Fort Concho (San Angelo, Texas)
San Angelo · Texas · Indian Wars
History & Significance
Established in November 1867 at the confluence of the North and South Concho Rivers, Fort Concho occupied a strategic position on the routes of the Butterfield Overland Mail and the Goodnight–Loving Trail. The fort was built to protect frontier settlements, patrol and map vast West Texas, and quell hostile threats.
The 4th Cavalry garrisoned the post from 1867 to 1875, followed by the Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th Cavalry until 1882, under commanders including Ranald Mackenzie, Benjamin Grierson, and William 'Pecos Bill' Shafter. Fort Concho troops participated in Mackenzie's 1872 campaign, the Red River War in 1874, and the Victorio Campaign of 1879–1880.
The Buffalo Soldiers represented roughly half of the soldiers assigned to the post during its active years. The fort was abandoned in June 1889, and preservation efforts began in the 1900s, resulting in the founding of the Fort Concho Museum in 1929. Fort Concho is one of the best-preserved examples of U.S. Army military installations in Texas, with the historic district covering the fort's original 40-acre grounds and 23 buildings.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Restored 1867 cavalry fort with intact barracks, officers' quarters, and adobe buildings
- 4th and 10th Cavalry (Buffalo Soldiers) history and Indian Wars exhibits
- Confluence of North and South Concho Rivers in San Angelo
- One of Texas's best-preserved 19th-century military installations
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Concho
- https://www.sanangelo.gov/262/Our-History
- https://www.sanangelo.gov/165/Fort-Concho
- https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/fort-concho
- https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/fort-concho-national-historic-landmark
- https://savingplaces.org/distinctive-destinations/fort-concho-national-historic-landmark
- https://texastimetravel.com/directory/fort-concho-national-historic-landmark/