Palisado Kitchen/Mess Room

This structure was built by the U. S. Army in 1869-70 and is an example of vertical post or jacal construction, used due to the absence of trees tall enough for traditional horizontal log construction. African American “Buffalo Soldiers” of the 25th infantry built the rectangular plan structure with wood shingle roof for use as a mess room located behind their new stone barracks. The building was later a company storeroom, tailor shop and amusement hall. Some sources mistakenly identified this building as the “Robert E. Lee building,” even though Lee never visited Fort Clark while he was in Texas. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1963