World United States Texas Goliad

Torita's Travels 2007/08/09

Goliad, and Presidio La Bahia, Texas. Feb 21, 2009

How do I explain this day without making me feel like a tour guide ?

One way is to give you a couple of web sites where you can check out this delightful day for yourselves. The things we can learn about the history of any area are truly interesting and give you a thirst to learn even more. If my old History teachers were here to here me say such things they would not believe me. I remember saying about history classes "It's already gone, why do we have to know about it?" What a non-mature frame of mind I had during school years.

Anyway here are the websites:

Visit Goliad, Texas

Visit Presidio La Bahia

We assembled in four vehicles at High Noon and set out for Goliad, Texas. A little town about 100 Kilometers north of Corpus Christi.

We arrived at the most scenic Courthouse square I think I have ever seen. The entire four streets surrounding the Town Courthouse were original period built structures now housing whatever. The photos tell much more than I can on the written page.

Goliad is one of the oldest municipalities in Texas. In 1749, the Spanish government transferred the Mission Espiritu Santo and its royal protector, Presidio La Bahia (Fort of the Bay) to the site of an Aranama Indian village. A small villa or town grew up around the walls of the Persidio and was called La Bahia. This area was occupied by the Spanish until 1821 when Mexico won its independence from Spain. The name of the town was changed to Goliad and officially adopted in 1829. Goliad is a phonetic anagram of Hidalgo, the priest who became a hero during the Mexican Revolution (the "H" is not pronounced in Spanish.

The first official action of the Texas Revolution occurred here on Oct 9, 1835, when local colonists captured the fort and the town. The first (albeit premature) Declaration of Texas independence was signed here on Dec 20 of that year, and at the same time, the "Bloody Arm Flag", the first flag of Texas Independence, was hoisted above the town. During the 1836 Texas campaign, Colonel James Walker Fannin's force surrendered in defeat at the Battle of Coleto (nine miles east). On Palm Sunday, March 27, the Mexicans marched them out of the walls in three groups and shot them. The Goliad Massacre, the largest single loss of life in the cause of Texas Independence, in part inspired the rousing battle-cry "Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!" at the Battle of San Jacinto.

Goliad County was organized in 1837. Anglo-American settlers moved the population center north of the San Antonio River and the town was incorporated by the Texas Congress in 1840. Northern parts of Goliad County were settled primarily by German immigrants.

In the Civil War, Goliad County supported Texas' secession from the Union and provided a number of solders for the Confederacy. After the war, the County experienced a period of extreme violence and distress, which finally ended in the late 1870s. After that, and especially after the arrival of the railroad in 1889, the County began to develop ranching and agriculture and commerce. Most of the buildings in today's Old Goliad date from that period. The now house modern businesses such as a pharmacy, antique and gift shops, beauty salons, a weekly newspaper office, dry cleaners, restaurants, dress shop and a library.

Goliad's Courthouse Square District was entered on the National Registry of Historical Places in 1976.

We then moved on across the San Antonio River and visited the Precidio La Bahia "The Fort of the Bay" and spent the rest of the afternoon roaming through the fortress viewing a 20 minute film of the history of the fort and taking in all the beauty and interesting facts of history.

We then traveled towards home and stopped at Sinton for supper. We had been there during out trip to San Patrico and we all were anxious to return to this great buffet.

Now we've reached a place in Texas History that will be told for years and years....... the fact that we are now preparing to go to the Patio to play Bingo. And it we've got enough mustard left to cut we'll have a game of cards.

Love

Tom and Rita.......... and HeyU (who's out of the dog house)