CatchCatch thethe PioPionneereer SpiritSpirit estern military posts composed of wood and While millions of buffalo still roamed the Great stone structures were grouped around an Plains in the 1870s, underpinning the Plains Indian open parade ground. Buildings typically way of life, the systematic slaughter of the animals had included separate officer and enlisted troop decimated the vast southern herd in Texas by the time housing, a hospital and morgue, a bakery and the first railroads arrived in the 1880s. Buffalo bones sutler’s store (provisions), horse stables and still littered the area and railroads proved a boon to storehouses. Troops used these remote outposts to the bone trade with eastern markets for use in the launch, and recuperate from, periodic patrols across production of buttons, meal and calcium phosphate. the immense Southern Plains. The Army had other motivations. It encouraged Settlements often sprang up near forts for safety the kill-off as a way to drive Plains Indians onto and Army contract work. Many were dangerous places reservations. Comanches, Kiowas and Kiowa Apaches with desperate characters. responded with raids on settlements, wagon trains and troop movements, sometimes kidnapping individuals and stealing horses and supplies. Soldiers stationed at frontier forts launched a relentless military campaign, the Red River War of 1874–75, which eventually forced Experience the region’s dramatic the state’s last free Native Americans onto reservations in present-day Oklahoma. past through historic sites, museums and courthouses — as well as historic downtowns offering unique shopping, dining and entertainment. ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ 2 The westward push of settlements also relocated During World War II, the vast land proved perfect cattle drives bound for railheads in Kansas and beyond. for military flight and infantry training bases. After the Cattle drovers who once used the Chisholm Trail in war, towns and cities swelled with new people. The Central Texas began using the Western Trail in the economy, rooted in farming and ranching, grew with 1870s. Today, U.S. Highway 283 roughly traces the new business opportunities. route through the heart of the Texas Forts Trail Region. Communities in the 29 counties of the Texas Forts Railroad expansion gave pioneers unprecedented Trail Region invite visitors to relive the region’s access to distant markets, boosting the local cattle dramatic past at restored historic sites, museums and and cotton economy. Towns formed along, or moved courthouses — as well as historic downtowns offering to, rail lines and prospered. More prosperity burst unique shopping, dining and entertainment. Along the from the ground in the 1910s and 1920s when oil way, visitors walk in the footsteps of a colorful cast of was discovered. characters — Spanish missionaries, nomadic Native Americans, eager settlers and gritty soldiers — who struggled to make this place their home. Background: Officers quarters, Fort Concho 3 THE TEXAS FORTS TRAIL REGION The following cities are described in this guide in West Fork of the Trinity Rive alphabetical order, and the Bra the B 281 number below refers to the of ra 183 zo 6 283 zos River k s r Fort Richardson city’s location on the map. o 83 10 r F Lake lt Jacksboro a 7 Graham S Throckmorton 380 Aspermont Haskell 251 380 380 380 4 61 ABILENE 1 Lake Stamford Fort Belknap Graham zos Brazos 9 e Bra he th 6 t 16 ALBANY 6 of f Do ork o 283 uble Mountain F k 5 r 281 ANSON 4 83 o 254 F Possum Kingdom r Fort Griffin Stamford a Reservoir le Hubbard 11 BAIRD 32 Hamlin Mineral Wells 3 277 C 183 6 Creek BALLINGER 29 8 180 4 Anson Albany Lake 180 BRADY 23 180 83 600 6 Breckenridge 277 180 Lake Roby 16 BRECKENRIDGE 8 Lake Palo Pinto Fort Phantom Hill Daniel Lake 1082 BRONTE 30 12 20 2833 Fort Phantom Hill 6 13 BROWNWOOD 20 Sweetwater 80 Ranger 20 Thurber 15 2 84 283 Lake CISCO 20 Eastland 2461 Abilene 322 80 20 Lake Sweetwater 1 32 Cisco 281 COMANCHE 19 14 20 89 Lake Kirby Baird Cisco DE LEON 16 Buffalo Gap Leon 2214 15 17 Reservoir Stephenville DUBLIN 18 6 Lake Abilene 613 Bosque River Tuscola Cross Plains 16 67 EASTLAND 14 277 183 83 Lake De Leon EDEN 26 Oak Creek Coleman 36 16 18 Dublin Reservoir ELDORADO 25 E.V. Spence 283 Proctor 6 153 Reservoir 31 84 Lake Reservoir GOLDTHWAITE 21 277 Robert Lee Winters Brownwood 67 158 Hords Creek GRAHAM 9 Fort 377 Comanche 30 Reservoir Coleman 19 Bronte Chadbourne 279 HAMLIN 3 Colorado 83 67 Early JACKSBORO 10 84 20 208 277 Ballinger 2524 67 P MASON 22 29 Brownwood e 2126 c 84 87 O.H. Ivie Reservoir an 183 MENARD 24 B ay O.C. Fisher Lake Concho River 28 ou MINERAL WELLS 11 283 377 45 84 Star 27 Paint Rock PAINT ROCK 28 Fort Concho Goldthwaite San Angelo Eola 21 RANGER 13 381 183 67 Lake 83 SAN ANGELO 27 Twin Buttes Nasworthy Colorado River 26 190 STAMFORD 5 Reservoir 87 190 Mertzon Christoval Eden