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Gonzales, Texas

Everything Gonzales is known for

4 songs mention this city 2 artists from here

RoadyGoat plays music like this when you drive through Gonzales. It's free on iPhone, and full songs play through Apple Music.

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Music in Gonzales

Songs About Gonzales

Their Cell
Girl in a Coma
40%
El Corrido de Gregorio Cortez
Ramón Ayala y Sus Bravos Del Norte
23%
"Tiró con rumbo a González"
Up In Texas
Midland
8%
"Underneath the 'come and take it' flag"
Texas Like That
Zane Williams
8%
"It's a tattered old flag that says "Come and take it""

Artists From Gonzales

L
Logan Ryan Band
country
M
Mike Ethan Messick
country

Rivers & Roads in Song near Gonzales

Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Gonzales.

Guadalupe River 18 songs Interstate 10 36 songs US Route 90 9 songs Blanco River 4 songs Texas Colorado River 6 songs Texas State Highway 71 2 songs

Musical Heritage

1976 Gonzales Fourth of July Picnic RoadyGoat

Gonzales, Texas, nineteen seventy-six. Willie Nelson's Fourth of July Picnic damn near didn't happen — the permits fell through right up to the wire — and then eighty thousand people showed up anyway. Forty-four straight hours of music. Willie and Waylon Jennings were sitting on top of the charts that summer with "Wanted: The Outlaws" and "Good Hearted Woman," and the whole outlaw movement came crashing down on one Texas field. The tab came due fast. A hundred and forty-seven arrests. The health department wrote it up for fourteen violations — including, for eighty thousand people, exactly twenty-five port-a-potties. Willie caught a flight to Hawaii for a week while they tallied the damage and the lawsuits stacked up, and he swore Gonzales would be the last Picnic he ever threw. It wasn't. But you can see why he meant it.

RoadyGoat →

History of Gonzales

Gonzales, TX RoadyGoat

Gonzales, Texas, holds a special place in the state's story, being the first Anglo-American settlement planted west of the Colorado. Imagine those early days along the Guadalupe River, a small outpost carved out of land previously home to the Tonkawa, Karankawa, and Coahuiltecan people. Named for Rafael Gonzales, governor of Coahuila y Tejas, the town represented a bold step, a reach westward that would forever change the landscape. But Gonzales is more than just an early settlement; it's where the spark of revolution ignited. The famed "Come and Take It" cannon, buried by citizens to keep it from Mexican forces and later recovered, became a symbol of defiance. And it was near Gonzales, on October 2, 1835, that the first shot of the Texas Revolution rang out, a shot that echoed across the plains and set the course for a new nation. Even now, you can still feel that sense of community, that spirit of independence, woven into the very fabric of Gonzales.

Gonzales, TX RoadyGoat

Gonzales, known as the 'Lexington of Texas,' played a pivotal role in the Texas Revolution. The city was the site of the Battle of Gonzales, where 18 men refused to return a cannon to Mexican forces, sparking the revolution. It was also the starting point for the Immortal 32, who rode to the Battle of the Alamo. Gonzales was the only city to send aid to the Alamo, with all 32 men losing their lives in the defense. The city was later ordered to be burned by General Sam Houston to deny it to the enemy, leading to the Runaway Scrape as residents fled.

Gonzales, TX RoadyGoat

Gonzales feels different from other small Texas towns, and it’s not just the pecan trees lining the Guadalupe. Being the first Anglo settlement west of the Colorado River gave it a unique position, almost a frontier outpost. That early foothold meant Gonzales became a gathering place, a spot where folks heading further west could resupply or decide on their next move. It also meant they were first in line for the troubles that came with that westward expansion, which is why the "Come and Take It" cannon became such a powerful symbol. That cannon wasn't just about a piece of artillery; it represented a defiant spirit rooted in the land itself. Today, people visit for the history, of course. You can feel it in the courthouse square, see it in the Romanesque Revival architecture, and hear it in the stories whispered around the old buildings. They come to walk the same ground where the first shot of the Texas Revolution rang out. But if you ask the locals why folks truly end up settling here, they'll tell you it’s the community. There's a deep sense of belonging, a shared understanding forged in that early history. Maybe it's the river winding through the county, or the shade of those pecan trees, but Gonzales has a way of drawing people in and making them feel like they've found their place. Even someone like Jerry Hall, who went on to conquer the world, started right here, and that says something about the kind of foundation Gonzales provides.

