This historic marker outside of the former US Army outpost of Fort Clark relates the general history of Texas' early Military roads, including El Camino Real, The Central National Road, and The Cotton Road. Brackettville and Fort Clark were located on the San Antonio-El Paso Road, AKA "The Chihuahua Road."
The state Historic Marker reads as follows:
"TEXAS MILITARY ROADS
The routes that moved troops in early Texas often followed old Indian trails, usually were little more than deep wagon ruts. This one, the Chihuahua Road joining Ft. Clark with other southwest posts -- was widely used, 1850-1880. The Comanche War Trail, part of the Chihuahua Road, carried women, children, and horses stolen by Indians from Mexico to the north.
The Spanish era opened El Camino Real (the Old San Antonio Road) in 1691 to join Louisiana to Mexico. After 1836, Republic of Texas settlers demanded forts for safety from Indians; a main 1840 supply road followed present Austin-Dallas highway. Central National Road, 1844, linked Trinity and Red Rivers. (Its rules required all trees to be cut 12 inches or less from ground).
From 1848 to 1860, surveys by U.S. led to a network of military roads in west central Texas. In 1849, Capt. Randolph B. Marcy blazed a West Texas trail used by California gold hunters. Famed U.S. 2nd Cavalry made Ft. Belknap - San Antonio Road a military artery in 1850s.
During Civil War, supplies moved from Mexico to Texas over the cotton road. The Indian campaigns of Capt. R.S. Mackenzie in 1870s opened trails across the staked plains; but by 1881, the railroad had begun to replace Texas' once-famous military routes. (1968)"
From The Handbook of Texas online: (
visit link)
"BRACKETTVILLE, TEXAS. Brackettville, the county seat of Kinney County, is on U.S. Highway 90 twenty-two miles northeast of the Rio Grande and 125 miles west of San Antonio, near the geographic center of the county. It is named after Oscar B. Brackett, who established the first general dry goods store near the site of Fort Clark in 1852. Brackett, as it was called originally, was established on the San Antonio-El Paso Road, and by 1857 its Sargent Hotel and small restaurant run by Mr. Sheedy were a regular stop for the San Antonio-San Diego stage line. The settlement was six miles south of Las Moras Mountain near the prolific Las Moras Springs. Roving bands of Indians, who had historically hunted and camped at Las Moras Springs, harassed early settlers.
The community experienced a period of steady growth after the Civil War, attracting cattle rustlers, buffalo hunters, gamblers, and businessmen. In 1868 Brackett had ten homes and a population of fifty. Kinney County's school was started by Mrs. Margaret Martin Ballantyne around 1870 and housed in Brackett's home. Rev. Egglington Barr, a chaplain at Fort Clark, held Protestant services. The community was known as Brackett or Brackett City when it received a post office in 1873; another Texas community was named Brackett, however, so the postal service changed the community's name to Brackettville. It was designated the county seat of Kinney County when the county was established in 1876."