Fun things to do in Camp Verde

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This was believed to be the source of water supply for the Castle. Located below the castle grounds it is easily seen and accessible. The history is much more than what one sees, it is a testament to the ingenuity of the people who lived hundreds of years ago.

Half of the well is filled with spring water. Its size is a little is a little unusual and one can tell that the outlet was used to irrigate fields by the people that lived there. Inside the visitor center, information on the well confirms that the people known as the Hokokam and Sinagua built wells around the edge for irrigation purposes.

The Hopi consider the site of importance to them and other tribes and clans today trace their ancestry here.

Hollywood shows us forts in the old west with large wooden poles surrounding the fort and John Wayne shooting from the top of the walls. In reality the forts were frequently placed in very desolate places where there are not enough trees to build such a wall. They were unnecessary anyway. The local tribes almost never attacked a fort because they knew they would be outmanned and outgunned. They may, however, hide on top of mesas like those in this picture to observe what the soldiers in the fort were doing.

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The last surviving building is the Doctor's Quarters. Duty in the west during the late 1800s was very hazardous, and the doctor was an important member of the unit. Unfortunately, the pay of $123 a month, while much more than the soldiers made was very low for a doctor so most of the doctors working for the army were not very good. Photo 1 shows the outside of the building; Photos 2 and 3 show the parlor; and Photo 4 shows the Doctor's Office and some of his instruments.

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The next building is the Bachelor Officer's Quarters. The Married Officer's Quarters and the barracks for the enlisted soldiers are no longer standing. Photo 1 shows the outside of the building; Photos 2 and 3 show a typical room; Photo 4 shows some typical equipment from the period assembled on a soldier's bunk; Photo 5 is looking towards the Commanding Officer's Quarters from the back porch. Notice the hay for the horses by the Commander's Quarters.

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The first building you see is the Commanding Officer's Quarters. Photo 1 shows the exterior of the building; Photo 2 and 3 show the master bedroom; the wife would bathe here, the men and children bathed in the kitchen; Photo 4 shows the parlor where the family would gather in the evening and where they would entertain guests; Photo 5 shows a child's room; just beyond the children's room would be the Striker's Room. A striker was an enlisted man who helped with the chores, cooked, and watched the children. If you were a striker you had much better living quarters and earned an extra $5 a month. $5 may not sound like much but the normal pay was only $13 a month so an extra 5 was quite a bit.

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As you cross the street from the Visitor's Center toward the remains of Fort Verde, you will see a large open area in front of the buildings. This is the parade field where the soldiers would assemble before missions and where they would conduct drills and ceremonies.

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Within the Visitor's Center is the museum. The museum has several nice displays showing the soldiers and their lives here at Fort Verde. There are also some displays about the civilians that lived on the fort and the nearby town. Photo 1 shows a recreation of the Commander's Office; Photo 2 shows the saddles used by the soldiers; Photo 3 shows the dress uniforms of an officer and a sergeant; Photo 4 shows the layout of the original fort; and Photo 5 shows some of the military weapons used in the late 1800s.

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Another attraction near Camp Verde is the Fort Verde State Historic Park. Fort Verde is a good example of the forts built throughout Arizona and was constructed in 1865. This location was first named Camp Lincoln, the Camp Verde and finally Fort Verde. Fort Verde was the primary base for General George Crook’s U.S. Army scouts and soldiers. Your first stop will be the Visitor's Center so you can pay the entrance fee ($2 for adults 14 and up) and collect brochures about the site.