Gonzales - Come and Take It

1835

First military engagement of the Texas Revolution, October 2, 1835, when Texian settlers refused to return a cannon to Mexican authorities.

Historical Marker →

Gonzales Cannon burial site

1835

On this site September 29, 1835 the Gonzales cannon was buried from the 150 Mexican Dragoons sent to Demand it. Two days later it was mounted on ox-cart wheels, loaded with chains and scrap iron, and fired at the Mexican Army, the first shot of the Revolution. This location was known as George W. Davis Peach Orchard.

Historical Marker →

The Immortal 32

1836

In Memory of the Immortal 32 Gonzales men and boys who, on March 1, 1836 fought their way into the beleaguered Alamo to die with Colonel William B. Travis for the Liberty of Texas. They were the last and only reinforcements to arrive in answer to the final call of Colonel William B. Travis. Names and ages of the Immortal Thirty-Two: Captain Albert Martin, 30; Isaac G. Baker, 32; John Cane, 34; George W. Cottle, 38; David P. Cummings, 27; Squire Damon, 28; Jacob C. Darst, 48; John Davis, 25; William Dearduff; Charles Despallier, 24; William Fishbaugh; John Flanders, 36; Dolphin Ward Floyd, 29; Galba Fuqua, 16; John E. Garvin, 27; John E. Gaston. 17; James George, 34; Thomas Jackson; Johnny Kellogg, 10; Andrew Kent, 38; George C. Kimball, 26; John E. King, 26; William P. King, 24; Jonathan L. Lindley, 31; Thomas R. Miller, 41; Jessie McCoy; Isaac Millsaps; George Neggan, 28; Wm. E. Summers, 24; George W. Tumlinson, 27; Robert White, 30; Claiborne Wright, 26. Other Gonzales men who fell at the Alamo. Daniel Bourne, 26; George Brown, 35; Jerry C. Day, 20; Almaron Dickerson, 26; Andrew Duvalt, 32; John Harris, 23; Wm. J. Lightfoot, 25; Marcus L. Sewell, 31; Amos Pollard, 33. Survivors of the Alamo Massacre, Mrs. Almaron Dickerson and baby daughter, of Gonzales.

Historical Marker →

Castañeda Fernández, Francisco Narciso

1835

Francisco Castañeda, Mexican military officer, the son of Juan de Castañeda Quevedo and Josefa Fernández, was born in October 1799 and baptized in the parish church of San Juan Bautista de la Punta de Lampazos (now Lampazos de Naranjo), Nuevo León, on November 1, 1799. His father was an officer in the local compañía volante , and he entered the presidio service as a cadet in the same company in June 1813, following Spanish military practice of allowing the teenage sons of officers to enter the service. In July 1818 he was promoted to alférez (second lieutenant) and transferred to the Second Compañía Volante of Tamaulipas, a detachment of which was stationed in Texas. Breveted to lieutenant in 1821, he joined the Álamo de Parras company , stationed in San Antonio, in November 1823 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1827. Aside from participating in American Indian campaigns, Castañeda played a role in some of the most iconic events of the Texas Revolution . Assigned to retrieve the "Come and Take It" cannon that had been lent to the Anglo-American settlement of Gonzales for Indian defense, Castañeda was the Mexican officer involved in the battle of Gonzales . Under orders not to precipitate a major conflict, Castañeda withdrew to San Antonio after he lost two men during the brief skirmish that has come to be considered the opening clash of the revolution. Castañeda engaged the Texans at least twice during the siege of Bexar and marched to Coahuila with Gen. Martín Perfecto de Cos following the Mexican surrender in December. Returning to Texas in February 1836 as part of Antonio López de Santa Anna 's forces, Castañeda, commanding a squad of sharpshooters in the Aldama Battalion, participated in the assault on the Alamo on the morning of March 6 and according to his service record was among the first officers to enter the compound. His was the last Mexican army unit in San Antonio, when he surrendered the town to a Texan force under Juan Seguín in June 1836-thus making Castañeda the Mexican officer involved in both the opening and closing episodes of the Texas Revolution. He returned to Texas at least one more time and served in the Woll invasion of September 1842 ( see MEXICAN INVASIONS OF 1842 ), during which he was seriously wounded at the battle of Salado Creek . Francisco Castañeda continued his military career in Coahuila. Promoted to captain in 1837, he was given command of the presidio company of La Babia (northwest of present-day Melchor Múzquiz, Coahuila). Breveted to lieutenant colonel in June 1842, he was breveted to colonel later that year in recognition of his wounding at Salado. In 1847 he saw action in the battle of Buena Vista (Angostura) during the Mexican War . He became captain of the military colony of San Vicente in 1849, when the Mexican government abandoned the presidio system in favor of colonias militares , or military settlements. Although assigned to the San Vicente crossing in the Big Bend of the Rio Grande southwest of Boquillas, the remote location kept Castañeda's company at La Babia until the government abandoned the experiment in 1853, by which time Castañeda had obtained a promotion to assistant inspector of troops in Coahuila, a position he held until retirement. Francisco Castañeda married María de la Luz Guajardo at Punta de Lampazos in June 1816, having already had a daughter by her, Juana Petra de Jesús, the previous year. No record has been found of other children by Luz, who died in 1839. Ten years later Castañeda married María de Jesús Múzquiz, also widowed, at Melchor Múzquiz, Coahuila. Castañeda died at Hacienda de Fundición del Cedral (Hacienda de San Rafael de El Cedral), southeast of Melchor Múzquiz, on February 7, 1878.

