A project to bring back four historic buildings at the Fort Concho National Historic Landmark was decades in the making.
Fort Concho celebrated the opening of recently reconstruction Barracks 3 and Barracks 4 and mess halls, showing off what will serve as the fort’s new library archives and home of the Dr. Walter Noelke special western history collection on Thursday.
The addition enhances the fort, which is known as a prime seat of local historical preservation, as well as a host for a myriad of activities that drawn in the modern-day residents of the area.
“It is a true treasure,” Bob Bluthardt, Fort Concho site manager, said of the fort Tuesday. “This is one of the best of its kind west of the Missippi.”
In any case, about 75 guests attended the evening event where they were welcome by San Angelo Mayor Tom Thompson, according to a post on the Fort Concho National Historic Landmark’s Facebook page.
In addition, City Council member Karen Hesse-Smith noted that her mother, Fort Concho Museum Board President Barbara Hesse, worked with Noelke to get the project started over 20 years ago, officials said in the post.
Since Harry Thomas, the City Council member whose district includes the fort, was out of town, Bluthardt read a statement from Thomas congratulating everyone for completing the project, which was part of the fort board’s agenda when he served as board president 15 years ago.
What’s more, project architect Killis Almond of San Antonio and contractor Brian Benson made remarks during the celebration.
“Matt Lewis of the San Angelo Area Foundation noted the generous donors, including the San Angelo Health Foundation, the Noelke Foundation, and a large anonymous donation,” officials said.
The project received more donations and support from the Fort Concho Foundation, the Eva Camunez Tucker Foundation and the San Angelo Area Foundation, officials said.
Guests were able to walk through the four new structures expected to house a big portion of the fort’s expanding library and archives and the Noelke Collection, as well as the entire library and archives of the San Angelo Standard-Times.
“Our thanks to all who attended and supported this wonderful project that fills out the site’s Barracks Row for the first time in nearly 125 years,” officials said.
Trish Choate is the executive editor for the Wichita Falls Times Record News, San Angelo Standard-Times and Abilene Reporter-News. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Read her recent work here. Her X handle is @Trishapedia.
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Newly reconstructed Fort Concho buildings will be put to good use for history’s sake
Reporting by Trish Choate, San Angelo Standard-Times / San Angelo Standard-Times
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