Fort Ringgold Historic District
Also known as: Ringgold Barracks; Camp Ringgold; Fort Ringgold
Why it's listed
Fort Ringgold, at the southeast edge of Rio Grande City, Texas, was a U.S. Army post begun in 1848 and decommissioned in 1944. Four years later the local school district bought it and turned it into a school campus, which it still is. The historic district covers about 75 acres and includes 41 contributing resources, among them barracks, officers' quarters, a hospital, a bakery, a guardhouse and a flag pole, grouped around a large open parade ground. Most are one- or two-story brick buildings, and many have round-arched verandas that earlier accounts called Moorish. Building campaigns after the Army's 1869 decision to expand the post, in the 1890s and in the 1920s are all represented. The oldest surviving building is the Commandant's Quarters, known locally as the Lee House. The district was listed for its role in military activity along the Lower Rio Grande and for its architecture, despite later school-era alterations.
Significance in brief: The district is nominated at the state level for its association with military activity along the Lower Rio Grande and for its architecture. It preserves a cohesive grouping of Army buildings from the 1869-1875 expansion, the 1890s and the 1920s around an open parade ground. Its round-arched verandas reflect regional masonry traditions.
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 93000196, listed March 26, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Rio Grande City School grounds, 1/4 mi. SE of jct. of US 83 and TX 755, Rio Grande City |
|---|---|
| County | Starr County |
| Listed | March 26, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000196 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1848-1944 |
| Architectural style | Other: vernacular: military |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the local school district and used as an educational complex since 1948; the district is described as in good condition, though many buildings were altered during school conversion. |
| Acreage | 75.9 |
| Coordinates | 26.37431, -98.80836 (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 93000196.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q109999610
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.