Historic Forts of Texas There are dozens of forts, military installations, and old camps across the Lone Star State.
With the arrival of the first Spanish conquistadors in the region now known as
Texas in 1519, it was populated by numerous Native American tribes, whose ancestors had been there for thousands of years. Soon regions of Texas would be claimed by both royal France and imperial Spain, both of which would mount military expeditions to explore various areas. A small number of simple fortifications were established in this era to protect both French and Spanish claims from each other, and to protect expeditionary operations from unwelcoming local inhabitants.