Fort Clark Historic District
Also known as: Fort Clark Springs
Why it's listed
Fort Clark is a former frontier army post on a mesa above Las Moras Creek at Brackettville, Texas. Founded in June 1852 to protect travelers along the old El Paso Road, it began as a cantonment of tents and temporary shelters. In 1857 orders were given to build permanent structures, and enlisted men working under skilled craftsmen from the San Antonio area raised most of the surviving buildings from local limestone. Officers' quarters, barracks, a commissary, a hospital and administrative buildings were arranged around a large parade ground. The earliest surviving building, the Lee Building, uses cedar picket palisade walls, while later structures show dressed, rough and rusticated stonework. Twentieth century additions include stone-veneered frame buildings from 1915 to 1930. After the fort closed in 1946 it became a hunting resort and then a residential resort community. Some alterations have been intrusive, but the district keeps the look of a 19th century cavalry station and reflects the Army's changing needs over ninety-four years.
Significance in brief: The fort is presented as representative of the frontier forts set along the old El Paso Road during westward expansion. Ninety-four years of continuous use as a military post produced buildings that show changing construction techniques and materials, from palisade walls to dressed and rusticated limestone to stone-veneered frame. The complex still conveys the character of a 19th century cavalry station despite changes in ownership and use.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79002990, listed December 6, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Off U.S. 90, Brackettville |
|---|---|
| County | Kinney County |
| Listed | December 6, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002990 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca. 1855-1930 |
| Areas of significance | Military, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Deactivated in 1946 and later converted to a resort/retirement community; structures were sold individually. Some buildings are residences, some are vacant, and the Old Headquarters and Lee Building are ruins or vacant. Some have been altered by inappropriate repairs. |
| Acreage | 88 |
| Coordinates | 29.30809, -100.42092 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79002990.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5470929
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.