The Fort is a historic restaurant/steakhouse located at 19192 CO-8 in the Front Range town of Morrison, Colorado.
It has become one of our favorite places to celebrate special occasions since we moved to Colorado!
As you can read on the sign above, The Fort was built in
1962 by Sam'l P. Arnold and has an interesting history.
Its adobe structure was built between 1961 and 1963 as a replica of the historic 1833 Bent's Fort located in La Junta, Colorado, along the Santa Fe Trail. The structure incorporates over 80,000 handmade adobe bricks. The building was originally intended as the Arnold family home, but during construction, rising costs prompted the decision to open the lower level of the building as a restaurant, while the family lived upstairs.
The completed Fort Restaurant opened in February 1963, specializing in what the Arnolds called “New Foods of the Old West.”
The photo collage above shows the actual Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site.
We visited it in 2017--you can read that blog post here.
Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site features a reconstructed version of the 1840s adobe trading post. Archaeological excavations and original sketches, paintings, and diaries were used to reconstruct the fort, to coincide with the nation’s bicentennial and Colorado’s centennial in 1976. The reconstructed fort and its setting along the Arkansas River allow visitors to learn about its role as a trading post for Native Americans and pioneers during its existence.
The interior courtyard of The Fort has an early western theme.
It is at 6,100 feet (1,859.28 meters) elevation, nestled among beautiful giant red rock formations.
There is a fun tradition at The Fort when someone is celebrating a special occasion: a buffalo hat is placed on their head and the staff beats a drum and cheers with a loud "HUZZAH!!" In the photo above, my husband is wearing the hat at his retirement party.
There is also an official drink toast written by Arnold which you can read here.
From The Fort's website:
"The Fort’s menu was built on meticulous research into pioneer diaries, Native American foodways, and the meals of mountain men and Santa Fe Trail travelers, blended with Spanish and Mexican influences reflective of Bent’s Fort’s historic location. Sam Arnold’s research led to his acclaimed cookbook Eating Up the Santa Fe Trail, which became the foundation of The Fort’s cuisine. Buffalo, elk, quail, and other historic staples defined the menu, along with dishes such as bone marrow, tongue, and Rocky Mountain oysters. The Hailstorm—Colorado’s first recorded cocktail, served at Bent’s Fort in 1833—became The Fort’s signature drink."
All the food at The Fort is very Western gourmet and delicious!
You can see some of their recipes on their blog at this link.
The Fort has an assortment of private event rooms, and also an outdoor seating area with beautiful views. We once saw a bride and groom arrive for their dinner party by helicopter!
Holly Arnold Kinney, daughter of founder Sam Arnold, purchased The Fort in 1999 and led the restaurant with a deep commitment to its history until her retirement in January 2026. Under her stewardship, The Fort earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places, and its land remains protected through a conservation easement held by the Colorado Historical Foundation.
The Fort also hosts Entertainment, Historic Lectures, Cultural Events and Dinners, Murder Mystery Dinners, Wine and Whiskey Dinners, among other special events--check their website under the Happenings and Entertainment tabs to see what is available.
You can watch this YouTube video made in 2022 for The Fort's 60th Anniversary to see some of the history of the restaurant, some of the famous people who dined there, and interviews and TV segments filmed there.
It's been so nice to have this special place nearby to enjoy through the years!
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What a fascinating restaurant -- the history and cuisine going together so well -- makes it a special place for Coloradoans and visitors to your beautiful state.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a wonderful place to visit and enjoy a good meal, with lots of atmosphere and history.
ReplyDeletewow - looks like an amazing place to visit. Have a fabulous week. I am joining you at Monday Morning Blog Club.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic place to have a restaurant. The fort sounds like it's so full of history! It looks like a really fun place for a celebration and the food looks good too!
ReplyDeleteThis was such a fun read! How wonderful to have this spot to celebrate special moments in your family's life. So much history and so many thoughtful details have gone into this restaurant... plus the food looks delicious, too! Thanks for introducing us to The Fort!
ReplyDelete...I haven't had my breakfast yet, now I'm really hungry! Thanks for showing me around.
ReplyDeleteI love going on an adventure with you. Today is no exception. An unusal restaurant with history and atmosphere! #MMBC
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun place for a restaurant, your can feel the atmosphere. And the food looks wonderful as well.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Oh, this looks like such a fun place! I've seen it from afar but have never stopped in. Visiting from the Senior Salon Pit Stop link party.
ReplyDeleteHello Pat,
ReplyDeleteGreat tour of the fort! The restaurant is nice and the food looks very good. Take care, enjoy your day and the week ahead.