City Of Eagle Pass history

A stage line between Eagle Pass and San Antonio was established in 1851.

Fort Duncan became involved in the Callahan expedition of 1855, when James H. Callahan led an effort to repel attacks of Lipan Apaches and to capture runaway slaves.

Eagle Pass, city, seat (1856) of Maverick county, southwestern Texas, United States, on the Rio Grande, bridged to Piedras Negras, Mexico, 130 miles (210 km) southwest of San Antonio.

Secretary of War John B. Floyd ordered the post abandoned in May 1859, and troops were transferred to Camp Verde on June 18.

Because of Juan N. Cortina’s disturbances on the Rio Grande, Robert E. Lee ordered the fort regarrisoned in March 1860, and in August 1860 Maj.

On June 19, 1864, the fort was attacked by a force of about 100 Mexicans from the surrounding area and Piedras Negras, but they managed to capture only a few horses.

Federal troops reoccupied Fort Duncan on March 23, 1868.

When Maverick County became organized in 1871, Eagle Pass became the county seat.

St Joseph's Academy, a Catholic school for girls, was opened in 1872.

The post was abandoned in 1883, when the government could not secure its purchase.

By 1884 Eagle Pass had an estimated population of 2,000, and a new courthouse was erected the following year.

An Episcopal church, the first Protestant church in the community, was completed in 1887.

In 1894, however, the government finally bought the site.

The city formally acquired the property in 1935 and converted it into Fort Duncan Park.

In 1942 the mayor offered the fort to the military for use during World War II. The government accepted and used the Fort Duncan Country Club as an officers’ club and the swimming pool for commissioned personnel stationed at Eagle Pass Army Air Field.