Two Miles Southwest to Fort Belknap
Newcastle, Young County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Two miles southwest to Fort Belknap. Established in 1850 - The largest military post in Northern Texas - Until the Civil War the first county seat of Young County - A station on the Southern Overland Mail Line connecting St. Louis and San Francisco 1858-1861
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Established in 1850, Fort Belknap became the largest military post in northern Texas, anchoring the line of frontier defense against raids on the settlements. It served as the first county seat of Young County and, from 1858 to 1861, as a station on the Southern Overland Mail linking St. Louis to San Francisco. This marker points travelers two miles southwest to its site.
Why it matters
Fort Belknap shows how army posts, county government, and the transcontinental mail together stitched the Texas frontier into the expanding United States.
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Related events
- · Butterfield Overland Mail
Themes & tags
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