Fort Tejon State Historic Park

Welcome to Fort Tejon State Historic Park!

In 1852, President Millard Fillmore appointed Edward F. Beale to the position of Superintendent of Indian Affairs for California and Nevada, and sent him to California to head off further confrontation between the California Indians and the many gold seekers and other settlers who were the pouring into California.

In order to implement his plan, Beale requested a federal appropriation of $500,000 and military support for the 75,000 acre reservation he had selected at the foot of Tejon Pass. The U.S. Army, supported Beale’s plan and agreed to set up a military post on or near the California Indian reservation.

Today, the original and reconstructed buildings help to tell the story of the California Indians, Gold Rush, and the influence of the American Civil War on the settlement of the West.

This program seeks to provide students with a glimpse of life on the frontier of California in the 1850s through the lens of a remote Army post called Fort Tejon. Various “living history” topics and stations are presented such as mid-19^th century Army drill and weapons, blacksmithing, frontier carpentry, tack and saddlery work, open hearth cooking, adobe brick making, period laundry practices and candle making.

NOTE: This program is best suited for grades 4th, 5th and 8th

Keep reading to discover our On-Demand programs and K-12 educational resources from Fort Tejon State Historic Park!