Camp Mabry- Historical Marker
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Originally established as encampments for the Texas Volunteer Guard in 1876, Camp Mabry has served multiple purposes through the years. The camp also acted as a campsite for the US Army during the First World War and as an ordnance engine rebuild station during World War II. Today, Camp Mabry is the location for the headquarters of the Texas Military Forces and the Texas Military Forces Museum. Camp Mabry has also housed a weather station since 1898. The training command of the Texas Rangers was held here until 1953.
Images
Camp Mabry marker
Entrance to Camp Mabry
Map of Camp Mabry
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The Texas Ranger Division is based in Austin and is a statewide law enforcement agency. Since 1935, The Rangers have been part of the Texas Department of Public Safety; however, their origins date back much further. The organization’s beginnings date back to their founding in 1823. Stephen F. Austin founded the rangers to protect the new settling families who came to Texas after the Mexican War of Independence. The organization was made official in 1835 with Robert McAlpin Williamson acting as the Texas Rangers’ first major.
The camp was also used as a mobilization area during the Spanish-American war. The Spanish-American War occurred in 1898 and was a result of US intervention in the Cuban War of Independence. The Cuban War of Independence (1895-1898) was Cuba fighting to break its ties with Spain and become an independent nation. The Spanish-American War eventually led to the 1898 Treaty of Paris. The treaty gave the US temporary control of Cuba, and gave it ownership of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippine Islands.
Sources
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=25791
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Mabry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Ranger_Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish%E2%80%93American_War
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_War_of_Independence
http://militarybases.com/camp-mabry-army-base-in-austin-tx/
http://freefuninaustin.com/2015/04/camp-mabry-open-house-muster-day/