Fort Stockton

Fort Stockton, Texas
Fort Stockton, the county seat of Pecos County, is on Interstate Highway 10, U.S. highways 67, 290, and 385, and the Santa Fe Railroad, 329 miles northwest of San Antonio and 245 miles east of El Paso. It grew up around Comanche Springs, at one time the third largest source of spring water in Texas, and near the military fort founded in 1859 and named for Lt. Edward Dorsey Stockton. Comanche Springs was a favorite rest stop on the Comanche Trail to Chihuahua, the Old San Antonio Road, the Butterfield Overland Mail route, and the San Antonio-Chihuahua freight-wagon road. The Confederates took possession of the fort at the outbreak of the Civil War but abandoned it the next year. In 1867 the army rebuilt the fort on a larger and more permanent basis to protect travelers and settlers from Indians. Until abandoned in 1886, the fort provided employment for freighters and laborers and a market for farmers, stockmen, and merchants.
Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.
Ernest Wallace | © Texas State Historical Association
Fort Stockton at a Glance
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Fort Stockton is part of or belongs to the following places.
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Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Fort Stockton is classified as a Town
Associated Names
- [Camp-]
- (Comanche Springs)
- (Fort Gall)
- (St. Gall)
Locations
-
- Latitude
- 30.89277200
- Longitude
- -102.88573000
Has Post Office
Yes
Is Incorporated
Yes
Photos of Fort Stockton and surrounding areas

Fort Stockton, Texas
Photograph of the Fort Stockton Jail Museum that serves Pecos County, Texas. Photograph by Pi3.124.

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Fort Stockton by the Numbers
Population Counts
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Population Counts
Fort Stockton
Pop. | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
8,466 | 2020 | United States Census Bureau |
8,284 | 2019 | Texas Demographic Center |
8,283 | 2010 | United States Census Bureau |
7,846 | 2000 | United States Census Bureau |
8,524 | 1990 | United States Census Bureau |
8,688 | 1980 | United States Census Bureau |
8,283 | 1970 | United States Census Bureau |
6,373 | 1960 | United States Census Bureau |
4,444 | 1950 | United States Census Bureau |
3,294 | 1940 | United States Census Bureau |
2,695 | 1930 | United States Census Bureau |
1,297 | 1920 | United States Census Bureau |