Passport to Texas

Goliad State Park and Historic site during Rio! Rio!

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When visitors set foot on the grounds of Goliad State Park and Historic site and see the exquisitely restored 18th Century Mission Espíritu Santo, they may think the site is intended for quiet contemplation only.

Well, that’s one of the misconceptions people find when they come here.

Jared Ramirez is a park ranger at the site.

They’re coming to visit an historic site, and they don’t realize that we actually have full hook-ups for trailers. We have water and electric sites for camping. We have a lot of people that enjoy our paddling trail and fishing as well. We have a little bit of everything, and our visitors really are surprised when they come out and see us.

But there’s still an opportunity to delve into the history of the site. Including in November, with the annual Rio! Rio! Event.

We’ll have historic reenactors all throughout the Mission grounds; blacksmiths, stonecutters—a little bit of everything. We have a few thousand people come to that event every year. What is the point of Rio! Rio! To show a little bit about Mission lifeways. The types of materials they were working with back then. The way they would cook. The way they would build. Just a little bit about the life in the 18th century.

Find details about Rio! Rio! And other events and activities at Goliad State Park and Historic site—as well as all Texas State parks—in the calendar section of the Texas parks and Wildlife website.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Chapel at Goliad State Park and Historic Site

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About halfway between Victoria and Beeville on HWY 59 South you’ll find Goliad State Park and Historic Site.

Well, we have—we feel—one of the hidden treasures in the state park system: the historic Mission Espiritu Santo, which is a Spanish mission that was established in 1749. So, it’s one of the oldest sites in Texas.

Jared Ramirez is a park ranger at the site. The moment you walk onto the grounds and see the buildings, you feel as though you’ve stepped back in time.

They are representative of the Franciscan missionary style, dating back to the 18th century. They are very similar to the missions in San Antonio; situated in a really beautiful site right next to the San Antonio River.

Ramirez says many visitors to Goliad State Park and Historic Site never knew it existed until they passed it headed to the coast.

A lot of people pass us up on their way to the coast; a lot of fishermen on their way to Rockport. Many visitors stop and ask, ‘What’s that building?’ And they come in, pay their three dollars, and are really surprised at what we have to offer. It really does stand out.

Goliad State Park and Historic Site offers a variety of cultural and recreational opportunities. And we’ll talk about those on tomorrow’s show.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Inscription on San Jacinto Monument

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This is Passport to Texas

The Mexican culture is integrated into the fabric of Texas. So, how do we handle something like the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto, where we celebrate the Texian Army’s victory over Mexico?

That’s something we’ve been trying to address here at San Jacinto.

Boyd Harris is a park interpreter at San Jacinto Battlegrounds and State historic Site in La Porte.

In the past it has been more of a centric, white Texan kind of history. But, nowadays, we like to commemorate and honor both sides. We’re more about education here, as well as the memory of these soldiers. The Mexican Army, itself—half the army was conscripts—and so they weren’t volunteers. But they weren’t the only people of Mexican decent at the battlefield. There were also Tejanos fighting on the Texian Army side, so we want to talk about them. Juan Seguin and his Tejano company is in the very forefront of the battle, and we want to talk about those guys. Because this is a revolution—and revolutions are messy. They’re complex, and we want to give due respect and due remembrance to all those involved with it.

We commemorate the battle of San Jacinto and all those involved on Saturday April 23 at the San Jacinto Battlegrounds and State Historic Site in La Porte.

Find details in the calendar section of the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Pictograph at Hueco Tanks State Historic Site

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Hueco Tanks, about 30 miles east of El Paso, is one of the most important pictograph sites in the Southwest, with the largest collection of painted faces in North America.

There really is no other place like Hueco Tanks, in terms of the nature and the number of the pictograph images. And for a tiny place of only eight hundred and sixty acres there’s just an amazing number of separate pictograph sites.

We visit the park next week during a segment of the Texas Parks and Wildlife TV series on PBS.

This mask that we sometimes call starry eyed man has been staring out of his little niche in the rocks for between six hundred and eighteen hundred years. Um, it’s amazing that it’s in such good condition.

Vandals damaged several paintings with graffiti. During the TV segment, we watch as scientists, use high tech devices to restore the pictographs.

This is pre-Colombian, and the graffiti is about fifty years old. We’re using infrared light, and it’s the similar technology that’s used in tattoo removal to take tattoos off, so you can be very precise with the laser. The work is going really well, it’s really difficult for me to stop because it’s really exciting!

Check out the segment about Hueco Tanks next week on the Texas Parks and Wildlife TV Series on PBS. Check your local listings.

That’s our show… Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Independence Hall, Washington-on-the-Brazos

History: Texas Independence Day Celebration Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Celebrate Texas Independence at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site February 28 and March 1.

07—And, there’ll be lots of activities going on in the park. They’ll have special programs and demonstrations down at the Barrington Living History farm…

Houston McGaugh is director of the Star of the Republic Museum for Blinn College.

12— We’ll have some various demonstrations going on in the museum, and just lots of activities in the park. Food. And, it’s a free, two-day event for people to come out and enjoy and learn a little Texas history.

We remember The Alamo, and the Battle of San Jacinto and their roles in gaining independence for Texas, but what about Washington-on-the-Brazos? On March 2, 1836, it’s where delegates signed the declaration of independence from Mexico.

21— And, I think that’s something we always keep coming back to. That, you know, it’s not necessarily battles; it’s the documentation; it’s the representatives of the people that come together and say, you know what, we’re not going to do this anymore. We’re going to be a free and independent country, and have a democracy. And that’s really what we celebrate here, I think. It’s the birthplace of a democracy. The Republic of Texas.

Find details about this year’s Texas Independence Day celebration at Washington-on-the-Brazos on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

Funding for our series provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.