The End of the Garrison
Despite efforts by the Commercial Club, the Secretary of War confirms the permanent closure of Fort Walla Walla.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
It is almost absolutely certain that Fort Walla Walla is to be abandoned as a military post, and all the efforts of the Walla Walla Commercial Club to save the big garrison to the city will prove of no avail. The secretary of war has formally announced that the department has definitely decided to abandon the fort as soon as Boise barracks can be enlarged to accommodate a larger number of cavalry troops. The information was conveyed to the Walla Walla Commercial Club this morning in a letter from Senator C. W. Fulton, of Oregon.
“I am sorry that your city is destined to lose the post. I do not, however, see that anything can be done to prevent it.”
The closure of Fort Walla Walla in 1904 represented a significant shift in the town's early 20th-century economy, mirroring how modern towns struggle when primary institutions or industries depart. The site today remains a point of deep historical significance for the Walla Walla valley, now preserved as a public park and museum.
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