Day Trips: Forts Concho, Lancaster, and Richardson

Fort Lancaster (photos by Gerald E. McLeod)

Forts Concho, Lancaster, and Richardson were once part of the thin blue line on the Texas frontier. They are now portals into the past.

Immigration exploded after Texas obtained statehood in 1845. The Army had the impossible task of separating the newcomers from the Indigenous people while protecting the roads to California.

Fort Concho was the regimental headquarters for other forts established after the Civil War. At full strength between 1867 and 1889, the outpost housed 400 to 500 soldiers, including the famous Buffalo Soldiers.

The city of San Angelo preserves 24 of the post's buildings as a museum. Self-guided tours are available for a small fee. The museum hosts events throughout the year, including Buffalo Soldier Heritage Day and Christmas at Fort Concho.

Fort Lancaster, 33 miles west of Ozona, has the distinction of being the only Texas fort attacked by Native Americans. Part of a pre-Civil War line of forts, the post protected the San Antonio-El Paso Road from 1855 to 1862. Infantry troops mounted on mules fought Comanche and Apache warriors.

The post's chimneys and stone walls of 29 buildings stand as final sentinels at this Texas Historical Commission site. The museum in the visitors center remembers the people who occupied the remote outpost.

Fort Richardson was active between 1867 and 1878, and saw some of the heaviest fighting due to its proximity to Oklahoma. General William T. Sherman narrowly avoided being ambushed near here.

Today it is part of Fort Richardson State Park near Jacksboro. Several buildings have been restored, including the two-story hospital. A separate area of the park offers cabins, camping, fishing, swimming, and a 9-mile horse and bike trailway.

1,615th in a series. Everywhere is a day trip from somewhere. Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel.