fort belknap

A lot of old history here. Everyone in the family should enjoy their experience. Bring you dogs because there is plenty of places to roam.

For me, a headstone makes history more real. A name from a book becomes an actual person who lived and died. The grave of Major Robert Neighbors, the Indian agent murdered because he cared for the people under his charge, does that. His gravesite near Fort Belknap brings the whole area alive in my mind's eye. Established in 1851, Fort Belknap was on the dangerous frontier. This was the West. From here, the US Army patrolled in an effort to ward off hostile Comanches and Kiowas to protect settlers. The fort was restored as one of the projects marking the 1936 Texas centennial. It is in fine condition today. Several buildings, including a two story commissary now a museum, are scattered around the grounds. A surprise was one of the finest grape arbors I've seen, planted long after the fort was abandoned by the army. The site is now owned and operated by Young County. Check websites for open hours for the buildings. The grounds are open during daylight hours. My visit was early before the museum was open, so I wasn't able to see it. Adjacent to the fort was a thriving town where Major Neighbors was murdered, but no evidence of it remains today apart from the lonely cemetery in the middle of a peaceful pasture with cattle grazing around. It is located one half mile East of the fort; the entrance is marked on FM61. The town served the Army and was a trade center on the route West for settlers. One can imagine the wooden and stone buildings, dirt roads wide enough to accommodate horses and wagons, the soldiers and people going about their business. Butterfield Overland Mail wagons came through on the route between St. Louis and San Francisco in the years before the Civil War. Here westward-bound Butterfield wagons changed from horse to mule teams because the Indians raided only for horses.

I use the Fort as a regular rest stop on my cycling trips. Decent restrooms, neat museum and a great vine arbor when you want a cool spot in the shade.