FORT STOCKTON, Texas — When you think of Fort Stockton, nine times out of ten, the historic fort itself probably comes to mind.
“The fort was established in 1858," said Ross Harper, director of Historic Fort Stockton. "Then during the Civil War, it was abandoned and then in 1867 the soldiers came back, and they established the fort and that’s what brought other people to the area.”
But besides just occupying the fort, the soldiers’ job was also to protect those who were just passing through. The soldiers entrusted with this task were the great Buffalo Soldiers.
“So, in 1866 the United States Government formed new regiments of all African American soldiers and in 1867 the 9th and 10th Cavalry--- who were all African America ---were brought out here to protect the travelers who were going West,” Harper continued.
The fort was so important to the area that those that lived in the town near it felt it was necessary to honor it decades later.
“Originally the town was called Saint Gall," Harper said. "And so in the late 1860s the man who owned the property called it Saint Gall and by 1880 the residents of Saint Gall didn’t like that name, so they voted to change it to Fort Stockton in honor of the fort that was here.”
Today Historic Fort Stockton is more than just a historical site with a museum. The people of Fort Stockton see it as a place of gathering to bring the community together for fun times.
“It’s the touchstone for the community," Harper said. "So we have events here, we have living history days here, the kids come and take tours, we have reenactors playing out. It really is a meeting place and it’s also a recreational place.”
But Harper says that despite the significance of the fort to the community, the city’s history is more than just Historic Fort Stockton.
“Fort Stockton has a lot of history besides the fort. It goes back thousands of years with the Native American tribes who lived here," Harper added. "We have the Annie Riggs Museum, we have the Rollins-Sibley House, the Frontier Days, The Grey Mule, which is a saloon from the 1890s. So there’s a lot of history in Fort Stockton; it’s really a place you can spend a couple of days exploring.”