The Inheritance, Restoration, and History of Fort Chadbourne

Fort Chadbourne was the predecessor to Fort Concho and was occupied by soldiers from 1852 to 1867. It was originally set up for protection against settlers moving west during the ’49 Gold Rush. These soldiers eventually left Chadbourne to establish Fort Concho.

Today, Fort Chadbourne is a wealth of history that has passed down from generation to generation, and it's not every day someone can say, "I inherited a Fort."

Garland Richards' family has occupied the fort since the late 1800s. Richards inherited the fort in 1999 after the passing of his father. Originally, his great-great-great grandfather started the family tradition and occupied the fort around 1873, after it had officially been shut down. He utilized the buildings for his ranching headquarters.

After receiving this inheritance, Garland and his wife Lana started the Fort Chadbourne Foundation Project for rebuilding and restoration of the fort.

“It’s an important part of west Texas history that we thought needed to be preserved,” Richards stated. “It’s a part of my heritage but it is also a part of Texas heritage.” 

Inside of the recently-added Visitor’s Center, guests will find many artifacts and displays that truly define the time period in which Fort Chadbourne was active. Theodore Lincoln Chadbourne, for whom the fort was named, has his own special display that includes the saber and sash he was wearing when he was killed in the battle of 1846.

As visitors move through the vaults, they will observe artifacts that were found in and around Fort Chadbourne. Close to one million objects were found, including anything from surgical instruments to cannonballs.

A tribute to our military, past and present, is also included in the displays, most notably the Medal of Honor wall.

The exact location of the fort:

“Every recipient of the Medal of Honor, their name is posted on this wall,” Richards said. “There are some Medals of Honor that have just been issued; I think there are three this year. We will add those to the list.” 

Additionally, in the military tribute section sits a photo of Richards’ youngest son, Cody Moore. Moore is currently stationed in South Korea, but previously served in Afghanistan where he was wounded and received a Purple Heart. His military decorations are currently on display.

In addition to his children, Richards stated that there have been eight generations that call Fort Chadbourne home.

“I didn’t know that everybody didn’t have a fort in their backyard,” Richards stated about growing up on the fort. “We are in the process of handing the ranch down to my grandkids.” 

This family tradition that Richards will continue has caught the attention of the media.

A segment entitled “Strange Inheritance” aired on the Fox Business Channel about the Richards and Fort Chadbourne. As a non-profit organization, this has helped the fort tremendously.

“We’re always trying to find some ways to keep the doors open and to accomplish what we’re doing, and the “Strange Inheritance” TV show looks to me like it’s going to help with promotion of what we’ve actually done out here,” Richards said.

That promotion will help because all of the restoration at Fort Chadbourne was done without government funds.

“People in the San Angelo and Abilene area have been good to us. Several foundations in the area have helped us with some of the projects we have done,” Richards said. He also added that they do accept donations and that “helps pay the electric bill.”

“It really has been an honor for Lana and I to accomplish what we’ve done with Fort Chadbourne because this is a part of west Texas history that was quickly going away, and we didn’t need to lose it,” said Richards.

For those who have yet to visit the fort, Richards stated, “If they haven’t been to Fort Chadbourne, then they ought to come look. It’s well represented. We’ve got a good team. We try to treat everyone coming through like they’re going to be our biggest donor.”

Fort Chadbourne is the halfway point between San Angelo and Abilene. It is located off of Highway 277 at 651 Fort Chadbourne Road in Bronte. It's an easy trip where people can check out a piece of Texas history that is behind that big gold spur.