Dozen Distinctive Destinations
Fort Davis, TX
Year Listed: 2008
The little community of Fort Davis, tucked into the Davis Mountains in west Texas, is a gateway to an unspoiled terrain that offers an extraordinary blend of majestic scenery, abundant wildlife, cultural resources and the history of the American West. Free of traffic lights or chain stores, Fort Davis offers a retreat to an earlier, simpler time of the 19th century western frontier.
At times, suspended above the Fort Grounds an impressive 20’ x 38’ flag is stately illustrates the magnificence of the Fort’s setting. In the background, the afternoon sunlight illuminates Officers Row and the Post Hospital Canyon. Taking one of the trails to an overlook allows the visitor to view the Fort in its entirety.
Credit: Max Kandler
At the center of this community is the Fort Davis National Historic Site, a key post in the defense system of western Texas. The site, established in 1854 to protect emigrants, mail coaches and freight wagons along the San Antonio-El Paso Road, played a major role in the history of the Southwest and is now celebrated as one of the nation’s best preserved frontier forts. It has been faithfully restored to its original plan and the surrounding vistas remain largely untouched.
The renovated 200-year-old adobe structures at the base of nearby Sleeping Lion Mountain are a significant part of the historic core of the community, many of which are still in use today. The Historic Indian Lodge, a pueblo-style adobe hotel built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, underwent an extensive renovation in 2006 to bring it back to its original 1930s glory. The 1883 territorial style adobe Veranda Historic Inn has been a lodging property for more than 120 years. The Hotel Limpia, built in 1912, has long been a distinguished and comfortable refuge for tourists escaping the heat of eastern cities.
Each year the small community of Fort Davis orchestrates their “Old Fashioned Fourth” celebration. Events over this weekend event include the “The Great Bank Robbery” as depicted by the photo. Hundreds of visitors assemble on the town square to watch as the “robbery” unfolds.
Credit: Max Kandler
The physical surroundings of Fort Davis are ideal for travelers seeking a retreat to the natural world: long stretches of open space of the Chihuahuan Desert lead out from the Davis Mountains; West of town, a popular 74-mile scenic loop winds through canyons and woodlands dotted with pine, juniper and oak. The route passes through the 2,700-acre Davis Mountains State Park, which offers camping, picnicking, hiking trails and a scenic mile-high drive.
The National Historic Site Museum and the Overland Trail Museum have an extensive and diversified collection of artifacts and materials from Fort Davis and Jeff Davis County dating back to the late 1800’s. Nearby the University of Texas’ McDonald Observatory hosts star parties that offer a clear view of one of the nation’s darkest skies.
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