Forts

Subject: Forts Mon 21 May 2007, 3:43 pm

How many old forts can you go to see in this state ?

Guest

Not a lot, in the sense of remains that amount to much. ANd what do you mean by "old forts".

One pretty good one (and it LOOKS "like an old fort should") is Fort Parker near Mexia.

Beyond that, Fort Phantom Hill. The Alamo.

Texas Highway Department has a little booklet called Texas Forts Trail - it covers msot tat are still around to any extent.

If Spanish-Amercian War and WWI are old enough to suit you, Fort Travis on the Boilivar Peninsula (which includes a free ferry ride across the mouth of GAlveston BAy and that is neat) is there. PArt of Galveston County PArk system, includes Battery Kimball and 235 or 236 (236, I think; not that it matters much, 235 and 236 were twins), plus two other, smaller batteries on teh seawall protecting the fort from the sea.

Subject: Re: Forts Wed 23 May 2007, 12:14 pm

Thanks ! We want to see some of these this summer.

Guest

Actually there are dozens of frontier era (1830s thru 1880's) forts in Texas and southern Oklahoma that you can visit. They include ruins, preservations, reconstructions and replicas. Some host regular re-enactments and permanent museum displays.

For a fairly complete listing with links for additional details check this website. You can also find maps of battles and massacres and recommended road trips on the site.

http://www.forttours.com/ - (click link for "Ghosts of the Cross Timbers")

Forts in North Texas and southern Oklahoma include:

Fort Inglish, Bonham TX - replica plus other original structures
Fort Richardson, Jacksboro TX
Fort Belknap near Graham, TX
Fort Towson, OK
Fort Washita, OK
Fort Supply, OK
Fort Sill, Lawton OK
Museum of the Great Plains, Lawton, OK - replica of one of Holland Coffee's fortified trading houses

Fort sites in North Texas identified by historical markers or locations cited on the website include:

Fort Warren near Savoy
Fort Johnson near Pottsboro
Fort Fitzhugh / Elm Station near Gainesville (private property)
Bald Knob / Hickory Creek Station near Denton (private property)
Birds Fort near Euless/Arlington (private property)
Johnson Station in Arlington
Fort Worth Museum in Tarrant County Courthouse

M C Toyer

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Subject: Re: Forts Thu 24 May 2007, 8:49 pm

That's a good list. My husband has some books about old forst in Texas. Which ones have the best exhibits for kids ?

Thanks

Guest

Would probably be best to check each location's website(s) for details and schedules of upcoming events. From time to time the various posts host re-enactments, camps, special displays, and Native American dancers.

Fort Griffin, near Albany, has the State Longhron Herd.

You just missed (last weekend in April) an outstanding event held annually in the Fort Worth Stockyards, the Texas Frontier Forts Muster.

There are some details here and photos of past events:

http://www.fortworth.com/01visitors/0101westernher/010121texfrontier/010121texfrontier.shtml

http://news.webshots.com/album/391532401zYdkUf

M C Toyer

Subject: Re: Forts Sun 17 Jun 2007, 3:25 pm

I thought of something I have a question about. These forts look like they were built to last a long time since they were made of stone and really very attractive. So, did the army think the Indian problems would last longer than they did? It just seems like if they thought they could get the Indians under control in a few years they wouldn't have gone to the trouble of building such nice places.

Did the soldiers bring their families?

Thanks for your reply, Madelyn

Trailblazer Joined : 29 May 2007 Posts : 88

Few enlisted men (except some senior NCOs) were married in the old Army days. Officiers did usually (or perhaps, better, "Sometimes") have their wives.

Teh army did indeed expect they'd have to take long enough to justify permanent construction to pacify the Indians. And remember - at the time a lot of these forts were built, it wasn't expected the Indians would be located on reservations, but rather would roam wide areas as they always had, and that white settlers would not be allowed into those areas. They also did not trust the Indians to stay on or settlers to stay off the areas in question. Both concerns were entirely justified.

