Fort Griffin - Fort Mason Road -- Brady TX - Wagon Roads and Trails on Waymarking.com

The town of Brady, in McCulloch County, was located along the Fort Griffin – Fort Mason military Road, which was well-traveled by US soldiers patrolling this wild area and traveling between the 2 forts during the time when control of the Texas frontier was being contested by settlers and U.S. Army soldiers on one side, and indigenous Comanche and other Indian tribes on the other.

The monument reads as follows:

"SOLDIER'S WATERHOLE

U.S. soldiers under command of Robert E. Lee used this site while traveling the nearby military road and patrolling this area for Indians.

Westbound immigrants also camped here prior to the Civil War;

Here 27 Indians surprised and massacred 18 men, women and children burned their wagons and stole their horses.

1850; 1869.

[BACK]

Ancient Indian Camp Ground

Erected in 1964 by McCulloch County Historical Society"

More on the Fort Mason – Fort Griffin Military Road can be found on this tourism website furnished by the state of Texas: (visit link)

"MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE

The Texas Forts Trail community of Brady has served as middle ground for Central Texans since its establishment in the 1870s. Founded halfway between Fort Mason and Fort Griffin, Brady’s secure location along a frontier military road proved fortuitous. Selected as McCulloch County seat in 1876, Brady benefited from cattle drives and railroads and soon determined to build the Romanesque Revival style courthouse featuring distinctive exterior stonework and elaborate interior vaulted arches. The County restored the landmark building, still an active center of government and rewarding heritage site, through the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program. In 1926 Brady residents created a recreational place to come together and celebrate, building the forty-two acre Richards Park and organizing a two-day celebration on a Fourth of July weekend. Today, this “July Jubilee” is closing in on almost a century of annual celebrations and now features street dances, a parade, and fireworks. Elsewhere in town, the Heart of Texas Historical Museum celebrates Brady heritage, a rich history of cattle drives and military activity including a 1942 pilot training school and World War II German prisoner-of-war camp. Brady’s Heart of Texas Country Music Museum commemorates legendary country music stars and its annual World Championship Barbeque Goat Cook-off, held every Labor Day Weekend, provides cabrito-lovers a place to come together and “smoke-out” their competitors."

Road of Trail Name: Fort Mason – Fort Griffin Military Road State: Texas County: McCulloch Historical Significance: This road was critical to controlling and ultimately winning control of the Texas frontier from indigenous Indian tribes who made numerous forays and attacks on immigrants traveling the road and settlers who were attempting to build new lives in this part of Central Texas Years in use: 1850 to 1869 How you discovered it: We discovered this monument along a lonely County Road Book on Wagon Road or Trial: We have not been able to find book on this single specific road Website Explination: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/tx-forts.html Why?: Immigrants used this road to travel between regions looking for places to start new lives Soldiers used this road to transit people and goods between Fort Griffin and Fort Mason Indians used this road to push back against settlers and Army soldiers who were taking traditional lands that belonged to them Directions: The marker is east of Brady. Go east on the US 190 from Brady, then turn south on McCulloch County Road 412. The marker will be on your right after you cross a creek.

Visit Instructions:
To post a log for this Waymark the poster must have a picture of either themselves, GPSr, or mascot. People in the picture with information about the waymark are preferred. If the waymarker can not be in the picture a picture of their GPSr or mascot will qualify. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   12/18/2016 Benchmark Blasterz visited it