Fort Griffin, Military historic site in Shackelford County, Texas.
Fort Griffin occupies a plateau overlooking the Clear Fork of the Brazos River, displaying stone buildings, barracks, and administrative structures from the 1860s frontier era. The ruins spread across open grassland and offer a view into the military life of that time.
Four companies of the Sixth Cavalry founded the post in 1867 to protect settlers from Comanche and Kiowa raids. The army abandoned the fort in 1881 after threats diminished.
The Fort Griffin Fandangle, performed each summer since 1938, stands as the longest-running outdoor musical show in Texas, celebrating frontier traditions. The production brings to life the customs and daily routines of the border region.
The grounds offer 33 camping areas, hiking trails, and educational exhibits, while regular demonstrations of frontier military life take place. The ruins sit on open terrain, so sun protection and comfortable shoes are advisable.
The Official State of Texas Longhorn Herd lives here, preserving a cattle breed that shaped the ranching heritage of the region. The animals graze freely across the grounds and give a sense of the 19th-century cattle trade.
Location: Texas
Location: Shackelford County
Address: 15 mi. N of Albany on U.S. 283
GPS coordinates: 32.92722,-99.23222
Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:28
Texas combines landscapes that barely resemble each other. The west spreads out in deserts and sand dunes, while the east is marked by swamps and dense forests. Between these extremes lie limestone cliffs, natural springs, and waterfalls that bubble up from the ground. The size of the state allows for this variety. A traveler can hike through dry canyons one day and wade through marshland the next. The state preserves places from different chapters of history. Spanish missions built in the 18th century stand near Native American quarries used for thousands of years. Mining towns and military forts from the 1800s now sit empty, their wooden structures weathered by sun and wind. Plantation houses with wide porches remain from before the Civil War. Visitors can also find a Japanese garden in San Antonio, a replica of Stonehenge in the Hill Country, and underwater caves where divers explore submerged passages. The variety makes it possible to see ancient footprints, colonial architecture, and ghost towns in the same trip.
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