{"nrhp_refnum":"73000259","name":"Captain Jack's Stronghold","other_names":[],"category":"district","location":{"address":"S of Tulelake, Lava Beds National Monument","address_restricted":false,"city":"Tulelake","county":"Siskiyou County","state":"CA","lat":41.82151354600006,"lon":-121.50616293445273,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1973-09-20","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Native American","Military"],"significance_levels":["national"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A district of twisted lava flow on the south shore of the former Tule Lake, within Lava Beds National Monument near Tulelake, Siskiyou County, California. The Modoc people fortified it in 1872-73, and the area covers about 460 acres.","why_significant":"About 70 Modoc men held the Stronghold for five and a half months against a much larger force of U.S. soldiers and volunteers. They repelled the first attack in January 1873 and withdrew successfully after inflicting heavy casualties in the April 1873 assault. The nomination presents it as the symbol of the Modoc War and the tribe's last major stand, and calls it nationally significant.","narrative":"Captain Jack's Stronghold is a stretch of twisted, contorted lava on the south shore of the former Tule Lake, now inside Lava Beds National Monument in Siskiyou County, California. In 1872-73 the Modoc people used its rock formations, cracks in the frozen lava and natural caves as a defensive position, adding breastworks and small rock fortifications. Army troops built their own rock fortifications during two major attacks and added more after occupying the site. About 130 fortifications have been marked so far, along with features such as the cave said to have sheltered Captain Jack's family, a war dance circle, a council ground and horse and cattle corrals. Roughly 70 Modoc men held out for five and a half months against far larger forces, repulsing an attack by 300 troops in January 1873 and withdrawing successfully after inflicting severe casualties on 650 troops in April. The site is regarded as symbolizing the Modoc War and the tribe's last major stand.","period_of_significance":"1872-73","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":null,"criteria":[],"status_note":"Listed in excellent condition, altered, on its original site; owned by the National Park Service and described as unoccupied, with unrestricted public access.","vacant_flag":true,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:31.48086-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/73000259.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73000259/52b712e648-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73000259/52b712e648-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":null,"credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CaptainJacksStronghold.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Unknown author</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CaptainJacksStronghold.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123861965","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Jack%27s_Stronghold","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5036678"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/siskiyou-county/captain-jacks-stronghold-73000259/"}