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

New Cavalry Barracks

Photographed by William F Haenn, May 1, 2012

1. New Cavalry Barracks Marker

Inscription. The earliest quarters for soldiers at Fort Clark were tents along Las Moras creek near the spring. During the fort’s 1870s building boom, three cavalry barracks were constructed, but by the late 1920s they had become too deteriorated for continued use. Three two-story stone cavalry barracks were constructed 1931-1932 to replace the three barracks that were razed. This new, fourth barracks was constructed on the site of the first post commissary which had burned in March 1892, leaving the site vacant for forty years. When the building was completed it contained state of the art facilities, including three 30 by 65 foot open bays for bunks and wall lockers, a mess hall, troop offices, supply and arms rooms and a latrine. The building was so modern and impressive that it was singled out in order to justify the retention of Fort Clark as a permanent military post.

The first occupants of the barracks were the soldiers of “F” Troop, 5th U.S. Cavalry. In 1941 the 5th Cavalry left the post and the barracks were used by the 112th Cavalry of the Texas National Guard. The Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th Cavalry, African American troops, moved into the barracks in fall 1942. Lastly, for the remainder of World War II, the barracks were occupied by 182 African American enlisted women of the Woman’s Army Corps Detachment of the 1855th Service Unit.

The two-story rectangular plan barracks is built atop a raised concrete basement. Load-bearing walls are of limestone webwall construction, with cast stone window sills and steel lintels. The main elevation is divided into fifteen bays by square wooden columns, with a cross-braced railing along the second-story porch.

Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2009

Erected 2009

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by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 15811.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Buffalo Soldiers series list. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1892.

Location. 29° 18.334′ N, 100° 25.146′ W. Marker is near Brackettville, Texas, in Kinney County. It is at the intersection of McClernand Road and Baylor Street, on the right when traveling west on McClernand Road. 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: 123 McClernand Road, Brackettville TX 78832, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the 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

Fort Clark's New Cavalry Barracks image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William F Haenn, December 18, 2008

2. Fort Clark's New Cavalry Barracks

distance of this marker: Fort Clark Guardhouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Palisado Building Kitchen / Mess Room (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fort Clark Historic District (about 400 feet away); Juan A. Avila 1921-2008 (about 500 feet away); Army Service Club (about 500 feet away); Fort Clark (about 600 feet away); Fort Clark Post Theater (about 600 feet away); U.S. Army Unit Memorial (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Brackettville.

Regarding New Cavalry Barracks. The New Cavalry Barracks on Fort Clark is a classic and enduring example of army architecture from the late 1930’s with perhaps a one of a kind design to suit the specific location of the building. Today, although the building is not in use, it is being sensibly maintained by the Fort Clark Springs Association until an appropriate adaptive reuse of the building can be undertaken. Of the four two story cavalry barracks remaining in the Fort Clark Historic District two have experienced irreversible unsympathetic modifications to create motel units and a third is not in a good state of repair. Only this

Historic view of the New Cavalry Barracks shortly after completion image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Warren Studios, Del Rio, TX, circa 1932

3. Historic view of the New Cavalry Barracks shortly after completion

barracks, “Seminole Hall,” stands alone as essentially unaltered and a stellar model of responsible preservation.

The New Cavalry Barracks is the finest example of 20th century soldier housing in the Fort Clark Historic District. This building may well be one of only a handful of pre-World War II stone barracks left on any army post in the nation and perhaps the sole remaining example of this type of military architecture in Texas.

World War II view of Fort Clark's New Cavalry Barracks image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Fort Clark Public Affairs Office, circa 1943

4. World War II view of Fort Clark's New Cavalry Barracks

2nd Cavalry Division guard mount, 1943. WAC Detachment of the 1855th Service Unit stands at parade rest on the porch of their barracks as the 2nd Cavalry Division drum & bugle corps passes in front of the Officer of the Guard and his platoon.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 11, 2018. It was originally submitted on May 3, 2012, by William F Haenn of Fort Clark (Brackettville), Texas. This page has been viewed 1,152 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 3, 2012, by William F Haenn of Fort Clark (Brackettville), Texas. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.