Western Texas

Last Update: 10/JULY/2006

Compiled by Phil and Pete Payette - Š2006 American Forts Network

Fort Clark
(1852 - 1862, 1866 - 1946), Brackettville
A Federal infantry post originally named Fort Riley, located at the head of Las Moras Creek. Renamed in 1852. Soldiers of the day dreaded being posted here. Permanent quarters were not built until 1857. Briefly used by Confederate troops in 1861 - 1862, then totally abandoned until re-garrisoned by Federal cavalry in 1866. The guardhouse was built in the 1870's and was used as the Military Police headquarters. The Old Guardhouse Museum is operated by the Fort Clark Historical Society. A new stockade was reconstructed in 1942. Most of the reservation is now a private resort-retirement complex called Fort Clark Springs. Another website (a) | Another website (b)

Of interest nearby is Alamo Village, the 1959 movie set location of the John Wayne film "The Alamo". Admission fee.

Camp Del Rio
(1857 - 1891), near Del Rio
An intermittent camp site on San Felipe Creek, not regularly garrisoned until 1876. Used by the Confederates during the Civil War. Federal cavalry established Post of San Felipe, or Camp San Felipe, in 1876 for border protection, as a subpost of Fort Clark. Renamed in 1881.

Camp Mitchie
(1914 - 1922), near Del Rio
A U.S. Army border patrol post at San Felipe Springs. Possibly at or near the site of Camp Del Rio.

Camp Comstock
(1914 - 1917), Comstock
A U.S. Army border patrol post.

Camp Langtry
(1914 - 1917), Langtry
A U.S. Army border patrol post.

Camp Hudson
(1857 - 1865, 1867 - 1868), near Juno
A Federal infantry camp on the west bank of the Devils (San Pedro) River, about 40 miles northwest of Del Rio. Abandoned in 1861 and used intermittently by Confederates until 1865. Regarrisoned in 1867. Also called Camp on the San Pedro. Some official records erroneously called it Fort Hudson.

Presidio del Altar and/or
(unknown dates), Sonora
A Spanish presidio of this name was supposedly located here. It appears on an 1847 map. Another possible location of a post of this name was north of Del Rio along the Rio Grande, near the mouth of the San Pedro (Devils) River.
(additional info provided by Marshall Sitrin)

Fort Terrett
(1852 - 1854), near Roosevelt
A Federal infantry post located 14 miles west of town on the north bank of the North Fork Llano River, built for the protection of settlers from Indians. Originally called Post on the Rio Llano. Renamed in 1852. Some buildings may still remain on private property.

Camp San Sabá
(1861 - 1864, 1868), Camp San Sabá
Established by the Texas Rangers of the CSA Frontier Regiment. Briefly occupied by Federal troops in 1868 before the re-establishment of Fort McKavett.
(thanks to Marshall Sitrin for additional info)

Presidio de San Sabá
(1757 - 1769), Menard
Officially known as Presidio de San Luis de las Amarillas, it was built on the north bank of the San Sabá River to protect Mission de Santa Cruz de San Sabá (1757), located on the south bank, which was destroyed by Comanche Indians in 1758. The presidio survived the attack. The wooden structures were replaced by stone structures in 1761, but the mission itself was never rebuilt. Partially restored on the original foundations in San Sabá Historic Park.

Fort McKavett (State Historical Park)
(1852 - 1859, 1861 - 1865, 1868 - 1883), Fort McKavett
A Federal infantry post originally named Camp McKavett. It was evacuated in 1859 for Camp Cooper, and was used intermittently by Confederates during the Civil War. Early in 1862 the fort still confined a group of Federal troops from surrendered U.S. forts who were seeking to leave the state at the start of the Civil War. Re-occupied by Federal troops in 1868 and became an important post during the Red River War. Rebuilt with stone buildings by 1876. The fort evolved into the town after it was abandoned by the Army, and the post's former hospital now serves as a visitor center. Other buildings are now private residences. Another website

Fort Concho
(1867 - 1889), San Angelo
A Federal cavalry post that replaced Fort Chadburne, to guard various trails and roads from Indian attackers. Originally named Camp Hatch, it was then renamed Camp Kelly before being renamed again in 1868. There are about two dozen original and reconstructed buildings. In 1929 the former headquarters building became the West Texas Museum, now the Fort Concho Museum. Admission fee. Another website (a) | Another website (b)

Camp Johnston
(1852), near Water Valley
A temporary Federal infantry camp located on the south-side of the North Concho River. Transferred to Fort Chadbourne.

