Fort Inge protected this region in the 1800s

Soldiers established the post on the Leona River in March 1849. It was renamed Fort Inge in December 1849 to honor Lt. Zebulon M. P. Inge, a U.S. Army officer killed in the Mexican-American War. The fort was part of the first federal line of frontier forts in Texas.

Troops from Fort Inge guarded the San Antonio-to-El Paso military road, escorted supply trains and mail, and protected settlers from raiders. The fort closed for federal service in 1869. The Texas Rangers used the site until 1884. The fort's presence helped bring settlers to the area, laying the groundwork for Uvalde to grow.