Media outlets and the general public are invited to Fort Scott National Historic Site on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, for a Special Naturalization Ceremony at the fort’s parade ground. Check-in for ceremony participants begins at 9:30 a.m. and the ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. The Honorable Holly L. Teeter, United States District Judge for the District of Kansas, is scheduled to preside.
Saturday through Monday, September 5-7, 2026, Fort Scott National Historic Site will take you on an exploration of the labors and leisure on an 1840s frontier post. Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., enjoy a variety of living history demonstrations as you explore the labors on the fort. Monday will be Artillery demonstrations at 9, 10, and 11 a.m.
Celebrate American independence with the sounds of cannon fire and immersion in America’s history while honoring the men and women who have defended the United States through the growth of our nation. On Saturday, July 4th, we will fire artillery, lead Fort tours, and honor all those who have fought for our freedom.
Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 3:30 p.m., Fort Scott National Historic Site, American Legion Post 25, and Fort Scott Fire Department will be hosting an official US Flag Disposal Ceremony. Bring your: United States, POW/MIA, State, and Service (U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard) flags to the fort between now and 3:30 p.m. Saturday and we will properly and respectfully dispose of them. Just as there’s etiquette for displaying Old Glory, there’s also etiquette for disposing of flags in a dignified manner.
Learn Native American stories and experience dance performances by the Oklahoma Fancy Dancers. Then create traditional corn husk dolls in Native Plains fashion. All activities are free and open to the public.
Fort Scott National Historic Site invites the public to help place flags for the annual “Symbols of Sacrifice” Field of Honor at 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 22. Individuals, families and groups are welcome to participate and stay as long as they are available.
Fort Scott National Historic Site will host its Annual Civil War Encampment, April 18 and 19, 2026. Join us each day to experience cavalry, infantry, and artillery troops drilling and preparing for battle in the summer of 1861.
Tickets are now on sale for the 44th Annual Candlelight Tour at Fort Scott National Historic Site, set for Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5–6, 2025. Tickets are available online at fofs.ludus.com for $5 per person The 45-minute guided tours depart every 15 minutes, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday and 5 to 8:45 p.m. Saturday, and end in the Grand Hall with warm drinks and snacks provided by the Friends of Fort Scott NHS.
Tens of thousands of volunteers across the country will join in trail maintenance, planting projects, trash pick-up, and other activities aimed at restoring and caring for public lands to celebrate the 30th Annual National Public Lands Day, September 27.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting author, historical researcher, and Civil War reenactor Calvin L. Osborne on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at 2 p.m. in the Grand Hall of the East Infantry Barracks, where he will share an epic story of a once-enslaved man who fought for freedom, helped shape a nation, and unknowingly laid a foundation for generations to come.
Media outlets and the general public are invited to Fort Scott National Historic Site on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, for a Special Naturalization Ceremony at the parade ground here.
Saturday, August 30, Fort Scott National Historic Site will take you on an exploration of the labors and leisure on an 1840s frontier post. Throughout Saturday, enjoy historic yard games, a variety of living history demonstrations, and interpretive programs as you explore the labors and leisure on the fort.
Fort Scott National Historic Site celebrates the anniversary of the National Park Service, Monday, August 25, 2025, with a series of family-friendly games, trivia, a scavenger hunt throughout the day, fort tours at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and a musical performance by the 1st Infantry Division Band from Fort Riley. Activities are appropriate for visitors of all ages and abilities.
Learn Native American stories and experience dance performances by the Oklahoma Fancy Dancers. Then learn how to work with Feathers that adorn the dancers in traditional Native Plains fashion. All activities are free and open to the public.
Travel back in time using just your phone, the NPS App, and the tap of a finger. Beginning Friday, May 23, 2025, Fort Scott National Historic Site is proud to pilot the first-ever augmented reality (AR) experience of digitally reconstructing historic structures in a national park through the NPS App.
Fort Scott National Historic Site invites you to join the park in placing the flags for the “Symbols of Sacrifice” Field of Honor Friday morning, May 23, 2025. We welcome everyone to participate and encourage individuals and groups to plan on arriving at 8:30 a.m. and help as long as you are available.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting its Annual Civil War Encampment, April 12 and 13, 2025. Join us each day to experience cavalry and infantry troops drilling, preparing for battle, and sharing stories of life during the Civil War. Talk to a blacksmith as he brings raw metal to life with his hammer, learn the process of crafting lead musket balls, and speak with volunteers portraying some of the women who provided support to the troops and operations during the Civil War.
