Fort Concho Declared The Best In The West
In a press release from The City of San Angelo’s Public Information Division, the announcement has been made that Fort Concho has been declared the “Best Preserved Historic Fort of the West” for 2021 by True West magazine.
Fort Site Manager Bob Bluthardt stated that “this honor is due to a partnership of talented board, staff, and volunteers, plus a supportive City Hall and City Council who have helped the site improve each year. We are planning a full slate of our traditional and a few new events and programs for 2021. With marketing help from our major partner at the San Angelo CVB, we will do our work in attracting guests from across the nation and world to our community and boost our tourism economy.”
The fort is in its second year of sitewide improvements: Many buildings will be reroofed in the coming months and 14 historic structures will undergo exterior repairs and renovations.
Fort Concho Museum Board President Roger Banks said “This has been a very challenging year for the board and staff with the pandemic limiting our programs and events but we look forward to better days in 2021. We appreciate the recognition by True West magazine.”
Fort Concho was an active frontier army fort from 1867-89. Preservation began in the late 1920s. The National Historic Landmark designation came in 1961. It remains among the oldest continuous preservation projects of its kind in the nation.
The magazine stated that “to be the best in one’s category is a testament to the entity’s hard work and tenacity”.
You can read all about the announcement which will be posted in the magazine’s January 2021 edition.
For more information about the fort and its programs, call 325-481-2646 or visit fortconcho.com.