Fort Lancaster State Historic Site, Texas, United States
4.5 (14 reviews) Wednesday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Ranking #1 in Sheffield Military Museums • Historic Sites
If you like ruins/ghost towns, this is a great site
A stone chimney stands among long-abandoned, silent ruins - a faithful sentinel still guarding this remote military post in the Pecos River valley. Spanning 82 acres, the site commemorates the vestiges of one of four posts established in 1855 to protect the military route between San Antonio and El Paso. Wander through ruins imagining the once-impressive establishment of 25 permanent buildings including a blacksmith shop, hospital, sutler's store and bakery. Listen to knowledgeable staff discuss the fort's importance and enjoy the sights, sounds and wildlife of West Texas.
Address
U.S. Hwy., 290 629 Fort Lancaster Rd., Sheffield, TX 79781
Mobile
Website
http://visitfortlancaster.com
Working hours
Monday :
Tuesday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday :
Current local date and time now
Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 2:27
User Ratings
4.5 based on (14 reviews)
Reviews
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5B5John 5:00 PM Aug 15, 2016
A Great Place to Visit
If you're driving through West Texas and see the sign that says Fort Lancaster, do yourself a favor and exit. The drive from the interstate to the fort is beautiful. The two lane road doesn't get much traffic so you feel like you're the only person around for miles. During the 20 or 30 minutes it took to drive to the fort I didn't see any other cars and actually wondered if I missed my turn. As I got closer and closer what was a flat road with prairie all around turned into a twisting and turning mountain road. The view from the roadway into the valley was absolutely beautiful. The drive itself was worth the detour. The fort itself is basically piles of rubble with a few fireplaces left standing. Considering I had two kids in tow, I almost considered skipping the tour of the ruins until my kids heard the ranger mention a golf kart. That's right.....a golf kart. included with your admission to the fort is the keys to your very own lifted golf kart. My kids couldn't of cared less about the history of the fort, Indian attacks or any of it. All they wanted was for me to go fast and hit the bumps. It was damn near perfect. I got to view the fort and learn its history all while thrilling my kids with my driving skills. This was one of our favorite stops on our trip. I strongly recommend a stop at Fort Lancaster if you're passing through.
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5Texastrips 5:00 PM Mar 19, 2019
Terrific quick trip from I10 to break up your journey
Easy access from I10, very interesting site with a recent remodeled visitor center that now includes a small but excellent museum. Very enthusiastic and knowledgable staff. You can ride a little golf cart around the site which is very entertaining. Fascinating view of a key part of the Texas past. Well worth the detour. They have cold drinks for sale but no food so take a picnic if you want to eat - shaded picnic area there and at the nearby viewpoint.
