Camp Date Creek, Arizona, was first established as Camp McPherson in January 1867. The camp was a temporary post guarding the road between Prescott and La Paz, Arizona.

Unlike many Arizona forts, Camp McPherson sat in a beautiful area, with meadows and tall grasses along a creek called Date Creek, named for the abundance of yucca, or wild dates, in the area. The post was named for Brigadier General James B. McPherson, who was killed in the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864. Its initial service was short-lived; just a few months later, it was moved north about 25 miles and renamed Camp Skull Valley in March. However, it was returned to its original location in May and renamed Camp Date Creek. By 1868, two companies of the 14th Infantry were stationed at the post, but legend has it they spent more time fixing buildings and prospecting in the area than fighting Indians. That changed when the first recorded skirmish took place in September 1869, followed by several Indian attacks. The post was moved two more times along Date Creek during its existence. In 1871, a temporary Indian Reservation was located near the post.

In 1874, the Secretary of War restored the lands to the public domain, saying the post was of no military use. Settlers then used the buildings for the next several years. Today, a few original walls still stand, and an old cemetery sits on the site. However, the cemetery graves are civilian, as the soldiers’ remains were moved to the Presidio in San Francisco, California.

The site is located 60 miles Southwest of Prescott, Arizona, in Yavapai County, North of US Highway 89 in the Date Creek vicinity.

 

© Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated October 2026.

Also See:

Arizona Forts

Arizona – The Grand Canyon State

Forts Across America

Forts & Presidios Photo Gallery

See Sources.