Tsha Handbook →

Darst, Jacob Calloway

1836

Jacob Calloway Darst, Alamo defender, son of David and Rosetta (Holman) Darst, was born in Woodford County, Kentucky, on December 22, 1793. David Darst was a veteran of the Revolutionary War and served under Lt. Col. George Rogers Clark during the Illinois Campaign. Four years before Jacob's birth, his maternal grandfather, Henry Holman, who also served under Clark, was killed while on a surveying expedition, possibly by an Indian war party. When Jacob was a young boy, David moved his family to Femme Osage township in what is now St. Charles County, Missouri. The legendary pioneer Daniel Boone was their close neighbor. Jacob was a farmer, and an Indian scout. During the War of 1812 he served as a member of James Callaway's Missouri Mounted Rangers and fought in the Battle of New Orleans. In 1810 Jacob's older brother Abraham "Abram" married Tabita Callaway, the granddaughter of Daniel and Rebecca (Bryan) Boone. In 1813 Jacob married Elizabeth Bryan. She was a second cousin of Rebecca Boone. After Elizabeth's death in 1820, Jacob married Margaret C. Hughes. In 1827 Jacob's brother Abram, with his wife and children, left Missouri for Texas and settled near Columbia in Austin's Colony. Jacob, his wife, and two of his children left by wagon for Texas in 1830. Later that year, between the Brazos and Trinity rivers, Jacob's oxen succumbed to "murrain" (Texas tick fever was suspected). Despite this setback, Jacob captured and trained wild Texas cattle to pull the wagon for the rest of the journey to Gonzales. He arrived in DeWitt's colony on January 10, 1831. Darst registered for twenty-four labores of land on the Guadalupe River above Gonzales and also for one labor on a small creek that empties into the Lavaca. Darst later moved his family to Gonzales. There he purchased several town lots and possibly opened a blacksmith shop. In September 1835 Darst was one of the original " Old Eighteen ," defenders of the Gonzales cannon. Darst also participated in the siege of Béxar and was discharged by Gen. Edward Burleson . After this battle, Darst with his son David delivered loads of ammunition and other supplies to Col. James W. Fannin at Goliad. On February 23, 1836, Darst was mustered into service in the Gonzales Ranging Company of Mounted Volunteers in response to the urgent plea of Lt. Col. William B. Travis at the Alamo. He entered the Alamo with this unit on March 1, 1836, and died in the battle of the Alamo five days later. Following the fall of the Alamo, Darst's family fled Gonzales in the Runaway Scrape . He had five nephews (Abram's sons) in Capt. William H. Patton 's Fourth (Columbia) Company in the Second Regiment of Texas of Volunteers commanded by Col. Sidney Sherman . One of these nephews, Pvt. Edmund Calloway Darst, fought at the battle of San Jacinto .

