Texas Almanac, 1956-1957 Page: 85
[770] p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
HISTORIC TOWNS
Established in 1879, abandoned about 1892. Ruins.
Site marked in 1936. One mile northeast Alpine
is Burgess' Water Hole; called San Lorenzo by
Juan Dominguez de Mendoza, 1684; later Char-
co de Alzate in honor of Apache chieftain; after
Civil War named Burgess' Water Hole for John
W. Burgess, pioneer freighter. Emigrant Road to
California by way' of Chihuahua passed this place.
Site marked 1936. Forty-two miles northwest
Marathon site of Leoncita Springs; Mendoza
camped here in 1684; stage stand on San Antonio
to El Paso route through Musquiz Canyon; site
marked 1936.
BRISCOE: In Silverton Cemetery is marker on
original site of headquarters of the Quitaque
Ranch, established by Baker Brothers in 1877.
Bought- in 1880 by Charles Goodnight for Mrs.
Cornelia Adair. With the Palo Duro ranches it
comprised more than 1,000,000 acres acquired by
Charles Goodnight in 1887. Broken into smaller
tracts later.
BROWN: Camp Collier established at Vaughn's
Springs on Clear Creek March 23, 1862, as ranger
post for Frontier Regiment. Abandoned in March,
1864, upon consolidation of Regiment at Fort Bel-
knap.
BURLESON: Near Caldwell is marker 2,000 feet
south of site of Fort Tenoxtitlan. established by
the Mexican Government in 1830, abandoned in
1832. Place passed from the map in 1860.
BURNET: In the CourthOuse Square at Burnet
is monument to the early settlers of Burnet County
and Fort Croghan, 1849-1855. Fort Croghan on
Hamilton Creek, about one mile southwest of pres-
ent city of Burnet, was established March 18, 1849.
Robert E. Lee, John B. Hood and George B. Mc-
Clellan were stationed here before the Civil War.
First called Camp Croghan, then Camp Hamilton,
and finally Fort Croghan in 1851, when log struc-
tures were replaced by stone; abandoned min 1855,
now in ruins. Near here are Holland Springs, first
settlement, 1848; Morman Mill, 1850; Black's Fort,
built 1851, abandoned 1868; site marked in 1936.
Smlthwick Mill, 1855. Granite for State Capitol,
Galveston seawall and many other notable struc-
tures taken from Granite Mountain, half mile west
of Marble Falls. Black's Fort nine miles east of
Bertram marked; built in 1855 by William Black
for defense against Indians; abandoned in 1868
and since used as private home.
CALDWELL: Lockhart State Park, near Lock-
hart, scene of Battle of Plum Creek, Aug. 12, 1840,
last great Texas Indian raid. Emmanuel Episcopal
Church, built in 1856, boasts it is oldest Protest-
ant church building in continuous use by same
congregation. Used as hospital during War Be-
tween the States. Old Lane home at Lockhart
town's first hospital; built about 1847, still in
good repair. Blackwell house built about 1850.
CALHOUN: Six miles northeast of Port Lavaca
on State Highway 35 is site of Cox's Point, early
port. A town was established here in 1836.
Burned by Indians in 1840. Site of old town of
Linnville located 3.5 miles northeast of Port La-
vaca. It was an early Texas port. Named for
John Joseph Linn, pioneer merchant, 1831. De-
stroyed by Comanche Indians, Aug. 8, 1840. Site
marked in 1936. Fifteen miles southeast of Port
Lavaca is site of the old port of Indianola, found-
ed in 1844 and first called Karishaven by German
immigrants. An important Texas port after 1860
when the San Antonio and Mexican Gulf and In-
dianola railroads were completed. Partially de-
stroyed by a storm Sept. 17, 1875. Rebuilt but
totally destroyed by another storm Aug. 20, 1886.
Fragments of courthouse foundatio and the rims
of huge cisterns, made of shell lime and sand, or
"tabby" remain today. Old town of owder Horn
was located near Indianola. Near Port Lavaca is
the monument to the explorer, Rene Robert Cavalier
de la Salle. It was erected as part of the cen-
tenmnial celebration of 1936. Fort Debray was an
early Confederate post. No trace today. Fort
Esperanza on Matagorda Island. established in
1863 by Confederates, abandoned Nov. 29, 1863.
Foundations remain. Mission Nuestra Senora del
Refugio, last mission, established 1793 near junc-
tion Guadalupe and San Antonio River. Removed
1794 and -re-established Jan. 8, 1795 in Refugio.
Marker placed in 1936 by Centennial Commission.BUILDINGS, SITES 85
CALLAHAN: Old town of Belle Plain was pio-
neer county seat and seat of Belle Plain College.
