In 1862 General James H. Carelton wanted to stop the Navajo and Apache raiding, so he had a fort built in the Bosque Redondo. This fort was named after Col. Edmond Vose Sumner who had built Forts Craig, Fillmore, Union and Thorn in other historic areas of New Mexico. Their idea of teaching the Indians agriculture and ranching didn't work out, so it was deactivated in 1868.
In the late 1800s, Fort Sumner was actually known as Sunnyside. In 1910, it was changed back to Fort Sumner after a tornado wiped out most of the town.
See additional Fort Sumner history in the geocahce description placed at the southeast entrace of this huge cemetery.
This cache is placed here as a tribute to the pioneers and settlers of the area that are buried here. This CO's direct kinfolk are interred here, too. We solicite your support as a volunteer cacher to place a "Spirit" cache at or near a cemetery of your choosing.