FORT APACHE HISTORIC PARK
Commanding Officer's Quarters
(General
Crook's Log Cabin)
101
Circa 1871
 History: The first Commanding
Officer's (C.O.'s) quarters was constructed in the spring of 1871, as one of
eight identical 18' x 20' canvas-floored log cabins built in a row (extending
for a quarter of a mile) along the north edge of the parade ground. After the
arrival of the steam powered sawmill in 1872, each cabin was enlarged by the
addition of another 18' x 20' log section (known as a pen) joined to the first
by an enclosed, ten foot wide dogtrot. All of the original officers' quarters
constructed before 1883 were provided with kitchens, which were detached sheds.
The original log quarters continued to be used for many years, disappearing one
by one, until only one cabin at the west end of the row remains standing. This
building is the oldest surviving structure on the post. General George Crook,
Commander of the Military Department of Arizona from 1871 to 1873 and from 1882
to 1886, may have been quartered in this building on his visits to the post
during his first tour of duty in Arizona.
 After the construction of newer C.O.'s quarters
further along Officer's Row in 1874, the log cabin served as housing for lower
ranking officers. Because of its proximity to the hospital, it was probably
used as Post Surgeon's quarters and may possible have been occupied by Doctor
Walter Reed and his family. Later, after the construction of additional
quarters along Officer's Row, the cabin was used to quarter civilian employees
of the post. Fort Apache was abandoned by the Army in 1922, and the former
military post was converted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (B.I.A.) To the
Theodore Roosevelt School for Indian children. Through the 1920's and 1930's
the cabin was used to house teachers employed by the B.I.A. Later it became the
home of the tribal trapper. In 1969, the log cabin was taken over by the White
Mountain apache Tribe for the use of their newly created apache culture Center.
The Culture Center continues to occupy the cabin today.
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