Tsha Handbook →

Dickinson, Susanna Wilkerson

1835

Susanna Wilkerson Dickinson (also spelled Dickerson), survivor of the Alamo, was born about 1814 in Tennessee, perhaps in Williamson County. Her first name has also been recorded as Susan, Susana, and Suzanna; her maiden name is sometimes given as Wilkinson. On May 24, 1829, she married Almeron Dickinson before a justice of the peace in Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tennessee. The couple remained in the vicinity through the end of 1830. The Dickinsons arrived at Gonzales, Texas, on February 20, 1831, in company with fifty-four other settlers, after a trip by schooner from New Orleans. On May 5 Dickinson received a league of land from Green DeWitt , on the San Marcos River in what became Caldwell County. He received ten more lots in and around Gonzales in 1833 and 1834. The Dickinsons lived on a lot just above the town on the San Marcos River, where Susanna took in at least one boarder. A map of Gonzales in 1836 shows a Dickinson and Kimble hat factory in Gonzales. Susanna's only child, Angelina Elizabeth Dickinson , was born on December 14, 1834. Susanna and her daughter may have joined other families hiding in the timber along the Guadalupe River in early October 1835, when Mexican troops from San Antonio demanded the return of an old cannon lent to Gonzales four years earlier. The resulting skirmish, the battle of Gonzales , was the first fight of the Texas Revolution . Susanna said goodbye to her husband on October 13 as the volunteers left for San Antonio under command of Stephen F. Austin . She remained in Gonzales through November, when newly arriving troops looted her home. She joined Dickinson in San Antonio, probably in December 1835, and lodged in Francisca Castañeda and Ramón Músquiz 's home, where she opened her table to boarders (among them David Crockett ) and did laundry. On February 23, 1836, the family moved into the Alamo. After the battle of the Alamo on March 6, Mexican soldiers found her-some accounts say in the powder magazine, others in the church-and took her and Angelina, along with the other women and children, to Músquiz's home. The women were later interviewed by Santa Anna, who gave each a blanket and two dollars in silver before releasing them. Legend says Susanna displayed her husband's Masonic apron to a Mexican general in a plea for help and that Santa Anna offered to take Angelina to Mexico. Santa Anna sent Susanna and her daughter, accompanied by Juan N. Almonte 's servant Ben, to Sam Houston with a letter of warning dated March 7. On the way, the pair met Joe , William B. Travis 's slave, who had been freed by Santa Anna. The party was discovered by Erastus (Deaf) Smith and Henry Wax Karnes . Smith guided them to Houston in Gonzales, where they arrived after dark about March 12. Susanna Dickinson probably followed the army eastward in company with the other Gonzales women. Illiterate, without family, and only twenty-two years old, she petitioned the government meeting at Columbia in October 1836 for a donation, but the proposed $500 was not awarded. She needed a male protector, and by June 1837 she was cohabiting with John Williams, whom she married about November 27, 1837. He beat her and Angelina, and she petitioned in Harrisburg (later Harris) County for a divorce, which was granted on March 24, 1838-one of the first divorces in the county. By 1839 Almeron Dickinson's heirs had received rights to 2,560 acres for his military service; they sold the land when Angelina reached twenty-one. Subsequent requests to the state legislature in November 1849 were turned down. Susanna tried matrimony three more times before settling into a stable relationship. She wed Francis P. Herring on December 20, 1838, in Houston. Herring, formerly from Georgia, had come to Texas after October 20, 1837. He died on September 15, 1843. On December 15, 1847, Susanna married Pennsylvania drayman Peter Bellows (also known as Bellis or Belles) before an Episcopalian minister. In 1850 the couple had sixteen-year-old Angeli

Tsha Handbook →

Things to Do in Gonzales

historical 0.1 mi away
The Immortal 32: Gonzales Rides to the Alamo

William Travis sent out desperate letters from the besieged Alamo begging any Texan who would listen to come help. Every town looked away except one. On March…
historical 0.1 mi away
Come and Take It: The Shot That Started a Revolution

In 1831 Mexico loaned the colonists of Gonzales a small brass cannon to fend off Comanche raids. Four years later they wanted it back. On October 2 1835 a…
food 17.0 mi away
City Market Luling

In Luling they dont fuss with menus. You walk through the dining room back to a little smoke-filled pit room where the butcher hands you brisket sausage and…
historical 0.1 mi away
All Dead — Susanna Dickinson Brings the News

