Originally named Fort John Buford, it was renamed Fort Sanders after General William P. Sanders, who died at the Siege of Knoxville during the American Civil War.

The fort was originally intended to protect travelers on the nearby Overland Trail from Indian attacks, but later the garrison was tasked with protecting the workers of the Union Pacific railroad when it arrived in the spring of 1868.

[1] Nearly all of the buildings were constructed of wood except for the stone guardhouse, which was built in 1869 and remains the only structure standing on the original site today.

[2] At least two additional buildings from the fort were moved to other locations in Laramie and survive today.

The post Commander's quarters were moved to LaBonte Park and have been used as community center, and since 2010 the headquarters of the nonprofit food access organization Feeding Laramie Valley.