The Fort

The Fort is a historic Western-themed restaurant in Morrison, Colorado, southwest of Denver, built as an adobe replica of Bent's Old Fort (1833–1849), the famous fur-trading post on the Santa Fe Trail. Construction of the structure began in 1961 for Denver advertising executive Sam'l P. Arnold and his wife Elizabeth "Bay" Arnold, both amateur historians who originally intended it as a family home and living history museum. Rising costs prompted the Arnolds to finish the first floor as a restaurant, and the 300-seat dining room opened on February 1, 1963, specializing in what the family called "New Foods of the Old West." The building incorporates more than 80,000 handmade mud-and-straw adobe bricks, with hand-hewn beams, carved doors, furniture, and gates created by Taos artisans in the style of the 1830s. The Fort's menu draws on local ingredients and regional game — particularly bison, elk, and quail — with recipes inspired by Sam Arnold's 3,000-volume rare and historic cookbook library. Arnold promoted frontier cookery through the public television series Frying Pans West, which aired from 1968 to 1986. Ownership has changed hands several times. Arnold sold the restaurant in 1973, then reacquired it out of foreclosure in 1986. In 1997 The Fort hosted President Bill Clinton's state dinner for the 23rd G8 summit. After Arnold's death in 2006, his daughter Holly Arnold Kinney became sole owner and operator; she had the property listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006 and founded the Tesoro Cultural Center, a nonprofit that sponsored an Indian Market and Powwow and other cultural events until its dissolution in 2025. Kinney retired on January 6, 2026, selling the restaurant and property to Revesco Properties and City Street Investors. Today The Fort operates as a steakhouse and event venue with a Whiskey Library (formerly the Cantina) in the historic St. Vrain Room, offering more than 100 curated whiskeys alongside frontier-inspired cuisine. It hosts a Historic Lecture Series, historical presentations, cultural dinners, murder mysteries, and workshops, and remains a popular stop near Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

The Fort began in 1961 when Elizabeth "Bay" Arnold and her husband Sam'l P. Arnold, both passionate amateur historians, set out to build an adobe-style family home in the countryside southwest of Denver so their children could grow up surrounded by clean air, horses, and open space. Inspired by a drawing of Bent's Old Fort (1833–1849), the famous fur-trading post on the Santa Fe Trail, Bay proposed building an adobe "castle" modeled after the historic structure. That same year, the Arnolds purchased dramatic red rock property near Morrison, Colorado, and commissioned renowned adobe architect William Lumpkins of Santa Fe to design an authentic replica. Construction of the adobe structure started in 1961 and was completed in 1963. The building incorporates more than 80,000 handmade mud-and-straw adobe bricks and beams hewn with drawknives, foot adzes, and hand planes. Every architectural and decorative detail—from hand-hewn beams to carved doors, furniture, and gates—was created by Taos artisans in the style of the 1830s. Originally planned as a living history museum that would also be a home for the Arnold family, the Arnolds pivoted to finishing the first floor as a restaurant to secure Small Business Administration funding to complete the interior of the building. The 300-seat, Western-themed restaurant opened in the building's first floor on February 1, 1963, specializing in what the Arnolds called "New Foods of the Old West." Arnold developed menu items based on ingredients available in Colorado at the time of Bent's Fort and promoted frontier cookery with the public television series Frying Pans West, which aired from 1968 to 1986. That same year the restaurant opened, the family adopted a Canadian black bear cub named Sissy, who lived at The Fort for 19 years and became an attraction. After marrying for the second time, Arnold sold the restaurant in 1973. In 1986 he purchased the restaurant again and got it out of foreclosure. The restaurant hosted President Bill Clinton's state dinner for the 23rd G8 summit in 1997. Following the death of his second wife in 1998, Arnold's daughter Holly Arnold Kinney purchased 49% of the operating business in partnership with her father, who owned 51%, in December 1999. Ms. Kinney downsized her media company, Arnold Media Services, Inc., to become the full manager/operator of The Fort to run the restaurant with him until his death in 2006. Kinney purchased the real property out of his estate in 2006 and became the sole owner/operator of the restaurant and property. She also founded the Tesoro Cultural Center in 1999, a nonprofit that sponsored an Indian Market and Powwow and other cultural events at the Fort, until it was dissolved in 2025 due to Ms. Kinney's retirement. Dedicated to historic preservation, Ms. Kinney had The Fort listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006 and had a voluntary historic easement placed on the property held by the Colorado Historical Foundation in 2025. On January 6, 2026, Ms. Kinney retired and sold the restaurant and property to Revesco Properties and City Street Investors. The Fort's menu features local ingredients and regional game, particularly bison, elk, and quail. Recipes are inspired by a 3,000-volume rare and historic cookbook library amassed by Sam Arnold, with additions made through a semi-annual process that considers new ideas from the restaurant's kitchen staff. Today the restaurant also operates a Whiskey Library (formerly called the Cantina) in the historic St. Vrain Room, offering more than 100 curated whiskeys, and hosts a Historic Lecture Series, historical presentations, cultural dinners, murder mysteries, and workshops.

• 2026

  On January 6, Kinney retires and sells the restaurant and property to Revesco Properties and City Street Investors.

• 2025

  Tesoro Cultural Center dissolved; voluntary historic easement placed on the property held by Colorado Historical Foundation.

• 2006

  Sam Arnold dies; Kinney becomes sole owner/operator and has The Fort listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• 1999

  Holly Arnold Kinney purchases 49% of the operating business; Tesoro Cultural Center founded.

• 1997

  The Fort hosts President Bill Clinton's state dinner for the 23rd G8 summit.

• 1986

  Arnold purchases the restaurant again and gets it out of foreclosure.

• 1973

  Arnold sells the restaurant after his second marriage.

• 1968

  Sam Arnold's public television series Frying Pans West begins airing (until 1986).

• 1963

  The Fort Restaurant opens on February 1 in the building's first floor, specializing in "New Foods of the Old West."

• 1961

  Construction of the adobe structure begins; Arnolds purchase red rock property near Morrison, Colorado, and commission architect William Lumpkins.

Historic Western-themed steakhouse and cultural venue rooted in Colorado frontier history, offering regional game and a curated whiskey library near Red Rocks.

• Bison dishes

• Elk dishes

• Quail dishes

• Slow-Roasted Buffalo French Dip

• Handcrafted burgers

• Rocky Mountain oysters

• Charcuterie boards

• Burrata

• Whiskey Library with 100+ curated whiskeys

1. 1The Fort | Steakhouse in Morrison, COthefort.com
2. 2The History of The Fort | The Fort in Morrison, COthefort.com
3. 3Historical Presentations/Storytelling | The Fort | Steakhouse in Morrison, COthefort.com
4. 4About | The Fort | Steakhouse in Morrison, COthefort.com
5. 5The Fort (Morrison, Colorado) - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
6. 6The Fort - Wikidatawikidata.org