Fort Phantom Hill - Abilene, TX - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

Fort Phantom Hill was never officially named; military records usually refer to it as the "Post on the Clear Fork of the Brazos."

Fort Phantom Hill was one of the second line of forts laid out in the early 1850s to protect the westward-moving frontier of Texas settlement. Lt. Col. John J. Abercrombie arrived at the Clear Fork of the Brazos in the area of present Jones County with five companies of the Fifth Infantry on November 14, 1851, and construction began. A suitable stone quarry was located on Elm Creek about two miles south. Blackjack oak logs for the officers' quarters and hospital had to be brought in by ox wagon from as far away as forty miles. The company quarters and other buildings were of jacal construction. All of the buildings had stone chimneys, but only the magazine, guardhouse, and commissary storehouse were built entirely of stone. The location was far from ideal, and water sources were unreliable. The Army abandoned the post in April, 1856, and it was seen to be burning before the troops, headed for El Paso, were out of sight. In 1858, what was left of the fort was used, after some repairs, as a way station for the Butterfield Overland Mail Stage Line.
Units of the Confederate Army used the Fort as a base of operations during the Civil War. In 1871, it became a sub-post of Fort Griffin. In the 1870's a town grew up around the Fort, but when the railroad passed it by, the town evaporated.
In 1928, the property was acquired by John Guitar of Abilene. In 1969, the property was deeded to the Fort Phantom Foundation to ensure its preservation. Now the site includes three intact stone buildings (powder magazine, guardhouse, and the commissary).

The name, Fort Phantom Hill, may have come from the way the hill seemed to disappear as one approaches from a distance or maybe from something a nervous sentry shot at: what appeared to be "an Indian", evidence of which was never found.

National Register Nomination File (Texas Historical Commission Atlas): (visit link)

Street address: 10818 FM600 Abilene, TX United States 79601 County / Borough / Parish: Jones County Year listed: 1972 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Military, Social History Periods of significance: 1875-1899, 1850-1874 Historic function: Defense; Fortification Current function: Agriculture/Subsistence, Vacant/Not In Use; Agricultural Fields Privately owned?: yes Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Secondary Website 2: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   09/04/2017 QuesterMark visited it