Stone Fort Museum

May 26

The Stone Fort Museum is located on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches. It was designed as a replica of an eighteenth-century stone structure associated with the founder of Nacogdoches, Antonio Gil Y’Barbo and constructed for the 1936 Texas Centennial. For nearly a century, the Stone Fort has served as a center for public history, education, and heritage tourism on campus. It remains a prominent landmark within the community and a resource for both visitors and university students. Despite its continued significance, the building is threatened with demolition.

The University has proposed transferring the structure and its collections to the City of Nacogdoches, but no clear relocation plan or public process has been established. Given the building’s age, construction, and significance as a Centennial-era resource, relocation would likely be cost prohibitive. In response, a coalition of local advocates has formed the Save Our Stone Fort Alliance, calling for formal recognition of the building’s importance and for it to remain in its current location on campus.