Susanna Dickinson survived the fall of the Alamo because Santa Anna wanted a messenger. He put her on a horse with her infant daughter and a warning letter for…
historical 0.1 mi away
The Flag Sewn from a Wedding Dress

When the men of Gonzales decided to defy Mexico they needed a flag and they needed it fast. Sarah DeWitt and her daughter Evaline pulled out a wedding dress…
historical 0.1 mi away
Sam Houston Burns Gonzales to Ashes

When word reached Sam Houston that the Alamo had fallen he made a decision that still haunts the history books. At midnight on March 13 1836 he ordered…
historical 0.1 mi away
Gregorio Cortez and the Gonzales Jail

In June 1901 a translation error during a routine sheriffs visit sparked a shooting that left two men dead and set off the largest manhunt in American history…
food 16.9 mi away
Buc-ee's (Original)

The world's cleanest restrooms and beaver nuggets. Texas road trip essential.

Everything Near Gonzales

421 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the nearest 200 are listed here — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.

  • Gonzales, TX

    Gonzales, Texas, holds a special place in the state's story, being the first Anglo-American settlement planted west of the Colorado. Imagine those early days along the Guadalupe River, a small outpost carved out of land…

  • Gonzales - Come and Take It · Historical Marker

    First military engagement of the Texas Revolution, October 2, 1835, when Texian settlers refused to return a cannon to Mexican authorities.

  • 1976 Gonzales Fourth of July Picnic

    Gonzales, Texas, nineteen seventy-six. Willie Nelson's Fourth of July Picnic damn near didn't happen — the permits fell through right up to the wire — and then eighty thousand people showed up anyway. Forty-four…

  • The Town That Rode Out After Buffalo Hump

    Gonzales was already the town that would not hand over its cannon. In August 1840 it was the town that went after the Comanche. When Buffalo Hump brought four to five hundred warriors down to the coast and burned the…

  • Andrew Ponton · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales, where Andrew Ponton served as the town's alcalde, or mayor, back in 1834. Just a year later, he was a key figure in the "Come and Take It" incident, refusing to hand over a cannon to…

  • Dickinson, Capt. and Mrs. Almaron, 1834 Homesite of · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the 1834 homesite of Captain and Mrs. Almaron Dickinson. This was the home they returned to on March 13, 1836, just days after the fall of the Alamo. Susanna Dickinson, with her infant daughter,…

  • James W. Robinson · Historical Marker

    You're driving past Gonzales, where James W. Robinson made his home. Born in Indiana, he came to Texas in 1833. He was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1835, served as Governor for a brief period in 1836, and then fought…

  • Gonzales Courthouse · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Gonzales Courthouse, a building with a history all its own. The first courthouse here burned down in 1893, but this impressive structure rose from the ashes between 1894 and 1896. It cost over…

  • Come and Take It · 0.1 mi

    In October of eighteen thirty-five, Mexican authorities sent a hundred soldiers to Gonzales to retrieve a small bronze cannon they had loaned the colonists four years earlier to fight off Comanche raids. The Texians'…

  • Gonzales Cannon burial site · 0.1 mi · Historical Marker

    On this site September 29, 1835 the Gonzales cannon was buried from the 150 Mexican Dragoons sent to Demand it. Two days later it was mounted on ox-cart wheels, loaded with chains and scrap iron, and fired at the…

  • Come and Take It: The Shot That Started a Revolution · 0.1 mi · Things to Do

    In 1831 Mexico loaned the colonists of Gonzales a small brass cannon to fend off Comanche raids. Four years later they wanted it back. On October 2 1835 a…

  • The Immortal 32: Gonzales Rides to the Alamo · 0.1 mi · Things to Do

    William Travis sent out desperate letters from the besieged Alamo begging any Texan who would listen to come help. Every town looked away except one. On March…

Show all 200 nearby places
  • Sam Houston Burns Gonzales to Ashes · 0.1 mi · Things to Do

    When word reached Sam Houston that the Alamo had fallen he made a decision that still haunts the history books. At midnight on March 13 1836 he ordered…

  • All Dead — Susanna Dickinson Brings the News · 0.1 mi · Things to Do

    Susanna Dickinson survived the fall of the Alamo because Santa Anna wanted a messenger. He put her on a horse with her infant daughter and a warning letter for…