And then - there is the issue of available materials. Most of the forts you mention are in areas with little timber, but adobe and stone was available locally. So...

Subject: Re: Forts Mon 18 Jun 2007, 8:50 pm

Madelyn ... I have visited Fort Richardson a couple of times .... the ruins of Fort Phantom Hill (near Abilene) once ... Fort Davis once ... and perhaps a couple of the other 'barrier' citadels when a small child, but am years away from all of those viewings. I remember Fort Davis as having been very beautiful in its setting, Fort Phantom Hill quite desolate, and Fort Richardson wonderfully restored (not being a stickler in that regard and yet uncertain what its state may have been before the work was commenced).

I agree with all that Clyde related above. 'Traces of Texas History: Archeological History of the Past 450 years, 'by D. E. Fox (Connor, 1983) states that the officers' quarters at Fort Richardson were of a picket construction -- pickets chinked with clay and lime. These 'cottages' could be built as temporary residences or sturdy enough to stand the winds of time. Evidently, those built at Fort Richardson were of the latter consitution.

My dad has a very nice, detailed history of this historic, Jack-County fort; will give it more than a passing glance when next I am able. I don't believe that many Indian people would have been encamped at Fort Richardson during its years of occupancy, though. These sites generally were not 'trading forts' like old Bent's up in Colorado. Rather, they were specifically raised and manned to protect settlers on the Texas frontier. I wouldn't out-rule a soldier having taken a sweetheart from among the 'Nations,' however Wink

Holly
_________________
The woman of the frontier made the best of her situation, for she had developed a respect for the land that gave her freedom as well as the courage to live in it.
~~~ from the perspective of Anne Seagraves

Subject: Re: Forts Sun 21 Oct 2007, 6:59 pm

The 2006-2007 edition of the 'Texas Almanac' carries a very nice color photograph of the Fort Richardson restoration, taken from near the barracks, which clearly illustrates their picket construction.

Here, also, is a link to a site maintained by William Atkins. He has taken a photograph of a log barn which lies within the confines of Fort Richardson State Historical park, but it is not stated there whether the barn was contemporaneous with the fort's occupation (perhaps, though, as Fort Richardson was not disbanded till 1878?).

http://users.galesburg.net/~atkins/Pixs/oldbarn.jpg

http://users.galesburg.net/~atkins/photos.html
_________________
The woman of the frontier made the best of her situation, for she had developed a respect for the land that gave her freedom as well as the courage to live in it.
~~~ from the perspective of Anne Seagraves

Joined : 03 Aug 2007 Posts : 4

This is a partial list of fort in Texas . I've visited all of these parks and all have some of the original or reconstructions of the original forts.

Fort Belknap
Fort Chadbourne
Fort Clark
Fort Concho
Fort Crockett
Fort Croghan
Fort Davis
Fort Griffin
Fort Lancaster
Fort Mason
Fort McKavett
Fort Phantom Hill
Fort Richardson
Fort Martin Scott

You can find more information and locations at this link:
http://www.tiny.cc/gTHFI

Subject: Re: Forts Wed 14 Nov 2007, 3:10 am

Thank you so much, El Pato.

This past weekend, I was able to borrow a copy of Allen Lee Hamilton's, 'Sentinel of the Southern Plains: Fort Richardson and the Northwest Texas Frontier, 1866 - 1878.' That's kind of a mouthful to utter, but I'm glad the place was there.

Mr. Hamilton is a native of Jacksboro, which makes his book more intriguing to me. I've yet just skimmed through it. Do you have any thoughts or recommendations relating to this or other books written about the forts of the Texas frontier?

Many thanks,

Holly
_________________
The woman of the frontier made the best of her situation, for she had developed a respect for the land that gave her freedom as well as the courage to live in it.
~~~ from the perspective of Anne Seagraves