fort phantom hill

pnkgirl

I love visiting historical sites so I couldn't pass this place up when visiting the area. It is a beautifully kept park and is very informative with the map and history. The place just didn't like me too well and I kept having bad luck lol. I fell twice and ended up in huge thorny twigs out of my own negligence for not staying on the paths. I was just excited to see all the chimney sites and wasn't watching where I was going. It was worth it though because I have never experienced a place as unique as here. It did give almost a haunted vibe but with it's age and history, that can be expected. It is a must stop for history lovers. There are clean bathrooms and adequate parking. Seems to be family friendly also.

699jamest699

We have actually visited Fort Phantom Hill on several occasions with my daughter who is attending college at Hardin Simmons University in Abilene. It is amazing to see the foundation and chimneys for the buildings that housed the soldiers still standing. The fireplaces were HUGE. It probably speaks to the severity of the west Texas plain winters. I bet it kept them busy just trying to find something to burn and stay warm. I can see how the native American raiders finally lost (that and the prevalent firearms versus bow and arrows!). This is a neat place to see, especially if you are a history buff!

yukondelly

Desolate remains of an old Texas fort - well worth the stop. It is in the middle of nowhere, the nice thing is that there are never any tourists there - so you have free roam of the place. History interesting - well worth the detour if you enjoy history!

RockyAbuDhabi

We visited as a curiosity. It's nice that folks wish to preserve the history of the area, yet there is not much to see. Fortunately, the free pamphlet provided substantial info and we were able to visualize how busy and important this fort was during its day.

MegaDancer

There were lots of ants - if you stood still for more than a few seconds, you were bitten by fire ants. I felt that the stop could have been made better with a little effort.

744lindyf

We can here after seeing the list of forts at the Frontier West Museum. It was a cold, windy December morning when made our self guided tour...perfect to imagine what life was really like. Well kept and clean it was a treat.

HistorianMom

It's easy to get to but for some reason GPS's don't work, nor does any website have accurate instructions. From downtown Abilene, just get on West Lake Drive and go north. According to our odometer, it is not quite 12 miles north of where you cross I-20, on your right. We went at sunset, and it was magical. The wind whipping through makes a haunting sound, and the light is lovely for photography. No charge to enter, and lots of history to contemplate.

cherlyn_burton

We stopped by this historical location on a mild but chilly December afternoon and had a nice stop for an Abilene tourist attraction. This historical site was begun when the US army of 1851 marched from Fort Belknap (another fun tourist stop) to this place known as Phantom Hill. There is great information provided at the site about all the history and the remains are enough to set your imagination in gear. Stop off, have fun, and tromp around a little after lunch in Abilene one afternoon!

924jpk

Visited the hill late afternoon during the week. Its a 20 min drive north of Abilene, and a peaceful drive. The fort holds many ruins spread out over several acres, and there are plenty to view. The walk is a trail, not paved, as it should be. Clean, well kept and a wonderful place to shoot photographs and listen to the wind. The history is deep and rich here, you can almost feel the troops as you sit and listen to the wind blow thru the trees. Highly recommended for history buffs and photographers. Directions are a bit of a hassle. Google Maps shows it in the middle of the lake. The actual location is approx 2 miles north of the intersection of 600 (W. Lake Road) and 1082. Just off of 600 north from Abilene on the right.

P5_Crazy_Train

This family of history dorks absolutely LOVED this place! WOW! The history was everywhere. I'd never heard of Ft Phantom Hill before, so it was a pleasant surprise. My kids had a fantastic time, and we enjoyed walking the grounds.The only drawback is that is wasn't easy to find because EVERY map leads you to the wrong place. Just keep going-- it's right on the road, and as long as you have your eyes open, you won't miss it. Just don't trust your GPS or any printed directions!

obxmike

Drove north of Abilene in search of Fort Phantom Hill. It is about a 10 mile drive from I20. In other words, just when you think you missed a sign, you see the remains of the chimneys of quarters. The park area gives you a layout of the fort and it is a self guided tour. It is a little overgrown, but that could have been due to the recent rains and the area has been in a severe drought. It is just a nice bit of history.

tdhat

the old structures turned out to be great, the night I was there taking photos the Milky way was viewable

KEJOTU2013

Although it takes determination to find this fort, it's worth it. As you drive toward it, the sense of isolation and loneliness actually closes in on you and you realize on a soul-level how difficult it must have been for the soldiers stationed out here.This fort is in ruins, but that doesn't spoil anything. Just close your eyes, be patient, and let the history come to you. You don't need any restoration to understand this place.

匿名

Anyone who enjoys authentic history should stop off at Ft Phantom Hill. Like many others, we had a lot of trouble finding it. Ignore the GPS directions - go north up West Lake Rd (fm600) from I-20 and keep going past the Ft. phantom baptist church. There will be a paved parking area and flagpole on the right, you can't miss it once you get up there. Enjoy!

lindar835

we like to follow history, and this was very good and the site as clean and tidy, even had restroom facilities, in the open countryside that is a bonus. Would be nice if some organisation could rebuild this Fort and then we would see the full story clearer..