Thursday, October 31, 2024, join Fort Scott National Historic Site for a special candle lantern walk through the Murder and Mayhem at the Fort. Tour leaders, from the 1840s-1860s, will share some of the lesser told tragedies and macabre events that were far too common in Fort Scott’s 19th century.
Friday, September 20, 2024, Fort Scott National Historic Site will host the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. District Court, Kansas District, for a Special Naturalization Ceremony of 202 new citizens from 57 countries. Check-in for new citizens begins at 9 a.m. and the ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. The Honorable Teresa J. James, United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Kansas, will preside over the proceedings on the historic fort Parade Ground.
On Thursday, July 4th, celebrate American independence with the sounds of cannon fire and immersion in America’s history while honoring the men and women who have defended the United States through the growth of our nation.
Join a ranger for a walk back in time to the “Good’ Ol’ Days” Saturday, June 1, 2024. Programs and living history activities will be ongoing from 9:30 am - 3 pm. All activities are free and open to the public. To find out more, please contact the park at 620-223-0310.
Fort Scott National Historic Site invites you to join the park in placing the flags for the “Symbols of Sacrifice” Field of Honor Friday morning, May 24, 2024. We welcome everyone to participate and encourage individuals and groups to plan on arriving at 8:30 a.m. and help as long as you are available.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting its Annual Civil War Encampment, April 20 and 21, 2024. Join us each day to experience artillery, cavalry, and infantry troops drilling, preparing for battle, and firing their weapons, talk to a blacksmith as he brings raw metal to life with his hammer, and learn about the process of tintype photography.
Park managers at Fort Scott National Historic Site, in coordination with Fire Managers at the US Fish and Wildlife Service from Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge, plan to burn the five-acre restored prairie this March 2024. The soonest date will be this Wednesday, March 12th, if conditions are safe and will meet the park’s goals. The specific date and ignition will depend upon weather conditions and the burn may be postponed or canceled if conditions are unfavorable.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is beginning a year long Fire Suppression System replacement in nine buildings. The first two buildings are the Dragoon Barracks and Post Hospital/Visitor Center. While work is being completed in the Post Hospital, the Visitor Center’s information desk has been temporarily moved into the West Infantry Barracks next door. The park’s bookstore will be closed until the Post Hospital is reopened.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is temporarily reducing its hours of operation to 8:30am-4:30pm Friday through Tuesday tentatively through the end of March. The park grounds will not be closing, only the park’s public buildings and Visitor Center on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Due to an extended staffing shortage the park is temporarily unable to provide adequate operational coverage and visitor services. Administrative and facility operations will continue as normal. By the end of March, the park projects returning to normal operations seven days each week.
Fort Scott National Historic Site (park) and Marais Des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge (refuge) are setting up a trial run for a new Christmas Bird Count “Circle” with the National Audubon Society. The park and refuge invite birdwatchers to participate in the longest running community science survey, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC). On Saturday, December 16, birders and nature enthusiasts should meet at the park’s Visitor Center in Fort Scott at 7:30 and/or 10 am. No experience is necessary to participate in the count.
Fort Scott National Historic Site concludes the first year of Native American Experience programing with two chapters from the Civil War in Kansas. The first presentation, “A Shield Against the World”: Opothleyahola and the Trail of Blood on Ice Campaign in the Civil War, is by Dr. Michelle M. Martin on Saturday, November 18th, at 1pm. The second presentation, “Allies and Adversaries”: The role of American Indians in the Civil War west of the Mississippi River, is by Arnold W. Schofield on Sunday, November 19th, at 2pm.
Saturday, November 4, 2023, Fort Scott National Historic Site, in partnership with Paws and Claws, will host an inaugural B.A.R.K. Ranger event from 9 am until noon.
Wednesday, November 1, 2023, tickets for Fort Scott National Historic Site’s 42nd Annual Candlelight Tour go on sale. Tickets are available by calling the fort at 620-223-0310 (with a major credit card) or by stopping by the Visitor Center on Old Fort Blvd. Tickets are $8.00 per person and non-refundable, children 5 and under are free. It is recommended that you get your tickets early to ensure your choice of tour times, as this event frequently sells out.