Fort Chadbourne
(1852 - 1867), near Fort Chadbourne
A Federal infantry post built on the Butterfield Overland Mail route, on the east-side of Oak Creek four miles northeast of town, north of Bronte. It was originally called Camp on Oak Creek. Intermittently used by the Confederates during the Civil War. Re-garrisoned in 1867, the troops were later transferred to Fort Concho due to water shortages. Used for about another year as a picket post for Fort Concho. Sandstone ruins still exist, and there are plans to restore the fort. Located on private property, but the owners allow drive-throughs. PHOTO LINK

Camp Grierson
(1878 - 1880), near Best
A fortified post located eight miles south of town at Grierson's Springs at the head of Live Oak Creek. Also known as Camp Grierson's Springs. The post consisted of a large stone building, a guardhouse, stables, and corral. The Chichester Stage Line came through here.

Fort Lancaster (State Historical Park)
(1855 - 1861, 1861 - 1871, intermittent), near Sheffield
A Federal infantry post on Live Oak Creek, it guarded the Pecos River crossing of the San Antonio - El Paso Road. Originally called Camp Lancaster, renamed in 1856. Intermittently used by the Confederates during the Civil War, and briefly re-occupied by the U.S. in 1867, 1868, and 1871. Ruins remain. Another website | Another website from Over-Land.com

Fort Meyer
(1878), near Dryden

Fort Stockton
(1859 - 1861, 1867 - 1886), Fort Stockton
A Federal infantry post at Comanche Springs on Comanche Creek, originally named Camp Stockton until 1860. Named after Commodore Robert F. Stockton who captured California for the U.S. This was an outpost on the Butterfield Overland Mail Route. It was abandoned in 1861 when the state seceded. The Confederates then briefly occupied it, but they also soon abandoned it. Re-garrisoned in 1867 by Federal cavalry and rebuilt. Some adobe ruins remain, and three old adobe Officers' quarters are now private residences. Officers' Row and a guardhouse remain on Williams Street between Fourth and Fifth Streets. Admission fee. Another website (a) | Another website (b)

Camp (Cantonment) Peńa Colorado
(1879 - 1893), near Marathon
A Federal outpost originally known as Camp Rainbow Cliffs until 1880. Located about four miles southwest of town, it was established to prevent Indian raids into Mexico and to open a wagon road from Fort Davis to Fort Clark. It was raided by Apaches in 1881. In 1893 it was abandoned after western Texas was cleared of hostile Indians.

Big Bend Posts
(Big Bend National Park)
(1903 - 1911, 1916 - 1920), Castolon
First located here was Castolon U.S. Army Depot (1903 - 1911) to supply troops for border patrol duty. Camp Santa Helena (also spelled Santa Elena) was established nearby in 1916 by the U.S. Cavalry. A permanent garrison post for the Army's border patrol operations (Castolon Barracks) was built in 1919. The Mexican border crisis settled down by then, and the post was abandoned without ever being actually manned. The barracks were sold off in 1921 for use as a trading store, which still exists. The rest of the post was sold off in 1925. The National Park was developed in 1944. Several other original buildings still remain.

Also located in the Big Bend area were Johnson's Ranch U.S. Army Aircorps Airfield (1929 - 1943), Camp Glenn Springs (1916 - 1920), and Camp La Noria (date ?), northeast of Rio Grande Village.

Fort Lajitas
(1915 - 1920), Lajitas
A U.S. Army border patrol post.

