Followers

Pages

Friday, September 3, 2010

Flashback Friday - Abilene, TX - Part Two!


Continuing on our tour of Abilene, Texas, our next stop was the Buffalo Gap Historic Village.


Buffalo Gap got its name from the "gap" in the Callahan Divide, a range of hills that extend twenty-six miles from west to southeast through Taylor and Callahan counties and separates the Brazos River from the Colorado River. Thousands of buffalo traveled down from Kansas in early October when the first cold winds began to blow, and traveled down through the "gap", migrating back north in early March. Because of the availability of so many bison, they brought the Plains Indians (mostly the Comanches) to the area. The Indians were very dependent upon the bison, and it was their downfall.

The U.S. Government wanted to contain the Comanches after the Civil War, so the bison were targeted to be killed. The government's thinking was that if the Comanche's food supply would be eliminated, then maybe there would be a chance of ending the hostility on the frontier. This, in turn, brought many buffalo hunters to the area. Buffalo Gap became one of the main gathering spots for the civilian hunters. The American hunters were only interested in the buffalo hides, which brought in around $2.00 to $2.50 each, and the tongue and the hump of the bison. They left the rest of the animal to rot. This was very different compared to the Indians who used every part of the bison.

The real money was made by those who outfitted the hunters, supplying them with all their hunting needs and every day necessities.

The first buffalo hunters came in 1874, and by 1877, all the buffalo were gone. Many of the hunters stayed in the area and became ranchers and farmers.

Buffalo Gap was the first township in Taylor County and served as the county seat until 1883 when it was relocated to the town of Abilene. The Buffalo Gap Historic Village takes you through the last 50 years of the Texas frontier - from horses to horseless carriages. The site is divided into three historic areas: 1883, 1904, and 1925.

In the 1883 area, there are three authentic buildings: 1) The John Thomas Hill House, which was built in 1881 and was the home of Abilene's first marshal. It is the only remaining structure of box construction left in Taylor County. 2) First Taylor County Courthouse and Jail - construction started in 1879 and was finished the following year. This served as the Taylor County Courthouse until the county seat was moved to Abilene in 1883. Bottom floor contained County Clerk, Sheriff, and Judge's office as well as the courtroom. Upper floor contained a cell for hostile prisoners and a larger "run about" for general prisoners.





3) Knight/Sayles Cabin: Built in 1875 by J.M.C. Knight, a former buffalo hunter, for his family. Six of the family's thirteen children were raised in this cabin, which was originally located six miles to the west.



In the 1904 area, the buildings are typical of what you would find in a small town; a doctor's office, post office, barber shop, railroad depot, blacksmith shop, and wagon barn.




In the 1925 area is the two room rural schoolhouse dating from 1930, a Texaco Service Station that was built in 1926, a banking institution from the 1920's, the original free standing post office in Buffalo Gap built around 1950, and the Print Shop.



The Nazarene Church was built in 1906 and was originally located nine blocks from the current location. It is one of the first Nazarene Churches in Texas.

All of the artifacts are original in the buildings.

It took all morning for us to complete the self-guided tour of the Buffalo Gap Historic Village. We had really enjoyed ourselves and had worked up an appetite so we left to grab some lunch before we headed up to Ft. Phantom Hill.

In 1851, Lieutenant Colonel J.J. Abercrombie brought five companies of the Fifth Infantry to build Phantom Hill. This fort and the other nearby ones were built to protect the settlers who were moving further west on the frontier, from the Comanche Indians. There was a lot of hardship at this fort due to inadequate water supply and scarcity of building timbers. A stone quarry was located two miles south. Despite the shortage of timber, the officers' quarters and hospital were built of logs which had to be brought in by ox wagon from 40 miles away.

The fort was never officially named; it was referred to as the "Post on the Clear Fork of the Brazos." It became "Fort Phantom Hill" because of the hill on which it was located. The name refers to the fact that from a distance, the hill rises sharply from the plains but levels out as it is approached, retreating like a phantom.

The fort was abandoned in 1854, and shortly thereafter, was burned mysteriously. Those accused have ranged from an irate officer's wife to Indians to Federal sympathizers. No evidence existed to prove who did the dirty deed.

This is what is left of Phantom Hill.


Magazine building (where ammunition was kept)
Three chimneys and a cannon
The Guardhouse
What is left of the commissary building

16 comments:

Lynda said...

Very, very interesting and informative - - - but sad once again about the encounter between the government and the native Indians. We have the infamy of the Trail of Tears in our locale.
Your photos of the buildings are great.

Unknown said...

Interesting post; kind of sad stories. Great photos!

Brian Miller said...

the pictures make me feel like i am walking in mayberry...the words though. tear at something much deeper...

Bossy Betty said...

So interesting and yes, sad too.

SquirrelQueen said...

There is a lot of interesting history in this area but much of it is very sad. The Knight/Sayles Cabin looks so tiny next to the other building. I am trying to imagine what it must have been like raising six children in such a small house.

Valerie said...

There is so much sadness in our history. Thanks for sharing this with us... oh, and the pictures are great.

Gail said...

Cruelty, thy name is called progress...so sad.

Once again, thanks for my vacation and the history.

You are a jewel of teacher and tour guide.

Great pictures.

Unknown said...

I'm always amazed at the naming prowess of the government. "Yes this is the um... the gap." No not the canyon or the fjord or some other fun exciting word. Just gap. boooo.

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Thanks so much for takin' me off the Ponderosa for just a little while. Your pics are fantastic and the history lesson was great. Yep, the Native American Indian's so often got a 'raw' deal. Thanks so much for sharing.

God bless ya and have an incredible Labor Day weekend!!!

wenn said...

love yr series of photos!

Ed said...

I don't know if I ever told you this or not, but this is what I plan to do when I retire. Me and the wife are just gonna travel around the country in a RV.

Your blog is like a preview.

Ruth said...

You explore such interesting places. I just love seeing authentic old stuff. I especially love the photo of the shady porch.

Carletta said...

What wonderful info Pat!
Love all the shots but the gas station is my favorite and the school house. I liked teaching and think I would have liked it back then as well. :)

Missy said...

The gas station is my fav. These are so good!

Betty Manousos said...

Sad post but very wonderful info, Pat!
Beautiful pictures, too!

B xx

James said...

What a wonderful place. I really enjoyed this post. I just wish that I knew about this place when I lived in Texas. :(