Camp Austin

Camp Austin (1839-1854) (1865-1875) - Established 24 Apr 1839 by Maj. W. Jefferson Jones of Karnes Regiment, Republic of Texas. A detached site called Austin Arsenal was built in 1840. Also known as Camp Sanders and the Post At Austin. Buildings now at the site of Camp Austin Site of the Austin Arsenal now occupied by the old Palm School Camp Austin History Camp Austin Plan Camp Austin was established in 1839 as Austin was being laid out as the capital of the Republic of Texas. In 1840 the Austin Arsenal was established in the southeast town block which had been reserved for it when the town was laid out. In 1841 the regular troops of the Republic of Texas were disbanded and Camp Austin was occupied by a number of volunteer units until Texas became a State 19 Feb 1846. The first federal troops actually arrived in 1845 and occupied Camp Austin until 1854. During the U.S. Civil War Camp Austin was in Confederate hands and was returned to Federal control at the end of the war. Camp Austin was closed in Aug 1875. Current Status Nothing remains of any of the camps. Location: Camp Austin (Post at Austin) - 1214 West 6th St., Austin, Texas Austin Arsenal - near 700 East 1st St. Maps & Images Lat: 30.273077 Long: -97.757987 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: Camp Austin - 490' Austin Arsenal - 470' Sources: Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 750-751 Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2, page 154 Pierce, Gerald S., Texas Under Arms: The Camps, Posts, Forts & Military Towns of the Republic of Texas 1836-1846, Encino Press, Austin TX, 1969, ISBN/ASIN: B0006CYB9I, pages 4-14 Links: North American Forts - Camp Austin Fort Tours - Camp Austin Visited: 9 Oct 2007 Camp Austin Picture Gallery Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better!