Heading South

4/1/2018 I didn’t do nuttin’ today. April’s Fool!!! I left Arlington this morning and drove south to Rocky Creek Campground,  on Somerville Lake, Texas. I have site 57  for three days and it is the best campsite I’ve had on this journey thus far. I am right on the water (hope there are no alligators) with a very nice grill, table, and fire ring. Tomorrow will be “look around the area day” so, after setting up camp I spent the remainder of the day on the internet scouting points of interest for the intended expedition.

No alligator.

4/2/2018 I woke up to an overcast day, with high humidity that mentally slowed me down. I went into Brenham, Texas where I had lunch, bought a rug at a thrift store, bought a bottle of Cazadores Tequila Reposado at Specs Liquor and went shopping at the H.E.B Supermarket.  I was informed by the cashier at the H.E.B that the large splash heard last night was not an alligator but a Gar fish. It’s as close to an alligator as you can get and still be a fish. Since it was very windy at the lake I finished off the day by doing laundry and cleaning the mobile residence. The overcast and high humidity continued all day.  

BTW, a welcome to this Blog goes to Chelsea at Specs Liquor in Brenham, Texas. I hope you enjoy following along with me during my travels.

4/3/2018 Texas has a lot of history and I enjoy seeking it out. Today, I found the first colony and capital of the provisional government of Texas, San Felipe de Austin, now San Felipe, Texas, begun by the father of Texas, Stephen F. Austin. It is also where the Texas Rangers had their start to protect the immigrant families arriving in Texas. The first Texas newspaper was created there by Gail Borden and his brother. Gail is better known for inventing sweetened condensed milk in 1853 aka: Borden Condensed Milk now Eagle Brand. Megan, the site Host inside the J.J.Josey General Store  was very instructive regarding the history of this aspect of Texas’ establishment.

Stephen F. Austin

Additionally, I extended my stopover another day so I can visit San Jacinto battlefield and Washington-on-the-Brazos tomorrow.

It was very windy when I left my lakeside resort this morning and I found strong wind, lightening and rain upon return.

4/4/2018 I left the windy shoreline resort looking for Texas history this morning and I found it. 

Baylor Monument

I first found the location of the original Baylor University before it settled in Waco. This was an interesting park with several ruins and facsimiles of some of the original buildings. I then drove to Washington-on-the-Brazos nicknamed the Philadelphia of Texas. This is where the Texas Declaration of Independence and the Texas Constitution were written, and a new government formed. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has rebuilt the town of Washington including Independence Hall where the delegates met to perform the birth of Texas. To quote the wheretexasbecametexas.org web site:

San Jacinto Monument

“For Texans, Independence Hall is one of our most significant historic sites. It was here, in the raw frontier town of Washington in 1836, 59 men elected from municipalities across the territory met in an unfinished frame building to determine the fate of this vast land we call Texas!” I then drove to north of Houston to tour the The San Jacinto Monument. This monument is a 567-foot tall obelisk topped by a 34-foot star that is dedicated to the victory over Santa Ana at this location. The memorial resembles the Washington Monument (555 feet 5 inches) complete with reflecting pool, but the San Jacinto monument is taller and has star atop of it. In the same park is the USS Texas which I toured. It was built prior to World War I and saw service through World War II. I had imagined that battleships were larger than they are in reality. They are absolutely built to fight not for comfort. This Texas State Park is on the side of the main Houston ship channel where I watched several ships and tugs arrive and depart. I leave in the morning for Padre Island National Seashore.

USS Texas sleeping accommodations

USS Texas

USS Texas from atop monument

Ship leaving Houston Channel

4/5/2018  So long to Lake Sommerville and on to Padre Island National Seashore except I didn’t quite make it. I decided to stop in the beautiful City of Victoria, Texas. Their Riverside City Park has RV sites ($14) with full hookups which I have paid for 4 days. My plan is go to Goliad, Texas tomorrow which is a very integral aspect of historical Texas and then find other points of interest during the sojourn.  

The Nash travel trailer gets a little stale so after dinner I stopped at the Hobby Lobby for a fragrant candle. Thanks to Stella for her assistance with my purchase and I hope you enjoy my Blog.

4/6/2018  Of all of the Texas historical sites visited, this day’s tour was the most poignant. First, I visited the open prairie where the Battle of Coleto Creek transpired and is now the Fannin Battleground State Historic Site. After the Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836), Colonel James Fannin the commander of Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía (Presidio La Bahía) in Goliad, Texas was ordered to leave Goliad. While doing so he and his men were over-run by Mexican forces in the two-day Battle of Coleto Creek. Being out-manned and out-gunned Col. Fannin surrendered on March 20, 1836 with the understanding that he and his men would be treated as prisoners of war. They were marched back to Presidio La Bahía where they were held until Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836 when between 425 and 445 of Col. Fannin's Texian troops were executed.

Goliad County Courthouse

 I then drove the 10 miles west to Goliad, Texas where I had lunch. I then toured the Goliad County Court House (built 1894) where the town hanging tree still stands in its courtyard.

Goliad Hanging Tree

 

La Bahia Chapel

Onto Presidio La Bahía about two miles west of Goliad where it is located on the west bank of the San Antonio River. The Presidio La Bahía, which was also known as Fort Defiance, was established in 1749. Its chapel is one of the oldest operating churches in America. This is also the locality of the Goliad Massacre.

Goliad Massacre Monument

After being held within the Presidio La Bahía for several days Col Fannin’s men were marched out in several groups then slaughtered. The Colonel was executed last. Their corpses were then piled and burned. The bodies were left unburied until June 3, 1836 when General Thomas J. Rusk gathered the remains and buried them with military honors. The Goliad Massacre Monument was erected in 1938 where Gen. Rusk interred those remains. At the Battle of San Jacinto where upon Santa Ana was defeated the battle cry heard was: "REMEMBER THE ALAMO, REMEMBER GOLIAD".
 

Presidio La Bahia

The Presidio La Bahía is also the birthplace of General Ignacio Zaragoza (March 24, 1829 – September 8, 1862) who defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. The Cinco de Mayo holiday commemorates that victory and General Zaragoza.

I then visited the Goliad State Park where the Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga was established in 1749. The mission became the first large cattle ranch in Texas, with over 15,000 free-roaming cattle in about 1778. These cattle and livestock were also driven to and traded with the other missions in east Texas and western Louisiana yielding the first cattle drives.

I returned to Victoria where I had dinner at the Frances Marie’s Restaurant & Cantina. This was notably the best Tex-Mex grub consumed thus far.

I then drove to the Pumphouse Riverside Restaurant and Bar for a drink. This eatery was established in 2010 in the restored historic buildings of the original water service for the City of Victoria. The city water was supplied by pumping water from the Brazos River upon which it sits. The use of river water was discontinued about 1908 when artesian wells were drilled on the site. This is a very upscale eatery and bar with a patio overlooking the Brazos River.

4/7/2018  A very cold windy day here in Victoria so not much was done. Significant amount of the day was spent recollecting, developing and transcribing yesterday’s activities. All-in-all it was a day of relaxation as it never warmed out of the 40’s with strong winds.