Fort Davis National Historic Site

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Fort Davis National Historic Site

Location:	Texas, USA
Nearest city:	Fort Davis, Texas
Coordinates:	30°35′45″N, 103°55′33″W
Area:	474 acres (1.92 km²)
Established:	September 8, 1961
Visitation:	51,858 (in 2005)
Governing body:	National Park Service

Fort Davis National Historic Site is a United States National Historic Site located in the Davis Mountains of western Texas. The historic site was established in 1961 in order to protect one of the best remaining examples of a United States Army fort in the southwestern United States. From 1854 to 1891, Fort Davis was strategically located to protect emigrants, mail coaches, and freight wagons on the Trans-Pecos portion of the San Antonio-El Paso Road and the Chihuahua Trail, and to control activities on the southern stem of the Great Comanche War Trail and Mescalero Apache war trails. Fort Davis is important in understanding the presence of African Americans in the West and in the frontier military because the 24th and 25th U.S. Infantry and the 9th and 10th U.S. Cavalry, all-black regiments (known as the Buffalo Soldiers), which were established after the American Civil War, were stationed at the post.

Today, twenty-four restored historic buildings and over 100 ruins and foundations are part of Fort Davis National Historic Site. Five of the historic buildings have been refurnished to the 1880s, making it easy for visitors to envision themselves being at the fort at the height of its development. A self-guided tour of the fort begins at the site's visitor center. Living history demonstrations are common during the summer months.

Fort Davis National Historic Site was authorized as a unit of the National Park System in 1961 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960.