Arlington, Texas
Bird's Fort is located in Arlington and is the oldest pioneer settlement in both Dallas and Tarrant counties, founded in 1841. It is the place where Sam Houston signed the Republic of Texas's first peace treaty with twelve Native American tribes. Brigadier General Edward Hamilton Tarrant ordered Major Jonathan Bird's company to build a fort in this area. Bird chose a site to the north by the Trinity River, but the fort was abandoned when it was discovered that it had been built on land belonging to Peter's Colony. The city has been working on this area for some time, and when I visited it, the historical marker had been removed due to construction.
Paranormal activity has been occurring in this area for quite some time. This is hardly surprising, since it is a very old, historic site and a fort that undoubtedly witnessed a number of deaths. When it all began, many readily believed that Jonathan Bird had probably returned to make sure his fort was still being cared for, but perhaps that is not the case after all.
Another note: The actual site of Bird's Fort is not the true location of the haunting, although the haunting is said to take place nearby. Even before people settled in the Fort Worth area, many Native American tribes lived here. Some of the tribes, of course, were not particularly fond of one another, but they were all willing to stand against the Texas militia to retain their land. This was also true of the area where Bird's Fort was built. In the 1840s, three tribes lived here: the Caddo, Cherokee, and Tonkawa. Fighting broke out, and one man in particular is worth mentioning: John B. Denton, who was eventually buried in Denton County north of Dallas. Native Americans also died in these conflicts.
General Edward Tarrant (known for Tarrant County, where both Fort Worth and Arlington are located) then reportedly appointed Bird and one hundred volunteers from the Fourth Brigade of the Texas militia to build a fort in this area. The fort was constructed in the fall of 1841 and was simple: made of wood, with a stockade and a ditch.
The fort attracted new people to the area, including John Beeman, who brought his family after first visiting the area to determine whether it was suitable. When he returned, much of the food and supplies had been exhausted, and the Native Americans in the surrounding area were still causing problems for the settlers. It is said that the Native Americans never attacked the fort directly, but the continuing difficulties led to the deaths of several men, including Wade Rattan, who went out with several men in search of food and was killed by Native Americans. When the men returned several days later to the place where he had been killed, they found his body. His bulldog was still beside him, guarding him until they returned. The dog reportedly never left the grave. Rattan was buried about two hundred yards from the fort.
Gradually, the area near the fort became a kind of cemetery where other men from the fort who had been killed by Native Americans in an ambush were buried, as well as one little girl. All the settlers left around 1842 when they simply could no longer cope. In 1843, General G. W. Terrell and Tarrant met with Native Americans from the area to try to negotiate peace. This was eventually achieved in what became known as the Treaty of Bird's Fort.
The fort then fell into ruins, and today nothing remains there. Before construction began, there was once a historical marker there so that people could find the place where history was made. As for the ghost stories that are told and how they relate to the overall history of the area, rumors still circulate about a Native American warrior on horseback, a howling dog, and a man dressed in frontier clothing. The dog is believed to belong to Rattan and to still be searching for his living master. The man in frontier clothing is said to be a regular ghost at Bird's Fort. Many visitors to the area say they feel as though someone is watching them. The Native American warrior is the least compelling of the tales, and the story of this ghostly apparition is said to date even further back than that of the frontiersman and was recorded in older books about this era in the area. He is said to appear there to help women in need—perhaps pioneer women from that time who encountered trouble.
