade Grounds
You are now standing on the Fort Sumner parade ground. The buildings in front of you are the Company Quarters. The Company Quarters had adobe walls that were 30 inches thick. The exterior walls were left unfinished, but the interiors were coated with whitewash. Fireplaces were used for both heating and cooking. The long portal, or porch, was a common feature of building construction at that time. This photograph was probably taken in the early part of 1864, before the cottonwoods were planted along the parade ground.
