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Texas | State Parks

FORT CONCHO
NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

National Historic Landmark

Address: 630 S. Oakes, San Angelo, TX 76903
Telephone: 325/657-4444 325/481-2646
Call for hours.

Book Hotels Here: San Angelo Hotels
San Angelo Tx - Ft Concho Headquarter
Fort Concho Headquarter
Fort Concho Photos
Photos courtesy Barclay Gibson

Fort Concho Topics of Interest:

  • About Fort Concho
  • Fort Concho Ghosts
  • Fort Concho Stories
  • Fort Concho Photo Gallery
  • The Tenth Cavalry Historical Marker
  • Book Hotels

  • The best preserved of the chain of forts across Texas.
    Twenty-three buildings on 40 acres make up this National Historic Landmark.

    San Angelo Hotels

    Fort Concho buildings and Historical Marker
    Photo courtesy Lou Ann Herda
    Historical Marker:

    Fort Concho

    The center of a line of forts extending from the northeastern border of Texas to El Paso. Was also northern point of southern chain of forts extending to Rio Grande, thence along that river to its mouth.

    Established 1867 (at then junction of Butterfield Trail, Goodnight Trail and road to San Antonio) by 4th Cavalry under Capt. George G. Huntt to protect frontier. By March 1, 1870, fort buildings were (in order of their construction) a commissary and quartermaster storehouse, hospital, five officers quarters, a magazine and two barracks-- all built of sandstone.

    Among those who commanded post were: Gen. Wm. R. Shafter (later major general of volunteers, Spanish-American War; commanded troops at capture of Santiago de Cuba, July 1898); Maj. John P. Hatch (at one time fort was named in his honor); Gen. Wesley Merritt (first commander of Fort Davis after Civil War; was later superintendent of U. S. Military Academy at West Point); Gen. Ranald Slidell Mackenzie (who led attacks, from this and other forts, credited with defeat of Indian resistance in southwest); and Gen. Benjamin H. Grierson, commander of Negro troops of 10th Cavalry. On June 20, 1889, fort was abandoned as a military post and property passed into private ownership.
    (1970)
    San Angelo Tx - Ft Concho Adobe Foundation
    Fort Concho Photos
    Courtesy Barclay Gibson

    Fort Concho Stories:

  • The Chilled Catfish of Concho County by Mike Cox (From "Texas Tales" Column)
    In the days before instantly-available color weather radar, Isaac Cline’s story sounded like a Texas-size whopper. Cline had been assigned to Fort Concho in the spring of 1885 as the officer in charge of the Army’s Signal Service station. He oversaw the West Texas cavalry post’s telegraph service, which constituted the only real-time link to the outside world from that part of the state. He also took daily weather observations. Read full article

  • Dead Ellis by Mike Cox (From "Texas Tales" Column)
    "... The military abandoned Fort Concho in 1889, the last company of soldiers marching off to San Antonio. The military reservation became private property and the hospital was converted into a rooming house. Later, it became a hay barn.

    In 1911, lightning sparked a fire that heavily damaged the building, leaving it a stone shell. Eighteen years later, the rest of the structure was razed.

    But like “Dead” Ellis, the building came back to life. Following an extensive archaeological investigation, the building was rebuilt to its original specifications in 1986-1987. Now it and most of the other structures at the fort are a National Historic Site.

    And docents guiding tours of the reconstructed hospital still tell the story of “Dead” Ellis." Read full article

  • Thirsty by Mike Cox (From "Texas Tales" Column)
    "Fort Concho, established along the Concho River in 1867, guarded that part of the frontier for more than 20 years. Comanche and Kiowa Indians posed a definite threat to the soldiers stationed there, especially during the post’s earlier years. But the soldiers faced a deadlier foe – bad water.

    In October 1870, the post surgeon reported 35 cases of typhoid fever, 69 cases of acute diarrhea and dysentery and 21 cases identified as “continued and remittent fever.” Six soldiers died that month from one or another of those ailments.