Site with few remains lies a mile east of U.S. 183
about 6 miles south of Baird. Seven miles east of
Baird on U.S. Highway 80 is site where U.S. Mili-
tary Telegraph line from Fort Griffin to Fort
Concho crossed, 1874-1875. Site marked 1936. Camp
Pecan established Mar. 23, 1862, as ranger post
of Frontier Regiment; abandoned mn 1864 upon
consolidation of regiment at Fort Belknap. Camp
Salmon. (See Eastland County.)
CAMERON: Near Brownville is site of "Rancho
Viejo," or El Espirltu Santo, established in 1771
by Jose Salvador de la Garza. First European
settlement in Cameron County. Near old town
of Brazos Santiago, established as Confederate
post in 1861, was fought last battle of Civil War
at Palmito Ranch, May 12 and 13, 1865. Only traces
left. At the site of the Battle of Resaca de la
Palma, 3.5 miles north of Brownsville, there is a
marker. Here U.S. troops under Gen. Zachary
Taylor defeated the Mexican Army under Gen.
Mariana Arista May 9, 1846, which secured Texas'
claim to the territory between the Nueces and Rio
Grande. 8.5 Miles north of Brownsville is site of
Battle of Palo Alto, first engagement of Mexican
War, May 8, 1846. At 1305 Washington Street,
Brownsville, is the home of Charles Stillman,
erected about 1850. Stillman was founder of
Brownsville, and in partnership with M. Kennedy
and Company, opened Rio Grande navigation and
controlled much of the commerce of Northern
Mexico, 1848-1868. Statue of Stillman and his
wife, Elizabeth, dedicated in 1955. In Brownsville
is Fort Brown. Established as Fort Brown in 1846
and named for Major Jacob Brown, who was
killed there. It had been established shortly pre-
viously as Fort Taylor, named for Gen. Zachary
Taylor. Part of it now used by Texas Southmost
College. Fort Polk, at old Point Isabel, was estab-
lished by Gen. Zachary Taylor Mar. 26, 1846;
abandoned Feb. 9, 1850. On the courthouse
grounds at Brownsville is monument erected to
the "men who since 1535 sailed the waters of the
Gulf of Mexico to the green valley of the Rio
Grande in search of happiness." Twenty-three
miles northwest Brownsville, on U.S. Highway 281
is site where "American blood was shed on
American soil" Apr. 25, 1846; Capt. Seth B.
Thornton and 62 Dragoons attacked by Mexican
troops. Site marked 1936. Twenty-four miles east
of Brownsville on State Highway 4 are palmetto
iling remains of Boca Chica Crossing of railroad;
egun 1864, completed 1865 by Gen. Phil H. Sheri-
dan. Near here also are cypress piling from float-
ing bridge across Boca Chica inlet built by Gen.
Zachary Taylor in 1846 as part of road from Braz-
os Santiago to White Ranch landing and Clarksville
on Rio Grande for transportation of military sup-
plies. Site marked in 1936. Three miles northwest
Brownsville, U.S. Highway 281, is site of Santa
Rita, first Anglo-American settlement on Lower
Rio Grande and County Seat of Cameron County,
1848-1849. In Town Square, Port Isabel, marker to
old Point Isabel Lighthouse, erected 1852, discon-
tinued 1905. Twenty-one miles northwest Browns-
ville, on U.S. Highway 281, is site of Las Ruclas
where Col. John S. Ford of Confederate Army de-
feated Union forces June 25, 1864. Site marked
1936. Northwest of Brownsville is site of El Car-
men Ranch where Juan Cortina, Mexican outlaw,
lived when he took over Brownsville in 1839; later
driven from ranch across Mexican border where
he became general in Mexican Army and Governor
of Tamaulipas. The ranch house is mid-nineteenth
century survival of type of brick work character-
istic of Mexico but little seen in Texas; usually
termed "Laredo" type. Brulay and Rabb planta-
tions at Southmost (Brownsville). Old City Market
built in 1850. Church of Immaculate Conception
built by Oblate Fathers 1850. Miller Hotel built
1849. First drugstore in Brownsville built 1850,
located 409 East Thirteenth. Israel Bigelow
home built 1860, used as hospital during Civil
War; Kingsbury home, Seventh and Levee, built
in 1850's. St. Joseph's College begun before Civil
War. Old Opera House built 1880, scene of cul-
tural and recreational activities until 1916. San
Roman Building, built 1850. Yturria Building built
in 1860's, still occupied as Yturria establishment.
Historical marker at Zachary Taylor's headquar-
ters house. Old City Cemetery of historical inter-
est. Near Brownsville is Snakeville, where dealer
in birds and wild animals has storage warehouse,
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
Texas Almanac, 1956-1957, book, 1955; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117138/m1/87/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.