The leaves are changing for fall and winter, so are the hours of operation at Fort Scott National Historic Site. Beginning Wednesday, November 1, the park’s historic structures will be open daily from 8:30 am–4:30 pm through March 31, 2024. The buildings are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. The park grounds, walkways, and parking lot continue to be open from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset daily.
Friday, October 20, 2023, the Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site, Inc. and Fort Scott National Historic Site are sponsoring the premiere of Killers of the Flower Moon, as a part of the nationwide release. The free premiere showing is at 6:40 pm and is hosted by the Fort Scott Cinema, 224 W 18th St, Fort Scott, KS 66701. The free tickets are available at the box office at show time.
Tuesday, October 31, 2023, join Fort Scott National Historic Site for a special candle lantern walk through the Murder and Mayhem at the Fort. Tour leaders, from the 1840s-1860s, will share some of the lesser told tragedies and macabre events that were far too common in Fort Scott’s 19th century. These four special Halloween lantern tours will start every 30 minutes beginning at 6:30 pm. Space is limited and required reservations will open Friday, October 13, at 8:30 am.
Saturday, October 28, 2023, Fort Scott National Historic Site will share stories and a closer look at October’s full Hunter’s, or Hunting, Moon. The program will begin just after the moonrise at 6:30 pm and telescope viewing begins just after twilight at 7 pm.
Thursday, September 14, 2023, Fort Scott National Historic Site will host the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration services (USCIS) and the U.S. District Court, Kansas District, for a Special Naturalization Ceremony. Check-in for new citizens begins at 8 am and the ceremony will begin at 10:30 am. The Honorable Teresa J. James, United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Kansas, will preside over the ceremony on the historic grounds of the Fort.
Saturday, September 2 through Monday, September 4, 2022, Fort Scott National Historic Site will take you on an exploration of the labors and leisure on an 1840s frontier post. Throughout Labor Day weekend enjoy live music, historic yard games, and a variety of living history demonstrations, and interpretive programs. Visit with soldiers, officer’s wives, laundresses, the post Sutler and find out about the labors of the fort and some of the leisure activities. All programs are free and open to the public. And enjoy ice cream, while it lasts, on Saturday at 11:30 am courtesy of the Friends of Fort Scott NHS, Inc.
Celebrate American independence with the sounds of cannon fire and immersion in America’s history while honoring the service men and women who have defended the United States through the growth of our nation.
Join a ranger for a walk back in time to the “Good’ Ol’ Days” Saturday, June 3, 2023. Programs and living history activities will be ongoing from 9 am - 4 pm. And meet at the park Visitor Center. All activities are free and open to the public. To find out more, please contact the park at 620-223-0310.
Fort Scott National Historic Site invites you to join the park in placing the flags for the “Symbols of Sacrifice” Field of Honor Friday morning, May 26. To ensure everyone can help, we encourage individuals and groups to plan on arriving from 8 a.m. through 1 p.m., but you may help as long as you wish. To find out more and to become involved, please contact the park at 620-223-0310, email us at fosc_interpretation@nps.gov, or just come out and help.
Saturday, May 27, 2023, at 11 am, Fort Scott National Historic Site and Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge are presenting Jewel Endicott with the first-place award for her age group in the Kansas Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest for the 2nd year in a row. Her winning entry is titled "Cinnamon Teal Swimming" and was done in colored pencil. The awards presentation will be in the foyer on the upper level of the park’s Infantry Barracks, outside the theater.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is looking for 6 energetic and outgoing teens to participate in our 2023 summer Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program running Monday through Friday from June 12 through August 4. This eight-week program is for young people between the ages of 15 and 18 years of age. Shifts start at 8 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. with a one-hour lunch.
Park managers at Fort Scott National Historic Site, in coordination with Fire Managers at the US Fish and Wildlife Service from Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge, plan to burn the five-acre restored prairie this April 2023. The soonest date will be this Friday, April 7th, if conditions are safe and will meet the park’s goals. The specific date and ignition will depend upon weather conditions and the burn may be postponed or canceled if conditions are unfavorable.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting its Annual Civil War Encampment, April 15 and 16, 2023. Join us to experience artillery, cavalry, and infantry troops preparing for battle, smell bread baking, participate in discussions about troop and refugee support, and be serenaded by the Vogts Sisters! This well-loved tradition is back and better than ever!
