Because of public interest, the museum at Fort Stanton State Monument will continue regular hours through November, according to Clinton Smith, president of Fort Stanton, Inc.
The Fort Stanton Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Monday, with Sunday hours of noon to 4 p.m. The museum is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
During the colder months of December through March, the museum only will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Saturdays and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays.
The fort will be open to the public during the week, but the museum will be closed.
One of the most popular attractions at Fort Stanton State Monument is the Fort Stanton Garrison. The living historians feature the infantry, cavalry and artillery detachments that exemplify the military era of Fort Stanton and they present public living history interpretations on the third weekend of each month.
The Fort Stanton Garrison represents Company K of the 8th United States Infantry as it was at Fort Stanton in 1858.
The garrison's "Ladies Impressions" series, a sequence of presentations concerning women's dress, activities and history at Fort Stanton during the 1850s, began in October and will continue. The presentations, guided by Victoria Davis, are designed to enhance the authentic participation of women during garrison activities. The initial presentation focused on the underpinnings of women's clothing and basic dress design. With the number of ladies present in period attire, Davis had several examples to show in support of her sources. Subsequent ladies' topics will be hosted about every other month and will include children's clothing, textiles, hairstyles, accessories and etiquette.
The Fort Stanton Garrison sets up camp on Friday evening and living history interpretations of the Infantry and Cavalry will be presented to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Following the raising of the flag, the day could be filled with everything from marching throughout the area and making contour maps to constructing musket cartridges and performing mounted saber exercises.
Anyone interested in becoming a living historian is invited to join the drill at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Garrison drill dates have been set for Nov. 17 with ciphering lessons and artillery drill; Dec. 15, for Christmas pot luck and Victorian tree decorating, Jan. 19 and Feb. 16.
Few sites in the nation encompass the breadth of history seen at the Fort Stanton State Monument. Fort Stanton State Monument is on New Mexico Highway 220 that bisects the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway. New Mexico's newest state monument features more than 155 years of southwestern history ranging from its initial creation as a military garrison to its significance as the first national tuberculosis hospital in the state, to an internment camp for German seaman during World War II.