A Retrospect in Texas (2019-20-21 Ventures)

Hey everyone!

Sooo, it would seem that all our plans for our Virginia/Tennessee Trip in the beginning of June are well underway! While I’m not yet ready to reveal the tenative day-by-day schedule to you until we get closer to departure (probably next week), I can tell you about various places and activities that we have done between the 2019 Summer Trip, and today, both before and during the pandemic.

I’ll touch on each of these briefly, so let’s get started!

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

In October of 2019, my parents and I visited one of the most prolific National Historical Parks in Texas, The San Antonio Missions!

Situated in the San Antonio area, this park (the only UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Lone Star State) encompasses 4 of the 5 mission structures constructed in the 1700’s by Spanish Missionaries, hoping to establish their empire’s dominance over the region, as well as convert the natives there to Catholicism (the fifth of these missions is San Antonio de Valero, otherwise known as “The Alamo”, where the famous titular battle was fought.) Though these missions eventually were abandoned from their original purpose, they remain cultural icons in San Antonio today, and were still unique communities in which Spanish and Native-american individuals interacted.

The largest and most unique of these four missions is “Misión San José y San Miguel de Aguayo”, otherwise known as Mission San José. Here’s me in front of it!

Still an active place of worship, the chapel is yet only one part of the larger mission (which could include storage areas, living quarters, fortifications, etc.), yet still recognizable. Just zoom in and take the time to look at that beautiful stonework at the front!

The three other missions (unique in their own ways), include:

Mission San Francisco de la Espada, or simply Mission Espada, the smallest,

Mission San Juan Capistrano, under restorative work,

And Mission Concepción, the second-largest and also still a place of worship for locals.

If you’re in the area, I recommend checking it out if you need a day to fill! Be sure to stop by the Alamo in downtown San Antonio as well!

2020 Texas Mini-trip

Before the pandemic truly hit us in March 2020, we had managed to take a weekend “mini-trip” through East Texas, exploring some of the prominant historical sites situated there! Such as…

The San Jacinto Monument in La Porte, TX (near Houston), commemorating the famous Battle of San Jacinto on that site, the final and decisive battle of the Texas War for Independence, when on April 21st, 1936, the Texian Army led by General Sam Houston won a resounding victory against the Mexican Army led by President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, and by ensuring the capture and surrender of Santa Anna, guarenteed independence to the blooming Republic of Texas.

Commemorated in 1939, and standing at nearly 568 feet high, the great obelisk is actually slightly taller than the Washington Monument in D.C., and offers sweeping views of the surrounding landscape from it’s observation deck.

At dock near the monument is the USS Texas, a BB-35 New York-class battleship launched in 1912, that is the the only remaining capital ship in the world to have served in both World Wars, and the only remaining World War I-era dreadnought ship. Though it is regularly a museum ship, overtime it’s structural hull has become strained and damaged from it’s extended lifespan, and has not been open to the public for some time.

We revisited the grave of 41st President George H.W. Bush (as well as First Lady Barbara Bush and their infant daughter Robin) at his library/museum in College Station, as a sign of respect. Though months have already passed since his burial here, the ground over his grave is still recently laid.

In Huntsville, we took the time to visit the Sam Houston Memorial Museum, which honors the famous general, U.S. congressman and Governor from Texas, who is often regarded alongside Stephen F. Austin as one of our most prominant Texan icons. You’ll find fascinating artifacts inside from him and his family, former belongings of Mexican president Santa Anna, and on the grounds various buildings associated with him, including some of his log cabins, a farmhouse of his, and the famous “Steamboat” House where he died.

We also took the time to pay respects at Sam Houston’s Grave in nearby Oakwood Cemetery. Feel free to blow up the image to read it.

At Washington-on-the-Brazos, the temporary capital of the Republic of Texas during the Texas Revolution was situated here, and in this tiny cabin in 1836, (or at least, the original cabin where this replica stands today), the Texas Declaration of Independence was written, and signed by 60 delegates from across the former Mexican colony.

Although this place seems a bit too crowded to fit 60 delegates in, i’m sure they were able to tighten their belts and make-do.

Goliad State Park

Truly, the only thing keeping us sane was walking on various nature trails and in parks around the New Braunfels/San Marcos area, yet as all of you, I was ready to get out and explore some more, when all this got better.

Nearly a year later, and after months of lockdown through the pandemic, we decided to take our chances and explore a new historical site again… and what better way to do that than by checking out the site of the famed Goliad Massacre?

Presido La Bahia, situated above, was originally an abandoned spanish fortress situated in Goliad, and an important defensive fortification for the Texian Army during the Revolution. On March 19th, 1836, mere days after the famed Battle of the Alamo, Colonel James Fannin and his 300 troops were surrounded and captured by superior numbers of Mexican troops.

On March 27th, and on the orders of Santa Anna, the Mexican troops marched Fannin’s men down this very road (many decades before this road was paved), and down to a field. Set loose on the field, the troopers fired on the unarmed prisoners, killing nearly all of the 300, with only a few of them escaping into the wild. Colonel Fannin himself was personally executed.