Saturday, March 25, 11 am until noon in the theater of the Infantry Barracks, Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting retired National Park Service Historian Arnold W. Schofield to discuss 3 notable 19th Century Women from Fort Scott; Ann Shatto, a Slave; MaryAnn Holt Blakely, a Nurse; and Sara Edmonds Seelye, a Soldier, Nurse and Spy during the Civil War.
Saturday, March 18, 2023, from 11 am until noon in the theater of the Infantry Barracks, Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting historian and author Dr. Tia Edwards to discuss how nineteenth century U.S. Indian policy functioned as settler colonialism, displacing Indigenous nations across the eastern United States, including the Osage who were expelled from their Missouri homelands and confined to a reservation in Kansas.
Monday, February 20, 2023, Fort Scott National Historic Site and Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge are presenting the 30th annual national Junior Duck Stamp art contest.
Fort Scott National Historic Site will host free guided bird walks hourly from 9am through 3 pm, Friday, February 17, through Sunday, February 19, for the 26th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC).
Tuesday, November 1, 2022, tickets for Fort Scott National Historic Site’s 41st Annual Candlelight Tour go on sale. Tickets are available by calling the fort at 620-223-0310 (with a major credit card) or by stopping by the Visitor Center on Old Fort Blvd. Tickets are $8.00 per person and non-refundable, children 5 and under are free. It is recommended that you get your tickets early to ensure your choice of tour times, as this event frequently sells out.
The public is invited to the Exploring the African American Experience Project videography discussion on Friday, October 7, at the Ellis Fine Arts Center theater on the Fort Scott Community College campus at 9 a.m. There will be discussions about video and movie making, how to find inspiration, and some insight of technical aspects. Featured panelists include David Parks, photographer, filmmaker, author, and son of Gordon Parks; Robin Hickman-Winfield, Executive Producer of SoulTouch Productions and great-niece of Gordon Parks; and Eli Reed, award-winning photographer, photojournalist, and author.
The United States District Court for the District of Kansas will hold a special naturalization ceremony at the Fort Scott National Historic Site in Fort Scott, Kansas on Friday, September 23, 2022, at 10:30 a.m.
Today National Park Service (NPS) Regional Director Bert Frost announced the selection of Jill Jaworski as the new superintendent of Fort Scott National Historic Site in Kansas. Jaworski currently serves as the Chief Park Ranger at Cape Lookout National Seashore in Harkers Island, North Carolina. She will assume her new role at Fort Scott in November.
Saturday, September 3 through Monday, September 5, 2022, Fort Scott National Historic Site will take you on an exploration of the labors and leisure on an 1840s frontier post. Labor Day weekend activities include artillery demonstrations, 1840s baseball, candle making, breadmaking, construction skill demonstrations, historic yard games, and a variety of interpretive programs. Visit with soldiers, and an officer and his wife and find out about the labors of the fort and the leisure activities. All programs are free and open to the public.
Registration is now open for Fort Scott National Historic Site’s fun-filled summer day camp program for youth ages 9-12. The Fort Scott’s Park Rangers in Training, formally Trailblazers, will run August 8-12 from 8:30 am until noon each day. To sign-up for this free program, contact Fort Scott National Historic Site at (620) 223-0310 or email fosc_interpretation@nps.gov with your name, participant’s name, and phone number.
Saturday, July 23, 2022, at 9:30 am, Fort Scott National Historic Site, American Legion Post 25, and Fort Scott Fire Department will be hosting an official US Flag Disposal Ceremony. Bring your: United States, POW/MIA, State, and Service (U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard) flags to the fort between now and 9:30 am Saturday and we will properly and respectfully dispose of them. Just as there’s etiquette for displaying Old Glory, there’s also etiquette for disposing of flags in a dignified manner.
Celebrate American independence with the sounds of a military band, cannon fire, and immersion in America’s history while honoring the service men and women who have defended the United States through the growth of our nation.
