Friday, November 30, 2001
Goliad State Historical Park, Goliad, TX - Nov 28-30
This stop was more for historical interest than beautiful surroundings. Still, the cg was quite pleasant. The Mission Espiritu Santo de Zuniga is located in the SP, so we toured it during the day & again by the light of the full moon; outlined with Christmas lights & with luminarias along all the walkways, it was quite lovely. Just outside of the park is Fannin's Grave, Presidio la Bahia, & the birthplace of General Ignacio Zaragoza. A short drive east of town is Fannin Battleground. In 1836, Col. Fannin surrendered to superior Mexican forces at the Battle of Coleto Creek. As part of the surrender terms, the men's lives were to be spared.
They were imprisoned in the Presidio La Bahia. Despite guarantees to the contrary, Gen Santa Anna ordered Fannin & his 342 men executed. The Texans were buried near the Presidio in a site now marked by a monument. This event, along with the Alamo, became a rallying cry for the Texans. The Presidio La Bahia is a Natl Historic Landmark, considered the world's finest example of a Spanish frontier fort. It saw participation in 6 natl revolutions or wars for independence. Our Lady of Loreto Chapel, erected for use by settlers living around the fort, is the oldest building in the compound, with continuous use since the 1700s. Gen Zaragoza, born in the settlement outside the fort, was the leader of 4000 poorly equipped Mexican soldiers who defeated over 8000 French at the battle of San Jacinto on May 5, 1862, giving birth to the Cinco de Mayo holiday celebrating Mexican Pride.We also enjoyed visiting the lovely historic town of Goliad & shopping in the town square. We came back at night for their annual Christmas parade & festival. We especially enjoyed the Cream of Jalapeno soup, a specialty of the Blue Quail Deli. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in getting the recipe.
# posted by Doug and Willie @ 5:58 PM 
