History

The Fort Griffin Fandangle is theatrical history, written and directed in 1938 by Robert Nail, an Albany native.  It is still directed, lighted, costumed, sung and danced by the people of Albany in its own prairie theater. It has been produced since 1938 and has grown into a community production, staged in an acre-sized amphitheater with a cast and crew of over 400. The Fandangle commemorates the government outpost, Fort Griffin, which stood on "Government Hill", overlooking the Clear Fork of the Brazos River and the town of Fort Griffin, Texas.

After the Civil War, the savage Commanches returned to their old haunts from the Indian territory to prey upon the white settler and their blood enemies, the Tonkawas.

For the protection of the settlers, Fort Griffin was established, July 31, 1867, as a part of a defense line of forts which stretched from Fort Concho at San Angelo and Fort Sill in the Indian territory. The famous Mackenzie Raids were conducted from Fort Griffin.

Beneath the hill in the shadow of the fort on a flat beside the river, a town grew. Soldiers with their pay, buffalo hunters, trail drivers on the cattle trail to the rail head in Kansas, cowboys with money to spend and the people who came to help them spend it made Griffin a frontier town as wild and lawless as any known in the Old West.

Because of the protection of the fort on the hill, sturdy pioneers also came, bringing their families. Loving this land with its rolling hills and plains with grasses growing stirrup high, they determined to settle here.

Although the years numbered few until Old Glory was unfurled for the last time from the flag pole on the fort, the history that was made in this country was bountiful. It is that history that the Fandangle seeks to bring to you, not as its comes from books but as it is remembered by the old timers. It is history set to music for the Fandangle is a musical show, written primarily for entertainment.

With cowboys on horseback, covered wagons, a stagecoach, Indians, authentic costumes and sets, there are six performances beginning at dusk on the last two week-ends in June. These are attended by over 10,000 people each year, some who return year after year to refresh their memories and to enjoy the surprises of a new Fandangle production.