Fort McDowell was established in 1865 as Camp McDowell to protect trade routes from the Verde and Salt Rivers and as a base of operations against the Tonto Apache until 1890 when it was abandoned. It then became a reservation for the Yavapai. For Phoenix residents, "Fort McDowell" is best known today as a casino. The original fort has not been preserved and these remains will probably completely disappear by 2020.