Fort Scott National Historic Site invites you to join the park in placing the flags for the “Symbols of Sacrifice” Field of Honor Friday morning, May 27, beginning at 9 am. To ensure everyone can help, we will be scheduling shifts that begin each hour from 9 a.m. through 1 p.m., but you may help as long as you wish.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting its 39th Annual Civil War Encampment, April 23 and 24, 2022. Join us for cooking on the open fire, experience artillery and infantry troops preparing for battle, smell bread baking, participate in discussions about troop and refugee support, step back in times while playing period games, and try writing with quills and ink!
Park managers at Fort Scott National Historic Site, in coordination with Fire Managers with the US Fish and Wildlife Service from Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge, plan to burn the five-acre restored prairie this April 2022. The specific date and ignition will depend upon weather conditions and the burn may be postponed or canceled if conditions are unfavorable.
Saturday, February 19, 2022, Fort Scott National Historic Site and Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge are presenting the 29th annual national Junior Duck Stamp art contest. Art programs will run from 10am-noon and 2pm-3:30pm and all students in kindergarten through grade twelve are encouraged to participate in the art and conservation message contest. Participants need to check in at the park’s Visitor Center at 10am and 2pm for directions.
Fort Scott's NHS 40th Annual Candlelight Tour is December 3 and 4, 2021. Monday, November 1, 2021, tickets for Fort Scott National Historic Site’s 40th Annual Candlelight Tour go on sale. Tickets are available by calling the Fort at 620-223-0310 (with a major credit card) or by stopping by the Visitor Center on Old Fort Blvd.
Saturday, September 4 through Monday, September 6, 2021, Fort Scott National Historic Site will take you on an exploration of the sights, sounds, and smells behind the Labors creating the “Crack Post on the Frontier”.
Fort Scott National Historic Site will be conducting a geophysical survey of the site on August 2 through 13, 2021, to better understand how the fort looked in the 1840s.
Saturday, July 3, 2021, at 11am, Fort Scott Historic Site will accept the donation of the Lunette Blair building and land in a public ceremony/photo-op on the site in Skubitz Plaza
Celebrate the anniversary of American independence with the sounds of cannon fire while honoring the service men and women who have defended the United States for the past 245 years. Fort Scott National Historic Site will accept the donation of the Lunette Blair building and land in a public ceremony/photo-op on the site in Skubitz Plaza, Saturday, July 3, at 11am.
Fort Scott National Historic Site and Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge will host a free guided bird walk Saturday, February 13, at the Fort from 10 am to noon for the Great Backyard Bird Count.
Park managers at Fort Scott National Historic Site, in coordination with Fire Managers with the US Fish and Wildlife Service from Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge, plan to burn the five acre restored prairie Thursday, December 10, 2020.
Enjoy Fort Scott National Historic Site’s 39th Annual Candlelight Tour from the warmth and comfort of your own home. The virtual tour will air on the park’s web page (www.nps.gov/fosc) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FortScottNPS) at 7pm central time on Friday, December 4, 2020. There is no cost or fee for participating and Rangers will answer questions during and immediately following the program
Fort Scott National Historic Site has contractors beginning work next week to remove and replace the cedar shake shingles, eave troughs, and downspouts on seven (7) restored and reconstructed buildings. To allow the work to proceed as quickly and safely as possible, no more than one building will be temporarily closed at one time and the entire project will last approximately eight (8) months. Beginning with the Guard House, all three Officer’s Duplexes, both Infantry Barracks, and the Dragoon Barracks will be included.
Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Fort Scott National Historic Site is increasing recreational access.
Fort Scott National Historic Site, in response to guidance from the Governor of Kansas, is announcing additional modifications to operations to support federal, state, and local efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Fort Scott National Historic Site is announcing modifications to operations to implement the latest guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and local and state authorities to promote social distancing. As of Wednesday, March 18, at 12 p.m., the Fort Scott National Historic Site Parkstore and visitor contact desk area is closed until further notice. The upcoming Spring Civil War Encampment event will be rescheduled for a future date TBD.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is celebrating Women's History Month in March with two living history clothing workshops focusing on mid-19th century women.
Fort Scott National Historic Site will host two free guided bird walks Monday, February 17, from 7 to 9 am and 1 to 3 pm, for the Great Backyard Bird Count.
The Fort Scott National Historic Site’s Visitor Center and fort buildings will be closed, and no programs will be offered, on Christmas day and New Year's day (December 25, 2019 and January 1, 2020) to allow staff to celebrate the holidays with their families.
