Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School

The Carlisle Indian Industrial School was the first off-reservation boarding school established for Native American children in the United States, ushering in a dark legacy of oppression and violence targeting Native American and Indigenous children and families.

The school was founded by Army Captain Richard Henry Pratt in 1879. Pratt fought against numerous Tribes in his military role, including Comanche, Cheyenne, Arapaho and Kiowa people, and he was notorious for his philosophy, “Kill the Indian, and save the man.”

The Carlisle school was used as a model for more than 400 institutions in the years that followed. These schools were part of a campaign of forced assimilation that tore families apart and attempted to eliminate Native American languages, cultures and traditions. According to the National Park Service, more than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes attended the school between 1879 to 1918. At least 180 children are buried at the school’s cemetery.

The national monument is part of an active military base, and access is limited. Visitors can learn more at the The U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center at Carlisle Barracks and take a self-guided walking tour during operating hours. More information about the Carlisle school and its historic significance is available on the National Park Service website.