Little River Fort LbNA #60923
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Nearby Boxes
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Add Location| Owner: | Baby Bear  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Feb 16, 2012 |
| Location: | Chalk Ridge Falls Park |
| City: | Belton |
| County: | Bell |
| State: | Texas |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | singing rose |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Feb 20, 2013 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFaa |
| Last edited: | Feb 16, 2012 |
Difficulty: Easy
Distance to microbox: 1/2 Mile
*** Part of Old Forts of Texas Series ***
The Little River Fort box is located near the original location of this frontier fort. Here is the history from the Handbook of Texas:
LITTLE RIVER FORT. The Little River Fort's construction began in November 1836 under the supervision of Sgt. George B. Erath of Capt. Thomas H. Barron's company of Col. Robert M. Coleman's Texas Rangersqv. The fort covered half an acre near the junction of the Leon and Lampasas rivers in what is now Bell County. Six or seven cabins stood against the north wall of a nine-foot-high stockade, and a sixteen-foot-square blockhouse provided additional defense. The fort was first called Fort Smith after Maj. William H. Smith; it derived its official name from its proximity to the Little River settlement that it was built to protect. After 1841, however, its name was changed to Fort Griffin in honor of Moses Griffin, a local settler who maintained the fort after it was abandoned by the government. The fort was commanded successively by Sergeant Erath, Lt. Charles Curtis, and Capt. Daniel Monroe. Its Texas Ranger garrison probably never exceeded twenty men. Two skirmishes between the fort's garrison and the Comanches were fought during the winter and spring of 1837, leaving fewer than twenty dead on both sides. In June the rangers at the Little River Fort were withdrawn to bolster the defenses of forts Colorado and Milam and the town of Nashville. The Little River post was unoccupied for two years except for use by an occasional irregular volunteer company. When the fort was abandoned, the farming settlements in the area withdrew as well. On January 13, 1840, therefore, the War Department sent Capt. James P. B. Januaryqv's Company F of the First Infantry Regiment from Camp Caldwell to garrison the Little River Fort. Failure to supply the troops there properly again forced the garrison to leave on February 28. The troops returned on July 1 and maintained the fort until the Army of the Republic of Texas was disbanded in March 1841. After that, the fort saw only sporadic use, serving as a stop for the Texan Santa Fe expedition in June 1841 and as a shelter for Capt. Shapley P. Ross's ranger company for a time in 1846. Little River Fort was eventually dismantled by Moses Griffin. The site has been marked by the Texas Historical Commission.
Nothing left of the fort. Historical marker near I-35 is noted as being the site. No place for box, so hid upstream a bit near Stillhouse Hollow dam in this park.
Directions:
From I-35, exit and go west on FM2484 for one mile. Turn right on FM1670 adn go north for 3.5 miles. Look for the park entry on the right, turn in and wind down to parking area and park.
To the Microbox:
Take the large "Nature Trail" path until you reach the bridge. Cross bridge. Go left on far side and go to junction. Go left, look at falls, then continue down and cross small bridge on right, then cross the swinging bridge. Go RIGHT on small path counting 82 steps as you climb. You should be at a rock outcrop looking down at falls. Turn around 180 degress and walk 7 steps to the biggest tree. Box is on far side under rock pile.
Distance to microbox: 1/2 Mile
*** Part of Old Forts of Texas Series ***
The Little River Fort box is located near the original location of this frontier fort. Here is the history from the Handbook of Texas:
LITTLE RIVER FORT. The Little River Fort's construction began in November 1836 under the supervision of Sgt. George B. Erath of Capt. Thomas H. Barron's company of Col. Robert M. Coleman's Texas Rangersqv. The fort covered half an acre near the junction of the Leon and Lampasas rivers in what is now Bell County. Six or seven cabins stood against the north wall of a nine-foot-high stockade, and a sixteen-foot-square blockhouse provided additional defense. The fort was first called Fort Smith after Maj. William H. Smith; it derived its official name from its proximity to the Little River settlement that it was built to protect. After 1841, however, its name was changed to Fort Griffin in honor of Moses Griffin, a local settler who maintained the fort after it was abandoned by the government. The fort was commanded successively by Sergeant Erath, Lt. Charles Curtis, and Capt. Daniel Monroe. Its Texas Ranger garrison probably never exceeded twenty men. Two skirmishes between the fort's garrison and the Comanches were fought during the winter and spring of 1837, leaving fewer than twenty dead on both sides. In June the rangers at the Little River Fort were withdrawn to bolster the defenses of forts Colorado and Milam and the town of Nashville. The Little River post was unoccupied for two years except for use by an occasional irregular volunteer company. When the fort was abandoned, the farming settlements in the area withdrew as well. On January 13, 1840, therefore, the War Department sent Capt. James P. B. Januaryqv's Company F of the First Infantry Regiment from Camp Caldwell to garrison the Little River Fort. Failure to supply the troops there properly again forced the garrison to leave on February 28. The troops returned on July 1 and maintained the fort until the Army of the Republic of Texas was disbanded in March 1841. After that, the fort saw only sporadic use, serving as a stop for the Texan Santa Fe expedition in June 1841 and as a shelter for Capt. Shapley P. Ross's ranger company for a time in 1846. Little River Fort was eventually dismantled by Moses Griffin. The site has been marked by the Texas Historical Commission.
Nothing left of the fort. Historical marker near I-35 is noted as being the site. No place for box, so hid upstream a bit near Stillhouse Hollow dam in this park.
Directions:
From I-35, exit and go west on FM2484 for one mile. Turn right on FM1670 adn go north for 3.5 miles. Look for the park entry on the right, turn in and wind down to parking area and park.
To the Microbox:
Take the large "Nature Trail" path until you reach the bridge. Cross bridge. Go left on far side and go to junction. Go left, look at falls, then continue down and cross small bridge on right, then cross the swinging bridge. Go RIGHT on small path counting 82 steps as you climb. You should be at a rock outcrop looking down at falls. Turn around 180 degress and walk 7 steps to the biggest tree. Box is on far side under rock pile.