On The Trail Of HISTORY
Story and photography by Paul A. Canada
The West’s fort history follows that of the Buffalo Soldier, and their trail traces the backbones of Texas and Oklahoma.

	The Cannon at Texas’ Fort Belknap reminds visitors of the purpose for the frontier forts.

Admittedly, I am a big fan of old Westerns. Growing up in my father’s home, cavalry charges and shootouts at high noon were regular happenings on Saturdays. My father spent many afternoons in the den,watching Westerns with his three boys. In our house, films directed by John Fordwere king.

While Ford’s Fort Apache, Cheyenne Autumn, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance were family favorites, my personal all-time Ford film was Sergeant Rutledge. The 1960 film was about the trial of cavalry sgt. and “Buffalo Soldier” Braxton Rutledge, played by former professional athlete Woody Strode. The quick tempered and strong-willed sergeant left a lasting impression on this young boy. Sgt. Braxton—along with a handful of characters played by John Wayne— was an early hero of mine.

While Ford’s story about racial prejudice and injustice was indeed compelling,what impressed me most were the images of the hardened and proud Buffalo Soldier. To this day, I am still impressed with the contributions made by these soldiers in the late 1800s.

With this lingering image playing through my memories, I welcome all to join in on a jaunt to visit the sites of frontier forts where Buffalo Soldiers served to protect peaceful Indians and settlers alike. Our trip begins in El Reno, Okla., at historic Fort Reno and progresses southward to Menard, Texas, where we’ll tour the grounds of the impressive Fort McKavett. Between El Reno and Menard, it’ll be a ride through Fort Sill and Fort Washita in Oklahoma and Texas’ Fort Richardson, Fort Belknap, Fort Griffin, Fort Phantom Hill, and Fort Concho.

Protecting the Indian Territory

	A cannon stands watch over the ghostly, ruined barracks at Fort Washita.

In 1866, Congress approved legislation that created all-Black Regiments of the Army: two cavalry units, and two infantry units. The 10th Cavalry earned the nickname Buffalo Soldiers from Native Americans referring to their tough demeanor in battle.

All four units, the 9th and 10th Cavalry regiments and 24th and 25th Infantry regiments, served at Fort Reno.

A quaint town perched along the south bank of the Canadian River, El Reno marks the beginning of the semi-arid prairies that define western Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle.

No matter which side of the highway one surveys, there are grazing cattle, round bales of hay, and bits and pieces of the petroleum industry. 

	An officer's residence at Oklahoma’s Fort Reno is in the later stages of refurbishing.

Passing through El Reno I’m reminded of the influence Route 66 had on many of Oklahoma’s agricultural towns. Unlike many of the communities along old Route 66, El Reno remained prosperous after the Mother Road’s decommissioning.

Fort Reno is located just 3 miles outside of town and 30 miles west of Oklahoma City, on old Route 66. 

With arrival at the fort comes the pleasant surprise of seeing so many of historic buildings intact. The fort site includes 25 historic buildings and the post cemetery.

The best place for starting a tour is the Visitors Center housed in the refurbished 1936 Officers’ Quarters. Most of the buildings standing are from the early to mid-1900s, but a few structures from the fort’s early years remain.

Fort Reno was established in 1874 during the Indian Wars when the military had hopes of pacifying and protecting the Cheyenne and Arapaho at Darlington Indian Agency.

The cavalry and infantry stationed at Fort Reno played a pivotal role during the Indian Wars period and the transition years leading to Oklahoma’s statehood in 1907.

In 1908, the fort became one of three important Army Quartermaster Remount Stations for the military. Approximately 14,000 horses and pack mules were bred and trained during the Remount Station years. In 1947, the Remount Station was permanently closed. Today the historic fort is home to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Grazing Lands program.

	The countryside surrounding Fort Reno and most of central Oklahoma is pasture land.

Leaving beautiful Fort Reno behind, it’s on to Chickasha on Highway 81 and then southwest to Fort Sill on Interstate 44. All the military hustle and bustle makes this civilian feel a bit out of place as I approach the visitor’s entrance on Sheridan Road, but the soldier at the gate is polite and directs me to the Landmark Area.

While the Museum is definitely the centerpiece of the Landmark Area, which includes 26 historic buildings, my interest is in seeing Chief Geronimo’s gravesite.  

Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan chose the site for Fort Sill in 1869 while leading a campaign into the Indian Territory. His objective was to squelch hostile tribes from raiding border settlements in Texas and Kansas. His massive winter campaign involved six cavalry regiments, including soldiers from the 10th Cavalry.

