The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission have launched a Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail website and will mark the debut with a public event at Abilene State Park this month, the agencies announced Sept. 18.
The site is hosted on TexasTimeTravel.com, the state’s official heritage tourism website managed by the historical commission, which features the 10 regions of the Texas Heritage Trail Program, according to the release.
TPWD said the trail grew out of decades of advocacy by Dr. A.C. Jackson, his late wife, Gloria Jackson, and Ken Pollard, the department’s first Buffalo Soldiers program coordinator. That work led to Senate Bill 1457, which designated July as “Texas’ Buffalo Soldiers Month.” The website honors the bravery, service and legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers during America’s westward expansion, the agency said.
“The Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail website is another meaningful example of the strong collaboration between TPWD and THC in highlighting the rich history of Texas,” said Rodney Franklin, director of TPWD’s Texas state park division. He said people from across the country “will now have an even greater opportunity to understand and connect with the profound impact the Buffalo Soldiers had on our state and our nation.”
The celebration is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Abilene State Park and will be hosted by staff and volunteers with the Texas State Parks Buffalo Soldiers Heritage and Outreach Program. Admission is free with the park entrance fee of $5 per person for ages 13 and older, and children 12 and younger enter free, the department said.
The family-friendly event will feature a Buffalo Soldiers encampment with immersive demonstrations of frontier-era living and living history educators from across Texas, according to the release. Visitors can learn the skills the soldiers mastered and how their service shaped Texas history.
A guided hike through Abilene State Park is offered after the event. TPWD advised those planning to hike to bring water, dress for the weather and wear appropriate walking shoes.
The department said its Buffalo Soldiers program has long shared these stories through in-person programming, and the new website gives Texans an additional way to explore that history. A detailed itinerary is posted on the state parks event page, and the agency listed Coy Poitier, the Texas State Parks Buffalo Soldiers program coordinator, as a contact for more information.