  • The Flag Sewn from a Wedding Dress · 0.1 mi · Things to Do

    When the men of Gonzales decided to defy Mexico they needed a flag and they needed it fast. Sarah DeWitt and her daughter Evaline pulled out a wedding dress…

  • Gregorio Cortez and the Gonzales Jail · 0.1 mi · Things to Do

    In June 1901 a translation error during a routine sheriffs visit sparked a shooting that left two men dead and set off the largest manhunt in American history…

  • Three Generations of Smoke on St. Lawrence Street · 0.1 mi

    If you want a meal that tastes like old Gonzales rather than the tourist trail, pull up to Gonzales Food Market at 311 St. Lawrence Street, right in the historic district. The Lopez family opened it in 1959, patriarch…

  • Market Square · 0.1 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through the heart of Gonzales, right past a place that's been the town's center for nearly two centuries. Originally mapped in 1825 as 'Jail Square,' this spot quickly became known as Market Square even…

  • Indian Fort, Site of · 0.1 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of a violent Indian raid that happened right here on July 2nd, 1826. One settler was killed, another wounded, and homes were plundered. The survivors fled, but colonists were ordered back…

  • Green DeWitts Frontier Colony · 0.1 mi · Things to Do

    Green DeWitt founded his colony here in 1825 naming it after the Mexican governor of Coahuila y Tejas as a diplomatic gesture. It did not buy him much luck. In…

  • First Texas College to Graduate Women · 0.1 mi · Things to Do

    Gonzales College opened its doors in 1853 with just 50 students in a town still rebuilding from war and fire. Four years later it did something no other…

  • Come and Fly It: The Chicken Flying Contest · 0.1 mi · Things to Do

    Every October the town that dared Mexico to come and take it celebrates its revolutionary spirit by launching live chickens off a mailbox to see which one…

  • Jerry Hall: From Gonzales to the Runway · 0.1 mi · Things to Do

    Jerry Hall was born right here in Gonzales in 1956 one of five daughters raised in a sun-baked Texas town most people could not find on a map. By 21 she had…

  • The Presbyterian Church of Gonzales · 0.1 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of Gonzales's Presbyterian Church. It was officially formed on a leap day, February 29th, 1852, by just eight members and Reverend Joel T. Case. For a while, services were held just once a…

  • Plaza · 0.1 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales, and this space right here, Texas Heroes Square, has a history all its own. Originally set aside for a municipal building in the town's original layout, it became a public plaza instead.…

  • Military Plaza · 0.1 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales, and right here is Military Plaza. This public space was laid out in 1825, following Spanish town planning. Surveyor James Kerr and his assistant Byrd Lockhart designed it for Green…

  • Central Square · 0.1 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales, a town that owes its very existence to a land survey back in 1825. James Kerr was tasked by Green DeWitt to find a spot for a capital, and he named it Gonzales after the governor. This…

  • San Jacinto Campaign, Campsite · 0.2 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site where Sam Houston organized the second Texas volunteer army right here in Gonzales. On March 11th, <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1836</say-as>, he arrived to rally troops. Just two…

  • Jail Square · 0.2 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales, and right here is Jail Square. It was first mapped out way back in 1825 as Market Square. But before the Texas Revolution even kicked off in 1836, it had already earned its name 'Jail…

  • Riverside School · 0.2 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of the Riverside School, a building with a significant history in Gonzales. Opened in 1914 as the Water Street Mexican School, it was the only option for Mexican American students. Later, it…

  • Kennard House · 0.2 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Kennard House in Gonzales, a beautiful example of Queen Anne architecture. Built in 1895 by James B. and Anna Jones Kennard, this home stayed in the family for nearly seventy years, until 1963.…

  • The Pilgrim Home · 0.2 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Pilgrim Home in Gonzales, built in 1883. Look for its classic center-hall design, two double fireplaces, and wide pine floors. Carey J. Pilgrim, editor of the 'Gonzales Inquirer,' built this…

  • William B. and Sue J. Houston House · 0.2 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the William B. and Sue J. Houston House in Gonzales. Built in 1898, this home was the centerpiece of a successful rancher and civic leader's life. William Houston and his second wife, Sue, built this…

  • Remschel House · 0.2 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Remschel House, built around 1907. Look for this one-story Victorian home, constructed with cypress siding from local trees. It stands on brick columns made right here in Gonzales. The house was…

