Fort Holland, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fort Holland, Texas
|
|
|---|---|
|
Ghost Town
|
|
| Nickname(s):
Camp Holland, Texas
|
|
 Fort Holland, Texas
Location in Texas
Fort Holland, Texas
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Presidio |
| Elevation | 4,882 ft (1,488 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes |
79843
|
Fort Holland, also known as Camp Holland, is a ghost town in Presidio County, Texas, United States. A ghost town is a place that used to have people living there but is now empty. Fort Holland was once a military base, built to protect the area. It is located west of the town of Valentine.
The History of Fort Holland
Fort Holland was built in 1918 at a place called Viejo Pass. Its main purpose was to defend against groups of armed people, sometimes called bandits, who were led by a famous Mexican revolutionary named Pancho Villa.
Building the Fort
The fort was built on an important historical spot. This was where the last battle between the United States cavalry (soldiers on horseback) and the Apache Native Americans happened. This fight took place on June 12, 1880. The U.S. troops won this small battle, which is also called a skirmish.
The construction of Fort Holland used stone and wood. The total cost to build this military base was more than $16,000. This was a lot of money at the time!
Why the Fort Closed
Fort Holland did not stay open for very long. It was closed down in 1921, just after World War I ended. By this time, the need for soldiers to patrol the border in that area was no longer as important. Because of this, the military base was no longer needed and was shut down.
