Tips for When You Go
I know that as history lovers,
you'd rather cut off your
hand than hurt any item of
historical significance. Alas,
sometimes our families
aren't hip to historical site
etiquette. My son David once
climbed on a tombstone
while I had my back to him - I
was SO embarrassed and
no one even saw us! So
some rules you can tell your
significant others are:
  • Watch for holes in
    the ground
  • Don't pick up
    anything that
    compromises the
    integrity of the site,
    whether it be a brick
    or a piece of metal
  • Obey NO
    TRESPASSING signs
  • Ask permission to
    enter, if you can.
    Most people will be
    accommodating to
    your requests.
  • Watch for signs of
    vandalism. Alert the
    historical societies if
    you see anything, and
    take care that there
    aren't any bad
    influences lurking
    about!
  • Turn off the car and
    explore! Take a
    camera, a
    sketchpad... close
    your eyes and
    envision what the
    town must have
    looked like a long
    time ago.
In the early 19th century, the eastern portion of the Red River Valley between Texas and Oklahoma was mostly
populated by Native Americans, however sparsely - the Caddo had already been driven off the land, through
force or by fleeing the approaching white man. It was right after the Louisiana Purchase, and boundary lines
had not been well established. Further, the surveys of lands given to the Choctaws and Chickasaws were faulty
- whether this was intentional is open to debate - and the whole area was in dispute. Did it belong to Texas,
Indian Territory, or Arkansas Territory?

Within the next twenty years, the wild grass prairies and wooded hills would be populated by newcomers.
Anglo American settlers eager for the new lands acquired by the Purchase would try to settle around the river.
They brought with them African American slaves. The Trail of Tears would lead the dispossessed Choctaws
and Chickasaws into a new frontier, vacated a few years earlier by the Quapaws. The river, while still a wild
stream, was slowly being transformed into a thoroughfare.

The Fort Beckons
To help settle the area, Fort Towson, built in 1824, served as an outpost to protect travelers and the newly
arriving Indians. The Choctaws, originally from the Mississippi Valley, settled near the fort in the town of
Doaksville, which they selected as the seat of their tribal government (the Chickasaws would move further
west to settle at
Boggy Depot). Doaksville also became a hub for commerce throughout the region. It would
have its own jail, hotel, and tavern.

Across the river, Anglo American pioneers who'd been chased out of Indian Territory  settled the southern
portion of the Red River. They chose a site that they discovered was the safest for river crossings, and one that
was not too far away from the fort and its business. Along with African American slaves they founded
Jonesboro. It also became the northern gateway to Texas, welcoming the likes of Stephen F. Austin and Sam
Houston. The town grew into a sizable river port, hugging the river banks with brick-built homes, wooden
warehouses around the port, and small industries.

Jonesboro found its end rather quickly. In 1846, a tremendous flash flood literally  drowned the town. A
contemporary account explained how the river grew almost a mile wide. Jonesboro citizens decided to move
to drier land. Most moved to nearby Clarksville, and others relocated to surrounding towns such as Boston
(New), DeKalb, Paris and Bonham.

Luckily, Doaksville didn't sit right at the river. It survived the flooding, but couldn't survive the demise of Fort
Towson. As the line of American settlement forged west, so did the fort's soldiers, and Doaksville severely
declined in population. When the railroad bypassed the town after the Civil War, the Choctaws moved the
government seat to Tuskahoma. Doaksville ceased to exist on later maps.

The Trail Lures
While the frontier stagnated during the Civil War, it rebounded into a frenzied push to the west afterwards.
Small towns west of what is today Interstate 35 began appearing. In Texas, Spanish Fort became a rough and
tumble border town. The first inhabitants of the town had been the Taovayans, who successfully beat Spanish
troops by building (or occupying) a moated fort in the late 18th century. Anglo settlers claimed the site for
themselves and named it Spanish Fort (believing the canon and fort they found belonged to the Spanish).
Located just a few miles east of the river crossing at Red River Station, Chisholm Trail cowhands would visit to
buy supplies, meet up with friends, and maybe order a new pair of boots at H. J. Justin's shop on the town
square.  Outlaws called Spanish Fort home, too - its proximity to Indian Territory making for an easy getaway.
The town found its demise when the railroad laid tracks farther south.

