Editing Brackettville, Texas (section)

==History==
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Founded in 1852 as "Las Moras" (the name of a nearby [[spring (hydrology)|spring]] and the creek it feeds), the town initially was a supply stop on the old [[San Antonio]]-[[El Paso]] road and a supply depot for the U.S. Army's [[Fort Clark, Texas|Fort Clark]] (the fort was established the same year). Later the town was named "Brackett" after Oscar B. Brackett, the owner of the first dry goods store in the area. In 1873, when a post office was awarded, "ville" was appended to the name to differentiate it from another town.

The town grew quickly through the 19th century with the expansion of the garrison at Fort Clark for the [[Indian Wars]]. The town's fortunes were tied to the fort. For many years, it was the base of the famous [[Buffalo Soldier]]s, made up of African Americans. Demographically, Brackettville had a larger proportion of [[Black Seminoles]] ([[African American]] escaped slaves who had lived alongside [[Seminole]] Native Americans prior to the 2nd Seminole War 1835–1842). During the slavery years, they had been living in a settlement in northern Mexico to escape US conditions. Their language developed in Florida, [[Afro-Seminole Creole|Afro-Seminole]], is still spoken by some in Brackettville.

After the Buffalo Soldiers moved out of Fort Clark with the waning of the Indian Wars, it was used as a [[cavalry]] post. The Seminole Negro Indian Scouts were finally disbanded as a unit in 1914. Virtually every cavalry unit in the U.S. Army was stationed at or trained at Fort Clark at one time or another.

In 1943 during World War II, the U.S. Army activated the [[2nd Cavalry Division (United States)|Second Cavalry Division]], which was to be the Army's last horse-mounted unit. By 1944, even the Second had been mechanized. Fort Clark, so long a center of mounted cavalry, was targeted for closure. Before its closure, the fort was used as a German [[prisoner-of-war]] camp.

After the fort officially closed in 1946, it had a variety of uses. In 1971 it was converted and adapted as a resort/retirement center. The historic district of the fort is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. The resort is not the economic engine the fort once was, and Brackettville has shrunk from its peak population during the war years.