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Fort Davis National Historic Site protects a well-preserved 19th century US Army fort in West Texas. It contains over 20 restored buildings and over 100 ruins and foundations.
History
Fort Davis was established in October 1854 by General Persifor Frazer Smith (1798-1858). It was named after Jefferson Davis (1808-1889), who was the US Secretary of War at the time. It sits in a canyon flanked on three sides by sheer rock walls.
Fort Davis was given to the Confederacy forces in early 1861 along with all other federal installations in Texas under General David Twiggs (1790-1862) in an act that was considered treason. It was evacuated by Union troops in April 1861 and was held by the Confederates until August 1862.
The 24th and 25th Infantry as well as the 9th and 10th Cavalry regiments, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers, were stationed there after the Civil War. The 9th Infantry was instrumental in reoccupying Fort Davis on June 29, 1867.
The fort was charged with protecting emigrants, mail coaches, and freight wagons running along the San Antonio-El Paso Road and Chihuahua Trail. It was also used to launch attacks during the Comanche Wars and Mescalero Apache Wars. Fort Davis was decommissioned in 1891 and designated a National Historic Landmark on December 19, 1960. It became a National Historic Site on September 8, 1961.
Entrance Fees
There are three options for entrance fees to Fort Davis National Historic Site, and all are good for seven days. The first is to pay US$10 per person, the second is to pay US$20 per car for all visitors within the vehicle, and the third is to pay US$15 per motorcycle for two adults (as of December 2023). You can choose the option that works best for you. Visitors 15 years of age and under are always free, and entrance fees are covered by all of the interagency passes. The park is open year-round from 8am to 5pm.
Visitor Center
The park visitor center is housed in one of the restored historic buildings, an Enlisted Men’s Barracks. It’s open during park hours and is the place to pay entrance fees. You can also get park maps, watch a short introductory video, and peruse exhibits on the history of Fort Davis.
Exhibits include artifacts used by soldiers and officers stationed at the fort as well as clothing and artifacts used by local Apaches.
Camping
There’s no accommodation at Fort Davis National Historic Site. Visitors can stay in the town of Fort Davis or in a nearby town. We stayed the night in Van Horn, and Marfa is even closer.
Activities
In addition to a few hiking trails, interpreters dressed in period clothing are stationed at some of the buildings during summer months.