Fleetwood, Oklahoma, is another Chisholm Trail era ghost town. The cows would ford the river at Red River
Station in Texas and pass through Fleetwood and its dry goods store. Fleetwood served as the last supply stop
for trail hands heading north. Fleetwood remained a small ranching center even when the trail trickled to a halt,
as a toll ferry and later, a toll bridge, spanned the river crossing. Until the first half of this century, Fleetwood
had a school and grocery store. As opportunity lured younger people to the larger towns and a free bridge was
built west on US 81, Fleetwood succumbed to modern flight.

I chose to include these four ghost towns because each were directly related to one another. As you can read
from their histories, the Red River Valley is indeed interconnected, the river not separating two states but
defining their shared past.
Know Your History!

The main reason why
none of these towns exist
as such today is that the
railroads bypassed them.
Traveling History
Here's how to get to these sites and what you'll see. Some of the ghost towns still
have residents; others only exist through the text of historical markers.

Doaksville - From US 70 in Fort Towson, take the north road to the cemetery (signs
posted). Drive to the back of the cemetery (which is worth a visit in its own right,
with WPA built stone walls and hand carved tombstones) and you'll find a set of
stairs. After traversing them, you'll enter a trail leading to the old Doaksville
settlement. An archaeological survey done by the Oklahoma Historical Association
uncovered several stone foundations. Along the trail, signs explain what the
remnants once contained. This is a fun but eerie walk through a deserted town in
the middle of a forest. I heard footsteps walking behind me when I was there, yet I
came alone...  

Jonesboro - Jonesboro (or Jonesborough) is located on a tight bend of FM 410
where the settlement of Davenport now lies (FM 410 is a looping road that connects
on both ends to FM 195 in north western Red River County). You'll find a roadside
park with a few historical markers and an old tombstone which was discovered by a
farmer plowing his field. After the flood of 1846,  Jonesboro was carried off brick by
brick by other settlers. Even the graveyard was dismantled. Martha Sue Stroud,
resident Red River County historian, details the sad demise in her outstanding book,
"Gateway to Texas: The History of Red River County." Further down the road is the
site of a Caddo archaeological excavation.

Spanish Fort - This "ghost town" has still quite a few residents, but is considered a
ghost nonetheless for the history that used to be here. Situated on FM 103 (north of  
US 82 in Nocona on FM 103- follow the signs), it sits close to the river. You'll find an
old store, abandoned school, and a few historical markers. Don't miss Old Spanish
Fort Cemetery, where gunfights ended many of the lives buried there. The remains of
the fort are on private land.

Fleetwood - Take US 81 to Terral, then turn east down Main Street (follow the
historical marker sign). The old store catches you by surprise. Northeast behind the
store are the remains of the school house. Further east down the road is a group of
markers recounting the history of Fleetwood.. The sweeping views alone are worth
the trip.
At this cistern in Doaksville, the last
Confederate General, Stand Watie,
surrendered.
Jail ruins in Doaksville, which is now a
protected archaeological site.
Looking inside the abandoned store in Fleetwood, Oklahoma.
See any ghosts? I don't, but I do see some bullet holes...
The grave of Jane Chandler Gill at Jonesboro is said to
be the oldest Anglo grave in Texas, or at least the Red
River Valley.  While the historical marker claims she died
in 1816,  Skipper Steeley, a historian from Paris, Texas,
found evidence that she actually died in 1846. There
goes the claim for the "oldest Anglo grave in Texas!. A
farmer found her tombstone as he plowed his field - the
abandoned remains of the town, including its cemetery,
had been picked off by settlers.
Right: This unmarked cement grave at the Old Spanish
Fort cemetery looks a little like a shroud...
Four Red River
Ghost Towns
Store at Spanish Fort