Forts Trail Region

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ONCE COMANCHE COUNTRY

Although the community of Comanche and Comanche County were named for the Native American warriors known for their excellent hunting skills and superb horsemanship, a mere twenty five years after the county’s establishment in 1856, Native Americans were no longer in control of the region. Pioneers prevailed in the battle to master the land and by 1892 the Comanche community had over 2500 non-Native residents, a newspaper, a railway, thriving businesses, and a daily stage. Today, Comanche celebrates its heritage with many historic and restored buildings, including the original Comanche County courthouse built in Cora (the first county seat) and moved to Comanche. The community also claims its own hanging oak, used in 1874 to hang three relatives of John Wesley Hardin, Texas outlaw and serial killer. Hardin murdered visiting Deputy Charles Webb in Comanche and escaped, inciting a local mob to hang three of his kinsmen in reprisal. A much lighter mood persists in Comanche today with festivals and celebrations like the Comanche County Pow-wow, John Wesley Hardin Days, and the Comanche Open Rodeo.