STEPHENVILLE 17 San Saba 580 Brady SWEETWATER 2 277 Brady Reservoir 23r 71 San Saba River Bend THROCKMORTON 7 190 24 THURBER 12 Menard 190 87 Eldorado 377 190 386 WINTERS 31 25 29 Fort Sonor a 5 10 0 3 Presidio San Luis 22 Mason Fort de Las Amarillas Mason 20 SUTTON N River McKavett Llano 290 360 2335 87 uth So 31 N EDWARDS 4 ABILENE North of town stands Fort Phantom Hill, a federal outpost The region’s largest city, Abilene preserves the traditional heritage of the (1851–54) where signs mark three restored structures and nearly Old West while providing the advantages of a contemporary city. Frontier a dozen ruins. The outpost’s elevated site seems to flatten upon Texas! welcomes travelers with a dramatic sight-and-sound experience approach, hence the name “phantom” hill. During its brief duty, the of frontier life from 1780–1880. Animated video characters personify garrison experienced only peaceful encounters with Plains Indians. It Spanish explorers, frontier soldiers, Comanche warriors, buffalo hunters later served as a stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail route and as a and pioneer families. Frontier Texas! also serves as a visitors center for sub-post of Fort Griffin, near Albany. the city of Abilene and the Texas Forts Trail Region. The railroad brought major changes in the 1880s. Named after the Kansas railhead, Abilene became a shipping center on the Texas and Pacific Railway. Nearby Buffalo Gap, once the county seat, was bypassed by the railroad and subsequently dwindled. Today, tiny Buffalo Gap has several restaurants and art-souvenir shops. The 1880 Taylor County Courthouse and jail rest on their original sites inside Buffalo Gap Historic Village. The complex of 20 relocated historic structures — including pioneer log cabins, railroad depot, blacksmith shop, schoolhouse, bank and gas station — interprets the years 1883, 1904 and 1925. ALBANY Overlooking the Clear Fork of the Brazos River, Fort Griffin (1867–81) Above: The Grace Museum, was the hub of frontier defense between Fort Richardson at Jacksboro Abilene and the mountains of Big Bend. Several cavalry and infantry regiments, Left: Spirit of the Frontier Festival, including Buffalo Soldier units, were stationed here. Today’s Fort Griffin Abilene State Historic Site, a Texas Historical Commission property, offers restored structures and ruins, and occasionally hosts a living history reenactment. The park also manages part of the official Texas Longhorn herd, recalling the days of the Western Cattle Trail. Housed in the 1909 Grace Hotel, The Grace Museum contains Albany boasts one of Texas’ most charming historic downtowns, art, history and children’s museums. History exhibits include a dominated by the restored 1883 Shackelford County Courthouse. The recreated 1940s boot shop, Texas and Pacific Railway memorabilia town celebrates its heritage each June with an outdoor musical pageant, and period rooms on early-20th-century lifestyles. Just down the the “Fort Griffin Fandangle,” performed by local citizens since 1938. street is the restored Spanish Colonial Revival-style 1930 Paramount Albany is also home to one of the state’s finest small-town art museums, Theatre, which stages movies and live performances. the Old Jail Art Center. Located in an 1877 limestone jail, the museum Also downtown is the 12th Armored Division Memorial exhibits works by Old World masters and contemporary Texas artists, Museum. Extensive displays chronicle the exploits of the “Hellcat” and houses the Robert E. Nail, Jr. Archives. division which, during World War II, captured 72,000 German soldiers and liberated Nazi death camps. Airborne military heritage captures the spotlight at the Dyess Air Force Base Heritage Museum and Memorial Park. Visitors should call ahead to view 30 historic aircraft at the base’s Linear Air Park. 1867 – 81 ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ FORT GRIFFIN ★★ ★★ ★★ ★ TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION ANSON BALLINGER The settlement at Fort Phantom Hill relocated to a site that its founders The Santa Fe Railway established this town in 1886 and named it after mistakenly thought would be on the Texas and Pacific Railway lines. the line’s attorney, William Pitt Ballinger. Railway advertisements The town, and later Jones County, was named after Anson Jones, the last attracted settlers, spurring a boomtown atmosphere. In 1909, a new president of the Republic of Texas. library opened in Ballinger, courtesy of philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The Anson Jones Museum occupies the 1929 First Presbyterian The restored structure remains one of the few Carnegie libraries in Church. Displays include a miniature reproduction of the town square Texas still used as a public library. In 1911, the town erected a Spanish in 1904, Anson Jones’ desk and chair, plus a host of local memorabilia.