The Goliad Massacre, as with the Fall of the Alamo, embittered the Texian Army to fight further against Santa Anna and his troops, and inspired them to win their crucial victory at the Battle of San Jacinto. Fannin and his troops were buried underneath this great monument near La Bahia, and Goliad remains a name strongly remembered by Texans abroad.

Miscilaneous

The remaining photos and stories I have are from assorted sites around Texas.

At the Monument Hill & Kreische Brewery State Park in La Grange, is the final resting place of the Texian victims of the Dawson Massacre and the ill-fated Mier Expedition, enshrined by this tall monument.

The Dawson Massacre, which involved the death of 36 Texian militiamen on September 17th, 1842 at the Battle of Salado Creek near San Antonio, prevented the Mexican army from further advancing on San Antonio only a couple of years before the Mexican-American War.

And the Mier Expedition, also launched in 1842, saw a failed Texas offensive campaign into Mexico, that resulted in the capture and partial execution of nearly 300 men. 16 were executed by mexican troops in an event simply known as the infamous “Black Bean Incident.” While in prison, a group of the Texian prisoners were presented with a cup filled with different colored beans. It was reasonably simple. If you picked a white bean (9/10 chance), you lived. If you picked a black bean (1/10 chance), you were killed by a firing squad. The remains of the victims for both incidents were interred here at Monument Hill.

Also part of the State Park is the Kreische Brewery, the ruins of a once prosperous brewing establishment.

Though once containing a third floor made entirely of wood, the size of these stone ruins is quite impressive. Built in the 1860’s by Heinrich Kreische, the brewery cleverly utilized springwater to power the distillation and sale of beer to the local area.

The Monument Hill and Kreische Brewery State Park also features several hiking trails around the area, so if your around, I definitely recommend checking it out! There’s something for everyone there.

Finally, while on buisness in West Texas in March 2021 (ironically a full year after the lockdown commenced), we stopped in Midland to visit a site that I had waited to do for a long time… the George W. Bush Childhood Home!

Built in 1940, the house was occupied by the Bush Family from 1951 to 1955, and remains the only house that was home to two presidents, and two governors (that being George W. and Jeb Bush). A more recently opened museum, dedicated in 2006 during “Dubya’s” presidency by First Lady Laura Bush, and the elder Mr. and Mrs. Bush, it serves as a reminder (especially to older generations) of simpler times, with all the childhood delights and neighborly love that could be fondly reflected upon.

Though the furniture of the house is a mixture of replica and authentic artifact pieces from the Bush’s time here, many of the details of the house had been laid out to the letter, especially on the advice of Barbara Bush, who decided details as minute as the window-curtain shades, or the wallpaper.

Many of the exhibits here in the dining room (also the living-room) told of the story of the Bushes both before and during their time in Midland, including their time growing up in the northeast. They had already moved twice before deciding to pursue the oil-buisness here in Midland.

A lot of old classics, for those that remember them. 🙂

The kitchen was filled with applainces of the kind that Barbara Bush would have used. The kids family would’ve eaten at the table here for casual meals, and in the dining room for formal ones. By the way, that refrigerator you see actually belonged to Laura Bush’s family, who were Midland natives. Many various family members and friends were able to contribute pieces of history like this to the home.

And this of course: Was George Jr.’s room, where he did some of his favorite activities as a child. He read and followed the 10 rules of the Red Ryder Oath on the back wall, play with his train set, or of course study for his classes.

Another room in the house was filled with various exhibits and memorabilia from George H.W. Bush’s presidency, but also payed homage to Robin… the infant daughter of George and Barbara, who passed away in 1953 to Leukemia. It was a rough time of sorrow in this house after they lost Robin, yet it made their family all the more stronger together.

Baseball was a strong running-theme in the Bush Family. George H.W. played it for Yale (even getting the chance to meet Babe Ruth in person), and George W. would own the Texas Rangers before he became president. Both of course, were very involved in the Little League in Midland, with his parents supporting the team while George W. Bush played.

Finally, the backyard was where Bush Jr. and his friends could play in the backyard doing all sorts of shennanigans, all while Barbara Bush could supervise from the house through the window while ironing.

No matter how you lean politically, it’s still fascinating to learn of the early years George W. Bush, and of how community-involved they were. For it was here that George W. Bush would learn many of the lessons that he would apply to his later life, and indeed, during his presidency. And taking lessons from our childhood experiences is something that i’m sure we ALL can relate to.

Phew… I know this seemed like a lot, but this was spread out over the past year and a half, with long breaks in between. Frankly i’m ready to get out there and explore once again, and be able to share with you all my travels! I hope to do just that in Virginia, where we’ll go into the motherland of U.S. history, and all learn things together.

Thank you again for tuning in! Next week i’ll post our tenative schedule for our Virginia/Tennessee trip, which will last roughly two weeks! See you then!