An Ultra High Definition 4K Driving Tour of Fort Stockton, Texas.
Join me for a drive through Fort Stockton, Texas! We are in far West Texas. Fewer than 10,000 people live in Fort Stockton.
Fort Stockton is the county seat of Pecos County, and is where the Pecos County courthouse is located. Pecos County, Texas is a wet county, meaning that the sale of alcohol is permitted in Fort Stockton, but with certain restrictions.
The area is very arid and dry, and very much like what people imagine when they think of Texas.
Where is Fort Stockton located?
Fort Stockton is far away from everything! It is located on I-10 in the western part of Texas. It is a common stop for people headed to Big Bend National Park. Fort Stockton is 240 miles east of El Paso, Texas and 312 miles from San Antonio, Texas. It is 508 miles from Houston, Texas and 434 miles from Dallas. It takes a long time to drive to Fort Stockton from pretty much anywhere. Everything in this part of West Texas is very spread out and can take a long time to get anywhere. Fort Stockton is 100 miles from the closest entrance to Big Bend National Park.
What is there to do in Fort Stockton?
There are a few fun and interesting things to do in Fort Stockton, but usually tourists only stop by when they are on their way to some of the other tourist locations in the area that have more things. Here are some fun things to do in Fort Stockton.
Annie Riggs Memorial Museum
301 S Main St, Fort Stockton, TX 79735
http://www.annieriggsmuseum.org
The Annie Riggs Memorial Museum was a hotel that has been converted into a museum. It showcases turn of the century memorabilia as well as other artifacts from the history of the community and a wooly mammoth tusk.
Photo Op: Paisano Pete the Giant Road Runner
East Dickinson Boulevard & North Main Street, Fort Stockton, TX 79735
This isn’t so much of a thing to do, and more of just a good place to take a photo if you are in town. Paisano Pete used to be the largest statue of a roadrunner, but another town had a bigger one built so now Paisano Pete is the second largest roadrunner. Paisano Pete is 11 feet tall and 22 feet long. There is parking available at the visitors center nearby.
Historic Fort Stockton
301 E 3rd St, Fort Stockton, TX 79735
http://www.historicfortstockton.org
This is the historical fort for which Fort Stockton is named. The fort was decommissioned as a military outpost in 1886 as the frontier moved westward. During its time as a fort it was controlled at times by the United States Army and for a period of time during the Civil War by the Confederate Army. Some of the original buildings still stand and some of the buildings are rebuilt. There has also be archeological research done on the property. The fort now serves as a historical museum and is open to the public.
Old Fort Cemetery
Located near the fort, the old fort cemetery was the burial ground for the soldiers who served at the fort as well as some of the local townspeople. It has been preserved as a historic site.
Grey Mule Saloon
101 E Callaghan St, Fort Stockton, TX 79735
tegenwines.com/tasting_room/index.html
This is currently a wine tasting room in a historic building that was originally a hangout for cowboys and hotel guests according to the historical placard.
Historic Old Pecos County Jail
101 West Gallagher Street Fort Stockton, Texas 79735
https://texaspecostrail.com/plan-your-adventure/historic-sites-and-cities/sites/old-pecos-county-jail
Cost: Free, donations encouraged
The old County Jain in Pecos County now serves as a museum. It was originally built in 1883 and was expanded in 1913. It is located near the Pecos County Courthouse.
Where to stay in Fort Stockton?
There are a lot of hotels available to stay at in Fort Stockton. Since Fort Stockton is located along I-10 there are a lot of people looking to stop for the night when doing long haul drives, and there are also a lot of gas stations. It is the main place in the area for people to get a hotel room, unless they are going to down into Big Bend National Park, in which case there are closer options down by the park.
What is Fort Stockton known for?
Fort Stockton, Texas is known for being the site of the historical fort named Fort Stockton. Fort Stockton was a remote military outpost that was built in an area called Comanche Springs.
Comanche Springs was a major source of fresh water in Texas. It was a popular rest stop along important trade routes such as the Old San Antonio Road and the Comanche Trail.
After the Civil War the fort was used to protect settlers and travelers during the Indian Wars.
Currently Fort Stockton is known for its proximity to Big Bend National Park.
When was Fort Stockton founded?
The fort was first built in 1859 and then later rebuilt in 1867.
The area was formerly known as Comanche Springs, which has been inhabited since the Pre-Columbian era.
After the development of the fort, settlers began to come to the area and the town grew up around the fort.
Who is Fort Stockton named after?
Fort Stockton is named after Edward Dorsey Stockton, who died in 1857. The fort was named Fort Stockton after Edward Stockton. Then the town was later named Fort Stockton after the fort.