Old Camp Verde

Old Camp Verde is a former military post in Kerr County, Texas, with scattered ruins of buildings and fortifications from the 1800s. The site contains remains of soldier quarters, a general store, and a corral where camels were once kept and studied by the Army.

The camp was founded in 1855 as a frontier post to protect settlers and secure communication routes in the region. During the Civil War, Confederate forces captured it in 1861, and the post was officially abandoned in 1869.

The name Camp Verde refers to the green valley near Verde Creek where soldiers once lived and worked. Today, the fading buildings and scattered ruins reflect how this place was shaped by military experiments and frontier life that left lasting impressions on local memory.

The original camp site is not open to visitors as most ruins are on private property, but historic markers and an entrance gate mark the location. Few facilities exist on site, so it is best to plan ahead and bring what you need for your visit.

The camp was home to an unusual Army experiment with about 75 camels from Africa and the Middle East, brought starting in 1856 to test them as military supply animals. After the Civil War, surviving camels scattered across the western states, with some eventually reaching as far as Iowa.