Fort Richardson, Texas
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Fort Richardson
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Looking across Fort Richardson's parade ground toward the hospital. The bakery, guardhouse and magazine are visible in the background.
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| Location | Jacksboro, Texas |
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| Coordinates | 33°12′29″N 98°9′53″W / 33.20806°N 98.16472°WCoordinates: 33°12′29″N 98°9′53″W / 33.20806°N 98.16472°W |
| Built | 1867 |
| Architect | Unknown |
| NRHP Reference # | 66000816 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | November 27, 1963 |
Fort Richardson was a United States Army installation located one mile (1.6 km) south of Jacksboro, Texas. Named in honor of Union General Israel B. Richardson, who died in the Battle of Antietam during the American Civil War, it was active from 1867 to 1878. Today the site is called Fort Richardson State Park, Historic Site & Lost Creek Reservoir State Trailway.
As much as any frontier army installation, Fort Richardson was responsible for the Anglo settlement in north central Texas. It was one installation in a system of forts along the Texas frontier to protect and encourage settlement in north central and west Texas. Other forts in the frontier fort system were Forts Griffin, Concho, Belknap, Chadbourne, , Fort Davis, Fort Bliss, McKavett, Clark, Fort McIntosh, Fort Inge and Phantom Hill in Texas, and Fort Sill in Oklahoma. There were "sub posts or intermediate stations" including Bothwick's Station on Salt Creek between Fort Richardson and Fort Belknap, Camp Wichita near Buffalo Springs between Fort Richardson and Red River Station, and Mountain Pass between Fort Concho and Fort Griffin.
The original site selection was ordered for a location near Buffalo Springs in Clay County approximately 20 miles (32 km) north of Fort Richardson. The location proved untenable and unfit for the establishment of a semi-permanent installation. The area lacked timber, adequate water resources, and was still completely hostile territory, with Native Americans often wreaking havoc in the area. In 1862, the entire town of Henrietta, northwest of Buffalo Springs, was abandoned because of the lack of security. In short, the area was more than inhospitable. As a result, the Sixth United States Cavalry moved south to the present location of Fort Richardson.
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