Spanish Fort, city in Texas, United States
Spanish Fort is an abandoned settlement in Montague County with remains from different periods. The site contains old buildings, a 1936 monument commemorating the Taovaya, and archaeological areas that have revealed artifacts from both the original village and the later American settlement era.
The Taovaya built two villages on opposite banks of the Red River between 1750 and 1757 with fortifications of wooden walls, trenches, and a moat. In 1759, Spanish troops under Colonel Diego Ortiz Parrilla attacked but were forced to retreat after four hours of fighting, demonstrating the settlement's strength.
The Taovaya built a major fortified village here that later European settlers mistook for a Spanish fort, giving the place its name. The original inhabitants maintained trading ties with the French, while the settlement later became a stopping point for cattle drivers moving westward.
The location sits about a mile south of the Red River and is reached via Farm Road 103 in a quiet rural setting. Visitors should expect uneven terrain and abandoned structures, with the 1936 monument serving as a landmark for orientation.
Herman J. Justin opened a boot-making shop here that later moved to Nocona and became one of America's oldest boot manufacturers. This humble beginning in a rural settlement grew into a business that lasted over a century.
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