Fort McKavett

The Fort McKavett State Historic Site is a former United States Army installation located in Menard County, Texas. The fort was first established in 1852 as part of a line of forts in Texas intended to protect migrants traveling to California. The fort was deemed unnecessary and abandoned in 1859 and was occupied by settlers. From 1861 to 1863, during the American Civil War, the fort became an outpost of Confederate forces on the Texas frontier until they left for other theaters of the war. When the US Army returned to Texas in the later 1860s, the fort was reoccupied and rebuilt, and was at times garrisoned by the "Buffalo Soldier", or all-African American, 24th Infantry and 9th Cavalry Regiments. Fort McKavett was abandoned permanently in June 1883 and was once again occupied by civilian settlers who converted its buildings into residences and businesses. The town of Fort McKavett, Texas, grew within and beyond the fort's grounds until the late 1920s. Thereafter it began a long decline until it became a ghost town by the end of the 20th century. Preservation of the fort began in 1968 and on July 14, 1971, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Fort McKavett is managed by the state of Texas as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.