Holding command over the Southern Plains, Fort Griffin served as one in a line of western defensive forts from 1867 to 1881. Among the ruins are a mess hall, barracks, first sergeant’s quarters, bakery, powder magazine and hand-dug well. Fort Griffin State Historic Site is also home to the Official State of Texas Longhorn Herd, the breed that helped create the Texas cowboy mystique. For a true taste of the old west, the site offers camping, fishing, hiking, stargazing and living history.