Bird's Fort, Texas

Bird's Fort was a community north of present-day Arlington, Texas (USA).^[1][2] In 1841, when John Neely Bryan established Dallas, he invited the settlers at Bird's Fort to come live in his proposed city.^[3]

Bird's Fort, Texas
Fort – Garrison
Bird's Fort Location within Texas
Coordinates: 32°47′56″N 97°5′0″W
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Tarrant
Built	1841
Founded by	Major Jonathan Bird, Fourth Brigade of Texas Militia
Elevation	485 ft (148 m)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)

History

The site was named for Major Jonathan Bird, who established a fort there in September 1841 along the Trinity River, for protection of the settlements along the Texas frontier.^[4][5] The garrison was constructed after the battle of Village Creek which occurred on May 24, 1841.^[6] Bird's Fort was occupied until March 1842 when the garrison was abandoned due to the threat of a Comanche attack.^[7]

The military installation was the site of the 1843 treaty negotiations between tribal Indians and Anglo settlements in the Red River counties.^[8]

On August 6, 1843, the ill-fated Snively Expedition was disbanded at Fort Bird.^[9]

Bird's Fort was recognized as a Texas historic site in 1936.^[1]

County development

Birdville, Texas, (in present-day Haltom City) was the first settlement in Tarrant County and was named after Bird's Fort.^[10]

See also

• Treaty of Bird's Fort