	Fort Reno and the town of El Reno, Okla., are located off of old Route 66.

In 1901, the last Indian lands in Oklahoma were opened for settlement. With the disappearance of the frontier, the mission of Fort Sill gradually changed from cavalry to field artillery. The first artillery battery arrived at Fort Sill in 1902, and the last cavalry regiment departed in May 1907.

Today Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the southern frontier forts built during the Indian wars.

The last fort we’ll visit in Oklahoma was the first of the three frontier forts to be built. Fort Washita was built in the early 1840s in hopes of protecting the prosperous Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians from raiding Plains Indians and lawless settlers.

Gen. Zachary Taylor located the site 18 miles north of the Red River and just east of the Washita River.  

Fort Washita is certainly the prettiest of the forts I’ll visit on this road trip. The west barracks are in ruin, but the vegetation growth covering the stone walls makes for a beautiful image. The old fort’s location near the Washita River is reflective and peaceful.

After more than an hour wandering the grounds, it’s off to Highway 75 for our run into Passing through the Red River country. The folded prairie land features great pastures, small stock tanks, soil conservation lakes, tree-lined fences, and lots of red dirt. While it might not seem like much to most city folk, it’s the stockman’s nirvana.

	The road trip between Fort Washita and Fort Richardson is full of amazing sites like the Cundiff Cemetery, resting site of veterans of numerous American wars.

In Sherman, Texas, we detour west on U.S. Highway 82 and over to Denison. This stretch of highway is the Lake Texoma corridor. I always find it hard to drive this highway and not stop to fish the reservoir.

I detour to Denison’s TBones Bar and Grill in the historic Katy Depot and try one of their famous hamburgers. It lives up to its reputation.

From Denison it’s a short jaunt south to U.S. Highway 380, and it was while cruising 380 that I spied a historical marker on the far side of the highway and pulled over.

The marker tells the story of nearby Cundiff Graveyard. The serene site is the resting place of war veterans dating back to the Civil War.

North Texas’ Raiding Parties

	The sturdy Corn Storage Building was one of a few structures at Fort Belknap which survived.

But Jacksboro is our first real stop here in Texas, and it is the site of one of the few frontier fort towns established before the nearby fort was built. In most cases, towns grew up around the adjacent forts. Established in 1853, the picturesque town has 19th-century stone buildings adjacent to its courthouse square. Historic Fort Richardson is located just outside of town. 

Fort Richardson played an important role in the settlement of North Central Texas. When construction on the 300-acre site was completed, it was considered the largest U.S. Army installation of its day, housing 666 officers and men. Elements of the 10th Cavalry and 24th Infantry were two of the five regiments occupying the fort during its commission.

Troopers from Fort Richardson patrolled between Clay and Jack Counties, all the way up to Palo Duro Canyon. One of the more pivotal points of Texas history occurs while Gen. William T. Sherman, visiting Fort Richardson, just misses the Warren Wagon Train massacre. Sherman responds by ordering the commander of the 4th Cavalry, Col. Ranald S. MacKenzie, to begin offensive operations?against Comanche and Kiowa in the Texas Panhandle. Over a 15-month period Mackenzie led four major expeditions from Fort Richardson into the Texas Panhandle area.

MacKenzie’s forces win the Battle of Palo Duro Canyon in September 1874, ending the Red River War with Quanah Parker’s Comanche and Red Warbonnet’s Kiowa. The cavalry captured so much of the tribes’ provisions they were forced to move back to the reservations in Oklahoma before winter. This battle helped bring an end to Comanche and Kiowa violence along the Texas northern frontier.

	The Fort Richardson Hospital played a critical role in the fort’s ability to successfully protect the frontier of north-central Texas.

After the fort was abandoned in 1878, many of the 55 buildings fell into disrepair. Thanks to a group of Jacksboro residents, it was declared a state historic site in 1963 and came under the management of Texas Parks and Wildlife. Following extensive renovations, the fort reopened to the public as the Fort Richardson State Historic Park.

Visiting the ruins is like a stroll back in time. Touring the impressive post hospital gives visitors some insight into the many hardships frontier troopers faced. Other wood structures include the officers’ quarters and barracks. Stone structures found on the historic grounds include the mortuary, bakery, and magazine.

Continuing on U.S. Highway 380, my next destination is the small town of Newcastle and Fort Belknap. The old fort is found off State Highway 251. Like other forts, Belknap was built to protect settlers from hostile Comanche and Kiowa raiding parties. Established in 1851, Belknap soon became the hub connecting roads all across central Texas. 

