Fort Concho

Fort Concho Historic District
A portion of the parade ground (bottom half) and the fort headquarters building (upper half)
Headquarters building, September 2017
Map
LocationSan Angelo, Texas, United States
Coordinates31°27′15″N 100°25′40″W / 31.45417°N 100.42778°W / 31.45417; -100.42778
Websitefortconcho.com
NRHP reference No.66000823
TSAL No.8200000596
Significant dates
Added to NRHPOctober 15, 1966
Designated NHLDJuly 4, 1961
Designated TSALJanuary 1, 1986

Fort Concho is a former United States Army installation and National Historic Landmark District located in San Angelo, Texas. It was established in November 1867 at the confluence of the North and South Concho Rivers, on the routes of the Butterfield Overland Mail Route and Goodnight–Loving Trail, and was an active military base for the next 22 years. Fort Concho was the principal base of the 4th Cavalry from 1867 to 1875 and then the "Buffalo Soldiers" of the 10th Cavalry from 1875 to 1882. The troops stationed at Fort Concho participated in Ranald S. Mackenzie's 1872 campaign, the Red River War in 1874, and the Victorio Campaign of 1879–1880.

The fort was abandoned in June 1889, and over the next 20 years was divided into residences and businesses, with the buildings repurposed or recycled for their materials. Efforts to preserve and restore Fort Concho began in the 1900s and resulted in the foundation of the Fort Concho Museum in 1929. The property has been owned and operated by the city of San Angelo since 1935. Fort Concho was named a National Historic Landmark on July 4, 1961, and is one of the best-preserved examples of the military installations built by the US Army in Texas.

The Fort Concho Historic District covers the fort's original 40-acre (16 ha) grounds and 23 buildings, some of which are the oldest in San Angelo. As of August 2019, about 55,000 people visit the fort annually.