Beginning in the late 1870’s, other changes took place around Fort Laramie. With the Indians removed to reservations, ranchers and other settlers came in, and great herds of cattle replaced the buffalo on the Wyoming plains. To many of these settlers the fort on the Laramie was a supply center, as well as insurance against Indian outbreaks and lawless white men. [Illustration: FORT LARAMIE PLAN OF POST 1888] LEGEND 1 OFFICERS’ QUARTERS 2 ” ” 3 ” ” 4 ” ” 5 ” ” 6 ” ” 7 ” ” 8 ” ” 9 ” ” 10 ” ” 11 ” ” 12 ” ” 13 COMMANDING OFFICER’S QUARTERS 14 OFFICERS’ QUARTERS 15 ” ” 16 ” ” 17 ” ” 18 ” ” 19 ” ” 20 PRINTING OFFICE 21 ADMINISTRATION BUILDING 22 LIBRARY 23 MAGAZINE (OLD GUARD HOUSE) 24 BARRACKS 25 KITCHEN AND MESSHALL 26 GUARD HOUSE 27 GENERAL SINK 28 OIL HOUSE 29 MARRIED MEN’S QUARTERS 30 BARRACKS 31 KITCHEN AND MESSHALL 32 ” ” ” 33 ” ” ” 34 NEW BARRACKS 35 COMMISSARY STORE HOUSE 36 GRANARY 37 BAKERY 38 Q.M. STORE HOUSE 39 Q.M. STORE HOUSE AND OFFICE 40 TELEGRAPH OFFICE 41 Q.M. STORE HOUSE 42 ” ” ” 43 Q.M. SHOPS 44 ” ” 45 Q.M. EMPLOYEES’ QUARTERS 46 Q.M. SHOPS 47 ” ” 48 ” ” 49 Q.M. EMPLOYEES’ QUARTERS 50 HARNESS ROOM 51 STABLES 52 ” 53 ” 54 SAW MILL 55 RUSTIC HOTEL 56 STAGE COACH STABLES 57 HOSPITAL 58 HOSPITAL STEWARDS’ QUARTERS 59 N.C. STAFF QUARTERS 60 BATH HOUSES 61 SUTLER’S RESIDENCE 62 SUTLER’S STORE _BUILDINGS STANDING TODAY ARE SHOWN IN BLACK_ [Illustration: _Officers’ row in the winter of 1889._ Courtesy U. S. Signal Corps.] During these same years, Fort Laramie was assuming a false air of permanence as many of the old buildings of frame, log, and adobe construction were replaced by sturdy new structures with lime-concrete walls. A water system changed the parade ground from a gravelly flat to a tree-shaded greensward. The last cavalry unit to be stationed at the fort rode away in 1883 with Col. Wesley Merritt. Part of the Seventh Infantry, commanded by Colonel Gibbon, then garrisoned the post. [Illustration: _General view of Fort Laramie in 1889._ Courtesy U. S. Signal Corp.]