On October 23, 1854, the Commander of the Department of Texas, General Persifor F. Smith, issued the official order that established Fort Davis. Smith named the site in honor of then Secretary of War Jefferson Davis.
After the Civil War, travel continued on the San Antonio-El Paso Road and so did raiding by Comanches and Apaches, which resulted in the Army re-establishing Fort Davis.
Did You Know?
Fort Davis received an ice machine in the late 1880s. It was “deemed essential to the comfort and health” of the garrison. The post surgeon, Dr. John Lauderdale, had responsibility for its operation.