Camp Ford, Civil War historic site in Tyler, United States.
Camp Ford is a historic site in Tyler, Texas, where a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp once stood during the Civil War. Today the grounds include walking trails, informational panels, and an interpretive kiosk that explain what happened here.
The camp was set up in 1863 as a Confederate prison and grew into the largest such facility west of the Mississippi River. It was shut down at the end of the Civil War in 1865, and the land returned to civilian use.
Letters and diaries from imprisoned soldiers are displayed at the visitor center and describe daily life during the American Civil War. These personal accounts make the experience of captivity feel immediate and give the site a human dimension.
The site sits on US Highway 271 and is open every day from sunrise to sunset at no cost. Since the panels and trails are spread across the grounds, wearing comfortable shoes makes the visit much easier.
After an escape attempt in 1863, a military stockade of about 4 acres (1.6 hectares) was built on the grounds to better contain the prisoners. Traces of that structure are still visible today, giving a direct sense of how the camp was secured.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
