Del Rio in Val Verde County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
U.S. Army Camel Corps
Photographed by Tiffany Prentice, October 9, 2010
1. U.S. Army Camel Corps Marker
The proposal to use camels for commerce and transportation in the arid Southwest came about in the 1830s, but it was under U.S. Secretary of War Jefferson Davis that the idea became a reality. The first shipment of camels arrived on the Texas Gulf Coast in 1856, and they were taken to Camp Verde (150 mi. NE of here) for training. Several expeditions made their way west through Del Rio, and this park was the site of one of their camps. Although the officers in charge wrote favorably of the Camel Corps, the Civil War brought the experiment to a close. Confederate troops stationed at nearby Fort Hudson found camels still in the area, and confirmed sightings of wild camels continued into the mid-20th century.
Erected 2002 by State Historical Survey Committee. (Marker Number 12800.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Military. In addition, it is included in the San Antonio-El Paso Road series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1856.
Location. 29° 22.171′ N, 100° 53.019′ W. Marker is in Del Rio, Texas, in Val Verde County. It can be reached from U.S. 90. The marker is in Moore Park, on the eastern side of San Felipe Creek between US 90 and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.
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Regionally, this marker is in Hill Country. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, and one of the Confederate States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Val Verde County (within shouting distance of this marker); Camp Michie (approx. 0.2 miles away); Cal Rodgers and the Vin Fiz (approx. Ό mile away); San Felipe Springs (approx. 0.3 miles away); Site of Camp Del Rio (approx. 0.4 miles away); Langston School (approx. 0.4 miles away); San Felipe Independent School District (approx. 0.8 miles away); San Felipe High School (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Del Rio.
Photographed by William F Haenn, November 19, 2014
2. U.S. Army Camel Corps Marker site
Credits. This page was last revised on December 28, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 12, 2010, by Tiffany Prentice of Houston, Texas. This page has been viewed 2,537 times since then and 87 times this year. Last updated on December 26, 2025, by Joe Lotz of Flower Mound, Texas. Photos: 1. submitted on October 12, 2010, by Tiffany Prentice of Houston, Texas. 2. submitted on November 29, 2014, by William F Haenn of Fort Clark (Brackettville), Texas. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
