Measuring 268,596 square miles, Texas is the second largest U.S. state and has a long history. This land served as a military frontier for centuries, from Spanish occupation to the Republic of Texas and into annexation and U.S. statehood. As more and more settlers moved into what was also the hunting grounds for the local Native American tribes, conflict was inevitable. It doesn’t matter which government was in charge — their response to protect their citizens was all the same: build a fort.
Fort Phantom Hill was one of those forts, built in the mid-1800s to try to keep up with the rapid westward expansion of the United States after the end of the Mexican War. However, the rush to build new defenses for the big state of Texas meant the forts weren’t always thoughtfully located or made of the best quality materials. Fort Phantom Hill was a victim of both, and its useful life was short-lived. It was abandoned by the military after just three years in service, and much of it burned to the ground shortly thereafter.
Today, Texas is full of abandoned forts near modern-day cities. Fort Phantom Hill is 20 minutes north of Abilene, between Lubbock and Waco. The fort’s ruins are well-preserved and free and open to the public to visit. It’s a unique addition to a Texas road trip to Abilene and makes for a short and interesting stop if you’re just passing through.
What to see at Historic Fort Phantom Hill
Originally called the “The Post on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River,” Fort Phantom Hill was established by the U.S. Army in 1851, despite the commanding officer’s opinion that it wasn’t in an ideal location. Durable materials were hard to come by, so only a few buildings were made entirely of stone. Most were built with wood and brush materials. The fort’s quartermaster even said, “that God [n]ever intended white man to occupy such a barren waste.” West Texas landscape is not a green, lush place, by any means…