The annual Doaksville Candlelight Tours are scheduled for Friday, October 9, and Saturday, October 10, from 7 to 9:30 p.m., at the Doaksville Archaeological Site in Fort Towson. This annual event is a unique opportunity to experience the past through reenactor-led tours of the area’s history, which this year will delve into Dr. Eli S. Penwell’s legacy. This walking tour moves through lantern-lit vignette scenes with several interpreters providing historical context along the way.

During the American Civil War (1861–1865), northern Texas, despite being part of a Confederate state, was marked by suspicion regarding allegiances to the Union or Confederacy. Dr. Eli S. Penwell, a resident of Bonham, Texas—originally from Indiana—was suspected by Confederate authorities of disloyalty. In 1864, Penwell and several associates attempted to escape to Union-controlled Fort Smith but were apprehended by Confederate troops and brought to the vicinity of Doaksville and Fort Towson. This year’s Doaksville Candlelight Tour will examine the motivations behind Penwell’s flight from Texas, the historical figures involved, and the ultimate fate of Penwell.

Tours will depart from the Fort Towson cemetery at 30-minute intervals. Participants will cross the WPA wall to enter the historic town and commence a guided walking tour lasting approximately one hour. The event operates on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to advanced ticket holders. Attendees are advised that the terrain is rugged.

For additional information, please call 580-873-2634 or email [email protected].

Directions to Doaksville Archaeological Site:

From Fort Towson Historic Site
From the Fort Towson Historic Site front gate, turn right onto N 4375 Road. Drive about half a mile on N 4375 Road and turn right onto US-70 West. Travel one mile and turn right onto Red Road. Drive .7 miles and turn right to enter Fort Towson Cemetery.

Look for the Doaksville Archaeological Site trailhead parking sign. To access the trail, take the steps leading over the east cemetery wall.

From the town of Fort Towson
Traveling on Highway 70 in Fort Towson, turn north onto Red Road. Stay on Red Road for .7 miles and turn right to enter Fort Towson Cemetery.

Look for the Doaksville Archaeological Site trailhead parking sign. To access the trail, take the steps leading over the east cemetery wall.