Fort McIntosh, Texas

Infobox nrhp
name = Fort McIntosh
nrhp_type =


caption = Fort McIntosh
location = Downtown Laredo
nearest_city = Laredo, Texas
lat_degrees = 27
lat_minutes = 30
lat_seconds = 19
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 99
long_minutes = 31
long_seconds = 14
long_direction = W
area = 300 acres (1.2 km²)
built = 1849
architect = Unknown
architecture = Late Victorian
added = June 25, 1975
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
refnum =75002011
mpsub =
governing_body =

Fort McIntosh was a military base in Laredo, Texas that existed from 1849 to 1946.

Fort McIntosh was established in 1849 to guard the Texas frontier at the site of a strategicriver crossing. Originally named Camp Crawford, the fort was renamed Fort McIntosh in 1850 in honor of Lieutenant Colonel James Simmons McIntosh, a hero in the Battle of Molino del Rey during the Mexican-American War.

The fort was abandoned by Federal troops at the outbreak of the American Civil War. TheBattle of Laredo took place near the fort on March 19, 1864, when seventy-two men repelled three attacks from a force of two hundred Federal soldiers sent from Brownsville, Texas. On October 23, 1865, the post was re-occupied by a Federal troops when a company of the 2nd TexasCavalry occupied the fort.

In the late 19th century, Several African-American units among them the Tenth Cavalry,the famous "Buffalo Soldiers", were stationed at Fort McIntosh.

During World War I, the fort was used as a training base and saw over 15,000 recruits passthrough the gates. During World War II, the 8th Service Command, the 56th Cavalry Brigade, the Southern Land Frontier, the Civil Air Patrol, and battalion of military police all were stationed at the facility at one time or another.

The fort was deactivated in 1946 and the land is now part of the campus of Laredo Community College main campus. [ [http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/FF/qbf35.html Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "," (accessed May 22, 2008).] ]

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places added Fort McIntosh (#75002011) to its registered historic districts in 1975. Its areas of historic significance are its 1850-1924 Late Vistorian Architecture and Military background. All of Fort McIntosh buildings have been preserved and remodeled and today they serve as educational buildings for the Laredo Community College. [ [http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/tx/Webb/state.html National Register of Historic Places in Webb County] ]

Aerial View

References

ee also

*Laredo, Texas
*Laredo Community College
*Downtown Laredo