Fort Leaton (State Historical Park)
(1848 - 1851), near Presidio
A fortified settlers' 200-foot square adobe trading post built by Ben Leaton, located four miles east of town on the Rio Grande. Intermittently used by Federal troops on occasion. Renovated in the 1930's. Another website

The town was the site of an earlier Spanish presidio, El Fortin de San José (1773 - 1810) which was garrisoned by Spanish troops from nearby Presidio Del Norte located in Ojinaga, Chihuahua. (see MEXICO page)

Camp Presidio
(1914 or 1915 - 1920 ?), Presidio
A U.S. Army border patrol post. Located three blocks north of Main Street.

Fort Cibolo
(1857 - unknown), near Shafter
A private quadrangular adobe fort with two circular watchtowers located on Cibolo Creek a few miles northwest of town. Also known as El Fortin de Cibolo, it was the headquarters of Milton Faver's ranching empire that covered much of Presidio County. Intermittently used by Federal troops from Fort Davis. Reconstructed and restored, it is a rare example of a private fort in the Big Bend region. Faver also had a trading store at nearby Presidio Del Norte (present-day Ojinaga, Chihuahua). Other establishments of the Faver ranching empire were Fort Cienaga (aka El Fortin de la Cienaga), located at Cienaga Springs, and Fort Moritas (aka Fort El Morito). Both were constructed similar to Fort Cibolo, and both were also probably intermittently garrisoned by Federal troops.

Camp Shafter
(1916 - 1920), Shafter
Built by the Texas National Guard for border patrol. Two adobe buildings still remain, plus ruins of a few others.

Fort D. A. Russell
(1914 - 1945), Marfa
Originally called Camp Marfa, it was a supply post for the U.S. Army border patrol. This was a cavalry camp during the Mexican Revolution, and became a permanent post in 1929, transferring the name from the closed Wyoming post. Briefly deactivated from 1933 to 1935, it reopened with field artillery units and was used during World War II for chemical warfare training and to house German POW's after 1943.

Fort Davis (1) (National Historic Site)
(1854 - 1862, 1867 - 1891), Fort Davis
A Federal infantry post, originally located in the box canyon near Limpia Creek, consisting of a shabby collection of pine-slab huts. Confederates occupied the post from 1861 to 1862, it then remained mostly deserted for five years, except for Indians and Mexican bandits. A new post on the flat plain at the mouth of the canyon was established in 1867, and completed in 1880, first with stone buildings, then adobe, about 50 buildings total. It was home to the Buffalo Soldiers until 1885. The restored barracks serves as the museum and visitor center. In town is the Fort Davis Historical Society Museum. Another website

Fort Holland
(1914 - 1920 ?), Valentine
Located six miles west of town. Built in response to Pancho Villa's raids into the U.S. Several buildings still remain. Private property.

Located about six miles west of the fort was the border patrol post Dias e Ocho Creek Camp (1914 - 1918). There are remains of this post, accessible only with 4x4 vehicles. Private property.

Fort Quitman
(1858 - 1863, 1868 - 1877, 1881 - 1882), near Esperanza
A Federal infantry post protecting the stage line. Taken over by the Confederates in 1861, and briefly occupied by Union troops from California in 1862 - 1863. Regarrisoned in 1868. Regarrisoned again during Apache troubles. A replica was once located near McNary. Only the post cemetery remains to be seen today.

Fort Hancock
(1881 - 1895), Fort Hancock
A Federal cavalry post, a subpost of Fort Davis, originally named Camp Rice until 1886, that replaced Fort Quitman. In 1882 it moved from its original location (six miles northwest of Fort Quitman) to the Southern Pacific Railroad. Six weeks later it moved again to its present location on higher ground.

Presidio de San Elizario
(1773 - 1845 ?, 1849 - 1851, 1861 - 1862), San Elizario
Formally called Presidio de Nuestra Seńora del Pilar y Gloriosa San José. Originally situated on an island that has since become part of the mainland. The presidio remained garrisoned by Mexican troops up until the Mexican-American War. The U.S. Army established Post of San Elizario at the presidio in 1849. Occupied by Confederates in 1861, and by California Union troops in 1862. The chapel is still in use today.

