Bird's Fort, Texas

Bird's Fort, Texas
Fort - Garrison
Bird's Fort

Location within Texas

Coordinates: 32°47′56″N 97°5′0″W / 32.79889°N 97.08333°WCoordinates: 32°47′56″N 97°5′0″W / 32.79889°N 97.08333°W
Country United States
State Texas
County Tarrant
Built 1841
Founded by Major Jonathan Bird, Fourth Brigade of Texas Militia
Elevation 485 ft (148 m)
Time zone CST (UTC-6)

Bird's Fort was a community about 22 miles (35 km) northwest of present downtown Dallas, Texas (USA). In 1841, when John Neely Bryan established Dallas, he invited the settlers at Bird's Fort to come live in his proposed city.[1]

History

The site was named for Major Jonathan Bird, who established a fort there in September 1841 along the Trinity River, for protection of the settlements along the Texas frontier.[2][3] The garrison was constructed after the battle of Village Creek which occurred on May 24, 1841.[4] Bird's Fort was occupied until March 1842 when the garrison was abandoned due to the threat of a Comanche attack.

The military installation was the site of the 1843 treaty negotiations between tribal Indians and Anglo settlements in the Red River counties.

On August 6, 1843, the ill-fated Snively Expedition was disbanded at Fort Bird.[5]

The site of Bird's Fort received a historic marker in 1936.[6]

County development

Birdville, Texas, was the first settlement in Tarrant County and developed from Bird's Fort or Fort Bird.[7]

See also

Treaty of Bird's Fort

References

  1. ↑ Harper, Cecil, Jr. "Bryan, John Neely". Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 2006-04-20.
  2. ↑ Cutrer, Thomas W.: Fort Bird - TSHA Handbook of Texas
  3. ↑ Fort Tour Systems, Inc. – Bird’s Fort
  4. ↑ Frazier, Donald S.: Battle of Village Creek - TSHA Handbook of Texas
  5. ↑ Carroll, H. Bailey: Snively Expedition - TSHA Handbook of Texas
  6. ↑ "Site of Bird's Fort - Marker Number:4731". Texas Historic Sites Atlas. Texas Historical Commission. 1936.
  7. ↑ Hart, Brian: Birdville, Texas - Handbook of Texas

External links