The Ghosts of Fort Phantom Hill, Texas
Nestled in the rolling landscape of Jones County, Texas, stand the weathered remnants of Fort Phantom Hill, a historic site steeped in both pioneer history and chilling tales of the supernatural. Established in the early 1850s, this fort was intended as a protective outpost for westward-bound pioneers venturing into the untamed territories of the Lone Star State. Today, visitors are drawn not only to the fort’s tangible historical significance but also to its reputation as a place where echoes of the past linger, giving rise to countless ghostly legends.
The story of Fort Phantom Hill begins with the strategic vision of the U.S. government in 1849. Captain Randolph B. Marcy was tasked with charting a safer route through the vast, often perilous region north and west of Austin. This area, known as the Comancheria, was the traditional hunting ground of the Comanche Indians, a formidable and warlike tribe. Marcy’s exploration aimed to establish a more secure passage for immigrants seeking their fortunes in the California goldfields. His recommendations led to the construction of a series of forts, including Fort Phantom Hill, along this newly defined route, intended to provide a buffer against potential conflicts.
In November 1851, Lieutenant Colonel John J. Abercrombie, acting under orders from General Persifor F. Smith, arrived at the Clear Fork of the Brazos River with five companies of the Fifth Infantry. The initial impression of the landscape was far from encouraging. A harsh snowstorm swept through the area, resulting in the tragic loss of a teamster and the freezing deaths of twenty horses, mules, and oxen. To Abercrombie’s dismay, the chosen location lacked essential resources: sufficient timber for construction and a reliable water source for both the men and their animals. Despite these unfavorable conditions, the orders remained unchanged, and the arduous task of constructing the fort commenced.
Unbeknownst to both Smith and Abercrombie, a crucial error had been made in the fort’s placement. General Smith had recently taken command from an ailing predecessor who had overseen the selection of locations for the forts along the route. The original plan had designated a site in Coleman County as the ideal location for the fort. However, Smith, unfamiliar with the nuances of the terrain, redirected the construction to the Clear Fork near its junction with Elm Creek. This decision proved detrimental to the post’s long-term viability, as the area lacked the necessary water and building timbers to adequately support the garrison.
The construction process was a testament to the soldiers’ resilience and resourcefulness. Stone was quarried from Elm Creek, approximately two miles south of the fort, while oak logs for the officers’ quarters and the hospital had to be transported by ox wagon from distances as far as forty miles. The guardhouse, magazine, and commissary storehouse were constructed entirely of stone, providing durable and secure structures. Other buildings, however, were built in the adobe style, utilizing the readily available earth. The challenges of construction mirrored the overall difficulties faced by the soldiers stationed at Fort Phantom Hill.
Curiously, Fort Phantom Hill never received an official name, instead being referred to simply as the "Post on the Clear Fork of the Brazos." Two prominent legends attempt to explain the origin of the unofficial designation, "Phantom Hill." The first suggests that the hill, when approached from a distance, appears to rise sharply from the plains but seems to diminish and vanish as one draws nearer, creating an illusion akin to a phantom. The second account tells of a nervous sentry who, in the darkness of night, fired upon what he believed to be an Indian on the hill. A subsequent investigation revealed no evidence of any Native American presence, leading one of the troopers to suggest that the sentry had, in fact, seen a ghost. The mystery surrounding the fort’s name only adds to the allure of Fort Phantom Hill.
Life at Fort Phantom Hill was fraught with hardship for the soldiers. Elm Creek often ran dry, and the waters of the Clear Fork were brackish and unpalatable. An 80-foot-deep well was dug near the guardhouse in an attempt to secure a reliable water source, but even this proved insufficient at times. More often than not, it was necessary to haul water barrels by wagon from a spring located approximately four miles upriver from the post. The scarcity of water precluded the cultivation of a post garden, leading to a severe shortage of vegetables in the soldiers’ diet. As a result, the men suffered from a variety of ailments, including scurvy, fevers, dysentery, colds, and pneumonia. Desertions were reportedly common, fueled by the monotony, loneliness, and harsh living conditions at the isolated fort.
Lieutenant Clinton W. Lear, a member of the garrison, vividly captured the bleakness of the location in a letter to his wife at Fort Washita, Oklahoma: "When I say that you we a beautiful valley to look upon, I have said everything favorable that could be said of this place…Our camp is pitched in a small grove of ‘black jack’, of about 5 acres extent, within 200 or 300 yards of a creek the water of which is salt, or brackish & bitter…Everybody is disgusted…Like the Dove after the Deluge, not one green sprig can we find to indicate this was ever intended by man to inhabit. Indeed I cannot imagine that God ever intended for white man to occupy such a barren waste."
Despite its vulnerability to attacks, the garrison at Fort Phantom Hill experienced only peaceful encounters with the various Native American tribes inhabiting the region, including the Comanche, Lipan, Wichita, Kiowa, and Kickapoo. Due to its relatively uneventful occupation, the fort was abandoned on April 6, 1854. By this time, the perceived Indian menace had been diminished due to the establishment of reservations on the upper Brazos and the Clear Fork to the northeast.
As the troops departed Fort Phantom Hill, heading towards El Paso, they turned back to witness the fort engulfed in flames. The cause of the fire remains a mystery, with some attributing it to Indians or Confederate troops, while others speculate that disgruntled members of the garrison, eager to leave behind the detested post, deliberately set the fire themselves.
In 1858, the remaining structures of the fort were repaired and repurposed as a way station for the Southern Overland (Butterfield) Mail Stagecoach Line. During the Civil War, Colonel James B. (Buck) Barry and his units utilized Fort Phantom Hill as a base for field operations. Beginning in 1871, the fort served as a sub-post of Fort Griffin, located near present-day Albany, Texas.
