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In June 1851, General William Belknap set up a small fort in Young County that served as a
protection for white settlers against Plains Indians. Fort Belknap, as it came to be known, was
first made out of rock dugouts called jacals, but eventually the campus included several
native stone buildings quarried from the area.
Belknap centered the western frontier as a hub for the various roads that crossed North
Texas. The ubiquitous Butterfield-Overland Mail line stopped here, as well as feeders for the
Shawnee cattle trail.
A small auxiliary town sprung up
around the fort, housing both whites
and Natives of the Tonkawa, who
sought refuge from the more
powerful Comanche. Tonkawa men
also served as scouts, and stayed
with Confederate forces as the
Union troops headed for Leavenworth
in 1861.
The fort was too far west for major
Civil War action, though the Texas
Rangers - who lead raids on
non-Confederates - used Belknap
as a staging area.
Upon defeat, the fort briefly held troops to secure the frontier until Fort Griffin and Fort
Richardson opened, thus moving the frontier further west -and Belknap was abandoned.
Locals and new settlers dismantled many buildings and fences to help build their own
houses. However, the Citizens Group of Young County, together with the help of Senator
Benjamin G. O'Neal, restored what was left of the camp in celebration of the Texas
Centennial. The fort is now a jewel of a relic, with camp sites and a large picnic area. Inside
the administration building is a very interesting museum, and a restored barrack is home to
fort archives. One of the outbuildings serves as a historic dress museum, at least when I
visited it.
Fort Belknap is unique, too, in that it's a county park and not a state park. The fort is now a
good destination for family reunions, weekend drives, and civil war reenactments.
protection for white settlers against Plains Indians. Fort Belknap, as it came to be known, was
first made out of rock dugouts called jacals, but eventually the campus included several
native stone buildings quarried from the area.
Belknap centered the western frontier as a hub for the various roads that crossed North
Texas. The ubiquitous Butterfield-Overland Mail line stopped here, as well as feeders for the
Shawnee cattle trail.
A small auxiliary town sprung up
around the fort, housing both whites
and Natives of the Tonkawa, who
sought refuge from the more
powerful Comanche. Tonkawa men
also served as scouts, and stayed
with Confederate forces as the
Union troops headed for Leavenworth
in 1861.
The fort was too far west for major
Civil War action, though the Texas
Rangers - who lead raids on
non-Confederates - used Belknap
as a staging area.
Upon defeat, the fort briefly held troops to secure the frontier until Fort Griffin and Fort
Richardson opened, thus moving the frontier further west -and Belknap was abandoned.
Locals and new settlers dismantled many buildings and fences to help build their own
houses. However, the Citizens Group of Young County, together with the help of Senator
Benjamin G. O'Neal, restored what was left of the camp in celebration of the Texas
Centennial. The fort is now a jewel of a relic, with camp sites and a large picnic area. Inside
the administration building is a very interesting museum, and a restored barrack is home to
fort archives. One of the outbuildings serves as a historic dress museum, at least when I
visited it.
Fort Belknap is unique, too, in that it's a county park and not a state park. The fort is now a
good destination for family reunions, weekend drives, and civil war reenactments.
| How to Get There: Fort Belknap lies northwest of Graham by Newcastle. From Graham, take US 380 west to Newcastle, then veer south on either TX 251 or TX 61. Signs will guide you to the fort. The Yahoo map won't show you much, but here it is, anyway, if you want to look at it. |
| In the 1930s, locals citizens restored the Fort, adding several amenities to the grounds. This picnic spot uses a network of grapevines for the roof. Eating under the cool shade is a great way to spend an afternoon! |
| Antebellum Frontier |
| The museum is located inside the administration building, and is open M-F 9-6 (closed for lunch), Sat 10-6 (closed for lunch) and Sun 1-5p. |
| Finds at the museum |
| Relics abound in the museum |
| A special "Thank You: goes to Dorman Holub of the Young County Historical Commission for updating me with better, more accurate information. You da bomb! |
| Robert S. Neighbors' grave lies at the Fort Belknap cemetery. A federal Indian agent stationed for some time at Fort Belknap, he was murdered for being too fair to Native Americans. |