The federal army left Fort Belknap after the start of the Civil War. Although the fort was reactivated after the war, outside of the stone buildings, most of the fort had decayed badly. Five months after being reactivated and occupied, the U.S. War Department halted all reconstruction at the fort and ordered the fort be permanently abandoned in 1867. The soldiers and wagons of supplies moved westward to Fort Griffin.

	Like spectral visitors, the stone ruins at Fort Griffin recount its service to troopers who in turn provided settlers the protection required to guarantee a brighter future.

Like most of the abandoned frontier forts, nearby settlers removed stones and wood from the buildings to build their own homes. The only buildings left standing were the sturdy post magazine and part of the corn house. In 1936, the Works Progress Administration allocated $29,302 for the restoration of Fort Belknap. Today, the 20-acre park is maintained by Young County.

Leaving Fort Belknap and Newcastle behind, our route takes us along U.S. Highway 380 until we reach the town of Throckmorton. From Throckmorton we venture south on U.S Highway 283 to Fort Griffin State Historic Park. Established in the late 1860s, Fort Griffin was a cavalry fort. It served as an important stopoff point for expeditions headed westward.

The fort sits on a bluff, overlooking the Clear Fork of the Brazos River and the surrounding valley. The ruins include a mess hall, barracks, library, administration building, hospital, powder magazine, and the foundation of the officers’ quarters. There is a nice museum, covering the history of the fort located in the Park Visitor’s Center.

South of Fort Griffin State Historic Park on U.S. Highway 283 is the self-proclaimed “Home of the Hereford,” Albany, Texas. This town was an important supply point for cattleman driving herds from the south to Dodge City. The National Register Historic District boasts no less than 16 significant buildings, including the 1883 courthouse.

After passing through Albany, I head west on Interstate 20 and on to the city of Abilene. Dusk is approaching so I waste no time heading over to the Fort Phantom Hill ruins. None of the forts visited this first day capture my imagination as much as Phantom Hill. Despite the nearby power and telephone lines and busy farm road, the fort maintains a solemn feel to it.

	The chimneys and foundations are all that remain of Fort Phantom Hill’s officers' quarters.

Fort Phantom Hill was established on November 14, 1851, but by 1853 the well-developed post was deemed too difficult to maintain, and the troops were ordered to abandon it. Shortly after the troops left, a fire destroyed most of the log walls and thatch roofs of the buildings that made up this relatively large, five-company post.

In 1928, John Guitar purchased the land, and in 1969 his son, Jim Alexander, took ownership of the property. Mr. Alexander deeded the property to the Fort Phantom Foundation to help assure its long-term preservation and to make it even more accessible to the public in 1997. Today, the 22-acre site includes stone chimneys, an intact powder magazine, stone guardhouse, and an almost-intact commissary.

With the sun setting, I scramble to take a few pictures of the tall chimneys in the fading light. They seem to represent the diligent spirit of the war-tested and proven worthy Buffalo Soldier. Certainly, they stand as a testimony to the frontier soldiers and settlers who refused to give in to drought, disease, and danger.

Nightfall is here so I find the nearest motel. Dinner consists of a cheeseburger, fries, and a shake—typical end-of-the-day road food. Tired, I throw off my shoes and literally fall in the sack. With eyes closed, I dream of Phantom Hill and a column of soldiers at a full charge.

The Southern Frontier

	The barracks at Fort Chadbourne remain in relatively good condition compared to the fort’s many other structures.

As big as Abilene is, I’m amazed how smoothly the traffic flows around the town during commute hours. After checking out of my motel, I visit a local truck stop for breakfast for eggs, bacon, and grilled cakes.

Leaving Abilene, U.S. Highway 277 takes us toward San Angelo, but not without first passing through the community of Buffalo Gap. The town got its name because it rests in a natural gap in the Callahan Divide, where herds of buffalo passed through and created well-worn trails.

During the cattle drive years, Buffalo Gap was an important stopover for stockmen traveling north. Many prominent cattle barons, including Oliver Loving and Charles Goodnight, drove herds through the pass. The Buffalo Gap Historic Village, with its many historic structures, including the 1880 Taylor County Courthouse, is a worthy stop.

	This officer’s residence is one of many restored buildings at Amarillo’s Fort Concho.

I begin to see a noticeable change in the land’s demeanor. The sympathetic farmland is giving way to unforgiving ranch country. As I approach the town of Bronte, I can see the distant rise of the Kickapoo Mountains—eminences that, to a Coloradan, look more like hills. This is rugged pastureland framed by nearby mesas, cut by the waters of the Colorado River.