Following the subsidence of the Indian Wars, a town gradually grew up around the ruins of the fort. In 1876-77, it served as a buying and shipping point for buffalo hides. By 1880, Fort Phantom had a population exceeding 500 and was designated the Jones County seat in May 1881. However, this status was short-lived, as the county seat was moved to nearby Anson, Texas, just six months later in November.
The Texas and Pacific Railway chose to route its tracks through Abilene, approximately 14 miles to the south, further diminishing the town’s prospects. A letter written to the San Antonio Express in 1892 described Fort Phantom as containing little more than "one hotel, one saloon, one general store, one blacksmith shop, and 10,000 prairie dogs."
In 1928, John Guitar of Abilene, Texas, purchased the property. In 1969, his grandson, Jim Alexander, also of Abilene, deeded the property to the Fort Phantom Foundation to ensure its long-term preservation.
Today, Fort Phantom Hill stands as one of the most well-preserved historic sites in Texas. The 22-acre site features a dozen or so chimneys rising above the plains, along with three intact stone buildings: the powder magazine, a guardhouse, and the commissary. The site is open to visitors daily during daylight hours, free of charge. Informational brochures are available, and the major structures are clearly marked. Visiting the site offers a glimpse into the challenging lives of those who sought to tame the harsh West Texas landscape in the 1850s. The fort is also a part of the Texas Forts Trail, a 650-mile highway tour of historic Texas.
The fort is located 11 miles north of Interstate 20 at Abilene, Texas, on FM 600. It can also be accessed via the Texas Forts Trail on FM 2833.
Ironically, the Fort Phantom Hill Reservoir was constructed in 1937, just two miles south of the old post, which had suffered so severely from a lack of water. The reservoir now supplies water to approximately 100,000 people in Taylor and Jones counties.
Adding to the mystique of Fort Phantom Hill are the numerous tales of ghostly encounters and unexplained phenomena. The fort’s very name suggests that it would be a place alive with spirits from the past.
Several legends claim that the fort is haunted by restless Indians from frontier times, who continue to roam their ancient grounds under the cover of night. Another tale speaks of an innocent man who was wrongly hanged near the fort. After his execution, it is said that his accusers met mysterious and untimely deaths.
A former Abilene psychic, during a visit to the fort, reported witnessing the old officers’ quarters transform into its former complete structure. Inside, he encountered two men in officer’s uniforms, one tall and thin, the other a short, red-haired man with piercing eyes. The psychic claimed that the men glared at him, seemingly displeased by his intrusion. As he turned to flee, the apparitions and the restored building vanished.
The nearby Lake Fort Phantom Hill is also said to be haunted by a watery spirit known as the "Lady of the Lake." This phantom woman has been sighted numerous times over the past 150 years, even before the lake existed. Described as wearing a light-colored long gown or robe, the ghostly figure is often seen wandering aimlessly around the lakeside. Others have described her as floating over the lake, sometimes carrying a lantern and surrounded by a bluish glow.
The identity of this restless spirit is shrouded in legend. One story claims she was the wife of a pioneer who built a cabin in the woods now submerged beneath Lake Phantom. To protect themselves in the dangerous Comancheria, the couple agreed on a secret password to be spoken before entering the cabin. One day, the husband was ambushed by Indians while hunting near his cabin. Injured, he managed to escape and clawed at the door. Forgetting or unable to speak the password, he was shot by his wife before he could reach the stoop. According to legend, the forlorn woman continues to wander the lake, eternally cursed for killing her husband.
Another legend says that a couple was to meet at a church near the lake in the mid-1940s to exchange wedding vows, but the groom never arrived. After hours of waiting, the bride begged authorities to search for him. The next morning, he was found floating in a boat in the middle of the lake, dressed in his finest suit. Though his face bore an expression of severe pain, doctors could not determine the cause of death. Some say the spirit is the bride searching for her fiancé’s killer. A third legend places the spirit in the early 1980s, telling of a young woman who was drowned in the lake by her enraged lover after a quarrel. In this version, it is the murdered woman who haunts the lake. Finally, some believe the ghostly woman is La Llorona, a figure from Hispanic folklore often seen near lakes and rivers in the southwest.
Regardless of the specific origin, countless sightings of the Lady of the Lake have been reported over the years. Her appearances are not confined to the lakeside; she has also been seen at a nearby cemetery and along a dirt road known as Lover’s Lane. One couple who encountered her on Lover’s Lane described her as walking along the road, but as she drew closer, they realized that the apparition had no eyes.
Other strange phenomena reported around the lake include the sounds of screams, moaning, gunshots, and rapping on vehicle windows, as well as the smells of decaying flesh, perfume, and roses. Dogs at the lake have been known to bark and snap at seemingly invisible entities. All these contribute to the ghostly aura of Fort Phantom Hill.
Larry Chitenden captured the essence of the location in his 1938 poem:
"On the breezy Texas border, on the prairies far away
Where the antelope is grazing and the Spanish ponies play;
Where the tawny cattle wander through the golden incensed hours,
And the sunlight woos a landscape clothed in royal robes of flowers;
Where the Elm and Clear Fork mingle, as they journey to the sea,
And the night-wind sobs sad stories o’er a wild and lonely lea;
Where of old the dusky savage and the shaggy bison trod,
And the reverent plains are sleeping ‘midst drowsy dreams of God;
Where the twilight loves to linger, e’er night’s sable robes are cast
’Round grim-ruined, spectral chimneys, telling stories of the past,
There upon an airy mesa, close beside a whispering rill
There today you’ll find the ruins of Old Fort Phantom Hill."