    The doctor may or may not have had a microscope at his disposal, but he knew the culprit: Tainted water. A year before, he had reported that the North Concho River at that time consisted of only shallow, stagnant pools. The main arm of the river, he said, had been contaminated with putrefying animal matter, including buffalo carcasses. River water smelled bad and tasted worse.

    Indeed, when the river was low it teemed with harmful microbes, the invisible life forms that could kill a man as surely as a red-painted Comanche arrow or a spiraling .50 caliber slug from a Spencer carbine." Read full article

  • The Skunk War by Mike Cox
    "Col. Benjamin H. Grierson led one of the Civil War's most impressive cavalry campaigns and would see more combat as a cavalry officer in West Texas, but sometimes even an experienced officer gets outmaneuvered." Read full article


  • Camp Elizabeth - Fort Concho's outpost

  • Elijah Cox by Murray Montgomery
    Fighting Indians on the Texas Frontier


    San Angelo Hotels Book Here
  • Fort Concho Ghosts:
  • Ghost in No. 7 by Mike Cox
  • Fort Concho Ghost by Shannan Yarbrough
  • Fort Concho Photo Gallery
    San Angelo Tx - Fort Concho Museum Headquarter
    Fort Concho Museum Headquarter
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    San Angelo Tx - Ft Concho Museum  sign
    Fort Concho Museum sign
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    San Angelo Tx - Fort Concho Officers Quarters
    Fort Concho Officers Quarters
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    San Angelo Tx - Fort Concho Officers Quarters
    Officers Quarters
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    San Angelo Tx - Fort Concho Officers Quarters
    Officers Quarters
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    San Angelo Tx - Fort Concho Officers Quarters
    Officers Quarters
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    San Angelo Tx - Fort Concho Building
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    San Angelo Tx - Fort Concho Parade Ground
    Fort Concho Parade Ground
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    San Angelo Tx - Fort Concho Old Barracks
    Fort Concho Old Barracks, Buildt 1867
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    San Angelo Tx - Fort Concho Store
    Fort Concho Store
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010

    San Angelo Tx - Fort Concho10th Cavalry Historical Marker
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    Historical Marker Text

    The Tenth Cavalry


    Following the Civil War, the United States Congress authorized the creation of six regiments of black U.S. Army troops. The Tenth Cavalry was organized in 1867 under the leadership of Col. Benjamin Grierson (1826-1911). The order creating black troops also specified that they would be commanded by white officers. Facing problems of racial discrimination at the regiment's headquarters in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Grierson wanted the Tenth Cavalry reassigned to the West, and they arrived at Fort Concho in the Spring of 1875.

    The contributions of the men of the Tenth Cavalry to the settlement of the American West are of major importance. They took part in grueling scouting and mapping expeditions and campaigns against hostile Indians, often facing days without proper supplies or water on the high plains. They were instrumental in the defeat of the Mescalero Apache Indians led by Chief Victorio in 1880.

    The men of the Tenth Cavalry were stationed at Fort Concho until 1882, when they were moved to Fort Davis. Transferred frequently after 1885, members of the unit eventually served throughout the world, including Cuba, North Africa, Germany, Korea, and Vietnam.

    (1987)

    San Angelo Tx - Fort Concho  Medal of Honor Memorials
    Medal of Honor Memorial
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    San Angelo Tx - Fort Concho, Medal of Honor Memorial
    Medal of Honor Memorial
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    San Angelo Tx - Fort Concho, Sundial
    Sundial on display in museum
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    San Angelo Tx - Site of Fort Concho plaque
    Site of Fort Concho plaque
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    San Angelo Tx - Ft Concho , 1961 National Historic Lankmark Plaque
    Fort Concho National Historic Lankmark Plaque
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
    Camp Elizabeth Sterling County Tx - Centennial Marker
    Camp Elizabeth
    Fort Concho's outpost

    San Angelo, Texas
    San Angelo Hotels

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