Fort Montgomery today.
Fort Montgomery, in Linn County, Kansas, was the personal home of Free-State leader Colonel James Montgomery during the Kansas-Missouri Border War.
After Missouri guerrillas burned to the ground Montgomery’s personal home, located just a few miles west of Mound City, Kansas, Montgomery determined to protect himself and his family and began to build the fortress. Along with several friends, the two-story log cabin fortress was built from oak and walnut trees on the side of a hill with a wide range of vision. The second story contained portholes that not only provided light and ventilation but also gun holes.
One feature that only a few of Montgomery’s friends knew about was a crude tunnel dug beneath the building. This tunnel would later prove invaluable, as Montgomery was able to escape several posses who were searching for him. Montgomery later joined the Civil War, where he was commissioned as a Colonel. After the war, Montgomery returned to his fortress, where he worked as a farmer until he died in 1871.
Today, Montgomery’s home has been rebuilt by the Mound City Community.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of Kansas, updated May 2025.
Also See:
Haunted Forts & Battle Grounds
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