Fort Bliss (U.S. Military Reservation)
(1849 - present), El Paso
Originally called Post of El Paso, or Post opposite Paso del Norte, built to protect settlers from Indians and to assert authority over newly acquired Mexican lands. The original location was on Coon's (later Smith's) Ranch in Franklin, the site of the present-day Civic Center. Vacated in 1851 for Fort Fillmore, NM, but regarrisoned in 1853 on a new site in Magoffinsville, and renamed in 1854. The Confederates occupied the vacated fort from 1861 to 1862 to carry out their New Mexico-Arizona campaign. California Union troops drove the Confederates out in 1862, but not before the fort was burned and the military stores looted. The fort was not re-garrisoned again until 1865. Camp Concordia was established in 1868 three miles east on the Stephenson Ranch, near Concordia Cemetery, when the fort was encroached upon by the Rio Grande and abandoned. In 1869 the camp was renamed Fort Bliss. Abandoned in 1877. In 1878 the post was moved back towards the river, using rented quarters at the public square (Jacinto Plaza) until yet another site was selected on a bluff overlooking the river on the west-side of town (Hart's Mill). The Rio Grande and El Paso Railroad was granted a right-of-way across the parade ground in the 1880's, so a final move occurred in 1893 to its present location on La Noria Mesa. The Air Defense Artillery Museum and the Museum of the Non-Commissioned Officer are on post. A replica of the original adobe fort (four adobe buildings) is located at the Old Fort Bliss Museum, also on post. A stone monument to the original post is located near the 1853 site at Magoffin Ave. and Willow Street. The original name of the settlement in 1848 was Franklin, and in 1853 it was Magoffinsville. Another website

Other camps associated with Fort Bliss were Camp Owen Bierne (1916 - 1919), a border patrol post located eight miles east of town on the current military reservation, and Camp Newton D. Baker (1916 - 1920), located three miles northeast of town, which served as a mobilization center for border patrols, and as an Army Signal Corps training camp (1917).

The old Spanish Presidio of El Paso was located across the river in Paso del Norte, now present-day Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua (renamed in 1888), which protected the Guadalupe Mission. (see MEXICO page). Other Spanish missions in the area include Nuestra Seńora del Carmen (1681), renamed Corpus Christi de la Ysleta in 1690, located on the 100 block of Old Pueblo Road, which was once on the Mexican-side of the river before the river changed course; and Nuestra Seńora de la Concepcion del Socorro (1682) in Socorro, originally located 12 leagues from Guadalupe and 7.5 leagues from Ysleta, but moved to one league from Ysleta after an Indian revolt, and was also once on the Mexican-side of the river. The Chamizal National Memorial (Mexico's El Chamizal National Park) denotes the 1964 border adjustment made by President Lyndon Johnson. This parcel of land was originally part of Mexico after the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, but the river changed its course in 1864, leaving this section on the American side of the river. It was claimed but never formally annexed by the United States. This is the only piece of territory ever given back to Mexico after the Mexican-American War.

Fort Wood
(1877 - unknown), Colorado City
Used by the Texas Rangers. The site is now the Old West Visitor Complex.

Anderson's Fort
(1870's), Spur
A private trading post often used as a Federal cavalry supply camp.

Fort Elliott
(1875 - 1890), Mobeetie
A Federal cavalry post, a subpost of Fort Sill, OK, originally named Cantonment on the North Fork of the Red River. It soon moved north to Sweetwater Creek and was renamed Cantonment on the Sweetwater. It was renamed again in 1876. The Buffalo Soldiers were posted here. Nothing remains of this abandoned fort. The town was originally named Hidetown.

Fort Adobe Walls (State Archaeological Landmark)
(1845 - 1848), near Stinnett
Adobe remnants of one of William Bent's trading posts, called Bent's Fort. Located on the Canadian River at Bent's Creek. Bent blew up the post in 1848 when unable to trade with the Comanche Indians, leaving only the walls standing. In 1864 this was the site of a Kiowa camp that was burned by Kit Carson in the First Battle of Adobe Walls. In 1874 a stockaded camp for buffalo hunters and other traders was located a mile and a half south of here. It was under seige by Kiowas and Comanches during the Second Battle of Adobe Walls.

NEED MORE INFO:
Towns: Camp Springs

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