Monday, December 28, 2015

Stephen F. Austin Funeral Reenactment

Stephen F. Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) An American Empresario was born in Virginia and raised in Missouri.  He is the founder of Anglo-American Texas, and considered the Father of Texas.

On December 26, 2015 the towns of West Columbia and Jones Creek, Texas held a reenactment of the funeral of Stephen F. Austin.  A eulogy was held at the Replica of the Texas Capitol in West Columbia at 9:00am.  After the eulogy, Austin's body was transported by wagon to the Gulf Prairie Cemetery in Jones Creek for a reenactment of the funeral service around noon.  The event included numerous period reenactors, musket fire, and 23 cannon shots for the 23 counties in The Texas Republic at the time of Austin's death.  It was a great event, and well worth the trip.  Check with Stephen F. Austin Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas for details since the dates, time and parking arrangements change from year to year.

Monday, December 14, 2015

Texas Trees - Some Famous and Some NOT


This is a list of Famous and NOT so Famous Trees that my wife and I have visited in Texas over the years. Most of the information used for this site is from the Texas A&M Forestry Service - Famous Trees of Texas. All photos on this website are copyrighted by me, unless otherwise noted, and may not be used without permission.

Several of the trees on this list were added by myself because I considered them noteworthy.

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Texas Army's Route from Gonzales to San Felipe, March 11 - March 27, 1836

On March 6, 1836 the Alamo fell, and General Santa Anna turned his attention toward the remaining Texas Army currently encamped at Gonzales. Outnumbered nearly two to one, Sam Houston and the Texas Army burned the city of Gonzales and began their retreat on March 11th.

Texas Army's Route from San Felipe to Cypress, TX, March 27 - April 16, 1836

Previous Page Texas Army's Route from Gonzales to San Felipe, March 11 - March 27, 1836
On February 16, 1836 the Mexican Army crossed into Texas with a force of about 3,000-5,000 Mexican troops. Half of the troops proceeded to San Antonio with President-General Santa Anna, and the remainder, commanded by General Jose Urrea, marched up the Texas coast in the Goliad campaign. On February 23rd President-General Santa Anna arrived in San Antonio, and began a siege of the Alamo which fell on March 6, 1836. General Sam Houston had been in the Gonzales area since January 14th with the majority of the Texas Army and began their retreat on March 11th. At the beginning of the retreat, Sam Houston had an Army of approximately 1,200 troops. By the time the Texas Army reached San Jacinto, Houston had a force of 910 able troops, and Santa Anna had an army of approximately 1,200.

Texas Army's Route from Cypress to San Jacinto, April 17 - April 21, 1836

Previous Page Texas Army's Route from San Felipe to Cypress, TX, March 27 - April 16, 1836
San Jacinto Monument
The Texas Army left camp at the Matthew Burnett homesite in Cypress, Texas, and began their five day march toward Lynchburg's Ferry and the Battle of San Jacinto.

During this period of time the Texas Army would march 42 miles from Matthew Burnett's homesite and meet the Mexican Army on the grassy plains of San Jacinto near Lynchburg Ferry.






Thursday, December 10, 2015

Airship Crash in Aurora, TX - April 17, 1897

Aurora Cemetery Est. 1861
Recently, we traveled to the town of Aurora, Texas to visit the Aurora Cemetery. It is mentioned on the Texas Historical Marker at the entrance that this site is "...well-known because of the legend that a spaceship crashed nearby in 1897 and the pilot, killed in the crash, was buried here."  I had heard of this hoax for many years, and since we were in the area, we needed to visit this unique burial site.