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 WPA and CCC restored what was left of the camp. 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.

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 1940s, the WPA and
CCC restored the Fort,
adding several amenities
to the grounds as well.
This cool picnic spot uses
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