Further south, I find a marker at the Y-intersection of State Highway 70 and U.S. Highway 277. The marker details the history of the Southern Overland Mail route that passed through the area. As interesting as the story is, I am looking for another marker, further down the road. Two miles further down the road I locate what I want: a granite historical marker honoring Fort Chadbourne. The fort ruins and cemetery are nearby.

Until recently, the land and ruins of the old fort were privately owned, and the public wasn’t permitted on the site. Thankfully, Garland Richards donated the fort to the newly formed Fort Chadbourne Foundation. Thanks mainly to the Foundation’s work, the fort is open to the public during daylight hours, and I was permitted to carefully tour the ruins. Volunteer stonemasons have done an excellent job stabilizing and reconstructing many of the ruined walls.

	A park employee wearing an authentic uniform of the time leaves Fort Concho visitors feeling as if they stepped back in time.

Established in October 1852, Fort Chadbourne is best-known for the officers who served at the post prior to the Civil War. Lts. James Longstreet, Arthur Pendleton Bagley, and George E. Pickett became distinguished Confederate generals in the Civil War. Miles W. Keogh, who fell at the Battle of Little Bighorn, was stationed at the fort during its brief reoccupation.

Then it’s back to the car and on to San Angelo. There, I ask myself, “How did such a beautiful city like this grow up in such a seemingly desolate area?” The answer is water

Fort Concho is located in the historic heart of the city along South Oaks Street and Avenues C and D. The large fort was established in 1867, at the junction of the Main and North Concho Rivers. In its prime, Fort Concho boasted 40 structures built of locally quarried limestone and eight companies of cavalry and infantry, including elements from all four Buffalo Soldier companies. The fort served as the regimental headquarters of the 10th Cavalry between 1875 and 1882.

Today, the commissary and quartermaster storehouses, built in 1868, are the oldest buildings in San Angelo. The old fort’s 23 original and restored structures are a National Historic Landmark. The buildings include barrack, a chapel, hospital, officers’ quarters, and the post headquarters.

	Visitors appreciate the detail in the reconstruction of the numerous structures at Texas’ Fort McKavett.

There is a lot to see at the fort, and it was easy to burn four hours of daylight exploring. The Officers’ Quarters house, E.H. Danner Museum of Telephony, and the post hospital comprise the home of the Robert Wood Johnson Museum of Frontier Medicine. The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts is found in the Quartermaster building. The latter museum features programs from four living history units, including the Fort Concho Buffalo Soldiers, throughout the year.

The possibility of losing daylight before reaching final destination forced a return to the road. From San Angelo, the route is southeast on U.S. Highway 87 and then directly south on U.S. Highway 83. This is old country by Texas standards. The Spanish tried to settle this land, building irrigation canals called “acequias” and raising sheep and goats.

In Menard one finds the recon-structed ruins of Presidio San Luis de Las Amarillas. On this trip there won’t be any tarrying here. Dusk is approaching, and my final destination, Fort McKavett, is another 17 miles west of town.

	While most of the structures at Fort McKavett have been accurately reconstructed, a few have been left in their original state.

Fort McKavett was established in the spring of 1852 and abandoned for the last time in June 1883. The fort had a natural spring and lagoon that provided plenty of water, a real need with some of the frontier forts. Also, its location in the hill country provided it with an abundance of timber and stone for construction.

Indian activity wasn’t heavy in the 1850s compared to other forts. The fort had fewer issues with the Comanche then did Fort Chadbourne in the north.  Eventually, the increased hostile activity in north Texas required troops and supplies be redeployed northward, and eventually led to the closure of the fort in 1859.

Today, Fort McKavett has 16 restored buildings, including the officers’ quarters, hospital barracks, post headquarters, schoolhouse, bakery, and mortuary. There are a good number of ruins too.  The interpretive exhibits in the old hospital are informative and much appreciated. While I didn’t get to see any of the military reenactments that are periodically staged at the fort, I don’t find it hard to imagine infantry marching in step on the parade grounds or a unit of cavalry heading out to investigate a report of trouble.

The great draw of a road trip such is this is the solitude the old forts offer the road-worn warrior. In the quiet afforded by the many ghostly ruins, it’s easy to sense the difficulty and hardships the frontier troopers faced. I’ve come to appreciate the sacrifices they made and their significant contribution to the taming of the great Southwest.

An award-winning writer, photographer, and illustrator, Paul Canada lives in Roanoke, Texas. In 2003 he won the National Cowboy Museum’s prestigious Western Heritage Award. His travel coverage of California also appears in this issue.

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