Only eight miles west of Manhattan on K-18 is the Home of the Big Red One - Fort Riley. Founded in 1852, the Fort Riley Army post was originally established to protect settlers on the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails. Many legendary and historic characters have been associated with Fort Riley over the past century - Buffalo Bill Cody, Wild Bill Hickok, General George Armstrong Custer, General George S. Patton and General Lewis Armistead.

Today, Fort Riley is home to the 1st Infantry Division. The reservation covers more than 101,000 acres, spanning both Riley and Geary counties. Many historic points of interest on post are open to the public.

Guides welcome you to the beautifully restored Custer House. Built of native limestone in 1854, during the initial building phase at Fort Riley, these quarters stand as the only set of surviving officers' quarters from the Fort's early history. The Custer House is also representative of frontier life on the Kansas prairie. The house is open mid-May to the end of September, Monday - Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm, Sunday noon to 4 pm. The Custer house is located in Building 24 on Sheridan Ave. and can be contacted by phone at (785) 239-2737.

Fort Riley houses two of the finest military museums in this region. Built in 1855 as the original hospital, the U.S. Cavalry Museum, Bldg. 205 on Henry Ave., has become the pride of Fort Riley after serving as the Post Headquarters and the Cavalry School Headquarters. The U.S. Cavalry Museum and 1st Infantry Division Museum are housed in separate buildings on the historic Main Post.

The 1st Infantry Division Museum is located in Bldg. 207. Currently, there are exhibits relating to the Big Red One's history from 1917 to the present.

Cavalry Museum hours are Monday - Saturday 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, and Sundays from noon to 4:30 pm. The 1st Infantry Division Museum hours of operation are Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and Sunday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Both are closed on major holidays.

For more information on the museums, call (785) 239-2737, visit the Fort Riley website or write Museum Division, DPTMS, Building 500, Fort Riley, KS 66442-5000.

If you do not have a military/civilian ID for accessing Fort Riley, you must first stop at the Marshall Field, Ogden Gate or Forsyth Gate to secure a visitors pass. When doing so, you must have the following:

For additional Fort Riley information, contact Fort Riley information at (785) 239-3911 or Fort Riley Public Affairs, (785) 239-3358 or (785) 239-2022 or visit Fort Riley's website.