CIBOLA COUNTY — As the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division announces an expansion of the Fort Wingate Historic District, local attention turns again to a site that has shaped— and continues to shape— New Mexico’s military, cultural, and technological legacy.
Located just east of Gallup and about 53 miles west of Grants, Fort Wingate has long held a prominent place in state and national history. From its early use as a frontier outpost during the Indian Wars to its critical role in training the original Navajo Code Talkers during World War II, the site’s significance spans generations. In June 2025, the state formally expanded the boundaries of the Fort Wingate Historic District to include school buildings from its later years as a Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding school, which operated from 1926 to 2009.
But even as the state works to preserve Fort Wingate’s past, the site has once again become a key player in modern defense.
A Renewed Role in National Security
Since 2022, Fort Wingate has been the launch site for a series of high-profile missile tests, including the Army’s Black Dagger and Zombie missile target programs and a December Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) launch tied to the Army’s Long-Range Precision Fires initiative. The tests, aimed at White Sands Missile Range, are designed to evaluate some of the military’s most advanced missile defense systems, including the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS), Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS), and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptors.
At least four confirmed launches have taken place since November 2024, with multiple temporary closures of the Mount Taylor Ranger District issued by the U.S. Forest Service. Closures affected public access to roads, trails, and recreation areas near Six Mile Canyon, often spanning several days per test. Forest Orders issued in February, May, and again this July have restricted entry in the interest of public safety.
These launches have returned Fort Wingate to the forefront of American defense readiness—a continuation of missile testing that began on-site during the Cold War. Though the base was officially decommissioned in 1993, its location and infrastructure remain ideal for longrange tests across New Mexico’s high desert airspace.
Preservation and Proving Ground
The newly expanded Fort Wingate Historic District now includes Pueblo Revival-style cottages built in the 1930s, as well as classrooms, dormitories, and a gymnasium constructed in the 1960s and ’70s. This architectural evolution mirrors the site’s changing roles—from military fort to federal boarding school to modern launch complex.
While the expansion highlights the site’s educational and cultural importance— particularly its later embrace of Navajo language and traditions— the continued missile tests underscore Fort Wingate’s strategic relevance in today’s world.
As one part of the fort enters the historic record, another continues to shape the future of U.S. missile defense. For the people of Cibola County, Fort Wingate remains a visible and evolving presence— one where the past and the present converge above the mesas and pinewood slopes of western New Mexico.