Near Brackettville in Kinney County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Palisado Building Kitchen / Mess Room

Photographed By William F Haenn, May 1, 2012

1. Palisado Building Kitchen / Mess Room Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

This structure was built by the U.S. Army in 1869-70 and is an example of vertical post or jacal construction, used due to the absence of trees tall enough for traditional horizontal log construction. African American “Buffalo Soldiers” of the 25th Infantry built the rectangular plan structure with wood shingle roof for use as a mess room located behind their new stone barracks. The building was later a company storeroom, tailor shop and amusement hall. Some sources mistakenly identified this building as the “Robert E. Lee Building,” even though Lee never visited Fort Clark while he was in Texas.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1963

Erected 1963 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 16041.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Buffalo Soldiers series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1963.

Location. 29° 18.291′ N, 100° 25.199′ W. Marker is near Brackettville, Texas, in Kinney County. Marker is at the intersection

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of Baylor Street and Lee Court, on the right when traveling south on Baylor Street. Marker is located on Fort Clark Springs in the Fort Clark National Register Historic District and is accessible to the public. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 66 Baylor Street, Brackettville TX 78832, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Fort Clark Post Theater (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fort Clark Guardhouse (about 300 feet away); 1873 Infantry Barracks (about 300 feet away); New Cavalry Barracks (about 400 feet away); Fort Clark Historic District (about 700 feet away); Officers Quarters 2-3 and 4 (about 700 feet away); Married Officers' Quarters 8-9 (about 800 feet away); Officers' Row Quarters (about 800 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Brackettville.

Regarding Palisado Building Kitchen / Mess Room. The Palisado Building Kitchen/Mess room was built by the United States Army in 1869 and is the only remaining vertical log constructed (cedar post) or jacal building in the Fort Clark National Register Historic District. Today the building is still in use as a meeting place and is one of Fort Clark’s most iconic structures. Within its walls men who fought at Gettysburg, the Little Big Horn, San Juan Hill, and Chateau Thierry shared meals and their tales of soldiering.

Many of Fort Clark’s early buildings used the practical construction

Fort Clark's Palisado Building Kitchen / Mess Room image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William F Haenn, April 24, 2009

2. Fort Clark's Palisado Building Kitchen / Mess Room

technique of vertical posts, which was a typical frontier military expedient in Texas. Trees simply were not tall enough to allow for traditional “log cabin” construction. These often drafty and critter-infested structures were a common source of complaint by Army wives, contributing to the “glittering misery” of antebellum garrison life on the fort. This building was erected in 1869-70, by the Buffalo Soldiers of the 25th Infantry, to serve as a mess room behind their new stone barracks.

Despite its primitive architecture, the building proved sturdy and of considerable utility during its seventy-five years of military service, having seen use primarily as a kitchen/mess room and in turn as a company storeroom, tailor shop, and then as an amusement hall at the end of the 19th century. A unique feature of the building is that the interior walls are lined with tin. This treatment employs flattened fuel cans as a wall covering, which keeps the building comfortable in all seasons.

During the Guest Ranch era the civilian owners of Fort Clark mistakenly identified this building as the “Robert E. Lee Courthouse.” Regrettably, Robert E. Lee never visited Fort Clark and the building wasn’t built until some eight years after Lee left Texas, never to return. However, the authentic and proud history of the Palisado Building stands on its own merits and the structure remains

Historic view of the Palisado Building Kitchen / Mess Room image. Click for full size.

Photographed By U.S. Army Signal Corps, August 6, 1944

3. Historic view of the Palisado Building Kitchen / Mess Room

a genuine treasure of our community. In 1963 the building was awarded a Texas Historical Commission Medallion, which has since been replaced by an official historical marker. An extensive restoration and stabilization of the building was completed in 1994 by the Fort Clark Springs Association. The Fort Clark Historical Society now cares for the building and uses it as a meeting hall.

Additional keywords. Army Architecture

Palisado Building Kitchen during the Guest Ranch era image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Warren Studios, circa 1949

4. Palisado Building Kitchen during the Guest Ranch era

Contributing to the false narrative of the "R.E. Lee Courthouse."

RPPC of the Palisado Building Kitchen / Mess Room in World War II image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William F Haenn, circa 1943

5. RPPC of the Palisado Building Kitchen / Mess Room in World War II

Credits. This page was last revised on November 27, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 1, 2012, by William F Haenn of Fort Clark (Brackettville), Texas. This page has been viewed 842 times since then and 44 times this year. Last updated on November 27, 2021, by William F Haenn of Fort Clark (Brackettville), Texas. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 1, 2012, by William F Haenn of Fort Clark (Brackettville), Texas. 4. submitted on November 12, 2016, by William F Haenn of Fort Clark (Brackettville), Texas. 5. submitted on November 27, 2021, by William F Haenn of Fort Clark (Brackettville), Texas. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.