Markers (click on a topic to jump to that section.)
1890 Clay County Jail Museum | Buffalo Springs | Buffalo Springs, C.S.A. | Cambridge | Clay County
Uncommemorated and Unmapped Sites
Camp Wichita, Indians Raid | Halsell, George
Uncommemorated Active Battle Map (Stories below are on map.)
Barnes and His Mexican | Raid Through Montague, Cooke and Denton Counties During September of 1866 | Koozer, Goddleck | Boehm's Fights | Thomas Norris | Montague County Citizens Fight Indians in Clay County During 1871 | Camp Wichita
1861 Red River Valley
1890 Clay County Jail Museum
Marker Title: 1890 Clay County Jail
Address: 116 Graham St.
City: Henrietta
Year Marker Erected: 1986
Marker Text: Constructed in 1890 by the Pauly Jail Building and Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, Missouri, this is Clay County's third jail building. Construction of the jail included adjacent living quarters for law officers and their families. Stuccoed in 1929, the two story brick structure, with stone foundation and sills, boasts details of corbelled brick, rusticated stone, and pressed metal. Official use of the building was discontinued in 1973. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1986
Buffalo Springs
Marker Title: Buffalo Springs
City: Buffalo Springs
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Marker Location: Junction of FM 174 and FM 3077, Buffalo Springs.
Marker Text: A landmark as early as 1849. Watering place for buffalo
hunters. Site of a proposed permanent United States Army post, July,
1867. Abandoned due to lack of water and timber, November 19, 1867,
and Fort Richardson on Lost Creek was established instead, November
26, 1867. Served as a stage stand and camp ground between that post
and Fort Sill. Scene of battle, July 12, 1874, between Indians and George
W. Stevens, Captain of Texas Rangers. (1964) More
Buffalo Springs, C.S.A.
Marker Title: Buffalo Springs, C.S.A.
City: Buffalo Springs
Year Marker Erected: 1965
Marker Location: Junction of FM 174 and FM 3077, Buffalo Springs.
b: On line of sentry forts along Red River and far frontiers
of North Texas, 1861-1865. Used at intervals by cavalry, especially
at such times as 1864 massing of 3,000 federals to the north, in Indian
territory. Soldiers here saw little of war's glory, had large share
of fighting and shortages of guns, ammunition, food, clothing and horses.
Site of "forting up" of families wishing to stay, with goods
and stock, near frontier homes; lived in picket houses in fortified
square, placing guards on water or wood gathering parties; in 1862 left
during water famine. (1965)
Cambridge
Marker Title: Cambridge
City: Henrietta
Year Marker Erected: 1971
Marker Location: at east entrance to Clay County Courthouse.
Marker Text: (Early County Seat) Founded 1860, but abandoned to marauding
Indians, 1863. Settlers returned in 1870 and installed a grist mill.
Developers surveyed townsite in 1874; school, church, shops, and hotel
were built. Post office was established and Fort Sill-Fort Richardson
military telegraph line came through in 1876. First newspaper in county
was founded there. Rapid growth halted when town was bypassed by Fort
Worth and Denver Railroad in 1882. By then place was known as Henrietta
-- the name retained when county seat was moved here. Cambridge Cemetery
still exists (a mile north of historic townsite). (1971) Incise in base:
Erected by Clay County Historic Survey Committee, 1971.
Clay County
Marker Title: Clay County
City: Henrietta
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Marker Location: at junction of US 82 and Spur 510 at east city limits
of Henrietta.
Marker Text: Disorganized in 1862 because of Indian raids; reorganized
August 4, 1873. Henrietta, headquarters for buffalo hunters until 1878;
the first Hereford cattle in Texas were brought to Clay County 1875
from Beecher, Illinois by William S. Ikard. Original county seat Cambridge
moved to Henrietta 1874.