  • Cemetery Square · 0.3 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales, and right here is Cemetery Square, designated way back in 1825. This block was the traditional burial ground for early residents, including Nicholas Peck, a soldier of San Jacinto, and…

  • J. W. and Nannie C. Bailey House · 0.3 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the J.W. and Nannie C. Bailey House, built by J.W. Bailey in 1897 and 1898. He constructed this modest Queen Anne style home for his wife, Nannie, and their family. Notice the gable roof and the…

  • Episcopal Church of The Messiah · 0.3 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Gonzales. It all started back in 1855, with early missionary work in the area. City officials granted this very land, and by 1881, this beautiful Gothic Revival…

  • The Only Town That Answered the Alamo · 0.4 mi

    When William Barret Travis wrote his famous appeal from the besieged Alamo, addressed To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World, exactly one community sent men. They came from here. Thirty-two volunteers of…

  • The Capital Green DeWitt Built at the Forks of Two Rivers · 0.4 mi

    You're rolling into the town that anchored a whole Mexican land grant. In April 1825 the Mexican government approved empresario Green DeWitt's contract to settle 400 families in this stretch of Texas, and that summer…

  • The Town Laid Out Like a Spanish Cross · 0.4 mi

    Look at a street map of downtown Gonzales and you'll notice it doesn't behave like a normal Texas town. Most county seats drop the courthouse in one central block and ring it with storefronts. Gonzales instead was…

  • The Night They Burned Their Own Town · 0.4 mi

    On the ground you're crossing, the people of Gonzales set fire to their own homes and ran. In early March 1836 Sam Houston had gathered a small, raw Texian army here, waiting on word from the Alamo. The word arrived in…

  • The Condemned Man's Curse on the Courthouse Clock · 0.4 mi

    The grim stone building you're near is the old Gonzales County jail, built in 1887 by architect Eugene Heiner to hold prisoners under riot conditions, and it kept its gallows right inside the walls. The last man hanged…

  • From a Gonzales Dry-Goods Counter to a Cattle Empire · 0.4 mi

    One of the great Texas cattle barons got his start behind a store counter right here. George Washington Littlefield came to Gonzales County as a boy in 1850 when his family settled near Belmont, and as a young man he…

  • The Wrecking Ball Born in Gonzales · 0.4 mi

    Gonzales produced one of the most feared defensive linemen of the 1960s, and almost nobody saw him coming. Tom Sestak was born here on March 9, 1936, and took such a roundabout road to pro football that the Buffalo…

  • The Oldest House Standing, Built From the Ashes · 0.4 mi

    On the 1300 block of St. Louis Street sits the oldest house still standing in Gonzales, and its survival is the whole point. After the town burned itself down in the Runaway Scrape of 1836, the people had to rebuild…

  • The Cannon That Started a Revolution · 0.5 mi

    It all started with a tiny, six-pound cannon. In 1831, the Mexican government gave the settlers of Gonzales a small cannon to defend themselves. Four years later, as tensions grew, Colonel Domingo de Ugartechea sent 100…

  • The Immortal 32 · 0.5 mi

    In late February 1836, Colonel William B. Travis sent a desperate plea from the Alamo, besieged by Santa Anna's army. He wrote, 'I shall never surrender or retreat... VICTORY OR DEATH.' His letters were carried across…

  • The Science of Healing at the Warm Springs · 0.5 mi

    In the 1930s, the nation was gripped by fear of polio, a devastating disease that caused paralysis, especially in children. Here in the Gonzales area, a unique combination of geology and medical innovation offered a ray…

  • The Burning of Gonzales · 0.5 mi

    Just a week after the Alamo fell in March 1836, the Texas army, led by Sam Houston, arrived here in Gonzales. It was here they received the devastating news: the Alamo defenders, including the 32 men from this very…

  • The Longest and Bloodiest Feud in Texas · 0.5 mi

    After the Civil War, this part of Texas became the epicenter of the Sutton-Taylor Feud, the longest and bloodiest feud in Texas history. It ran from the late 1860s for nearly a decade and claimed dozens of lives. On one…

  • A Centennial Shrine With a Reflecting Pool · 0.5 mi

    At 414 Smith Street stands a monument complex Texas built for its own 100th birthday. For the 1936 Texas Centennial, the state erected the Gonzales Memorial Museum here, a low limestone building flanked by a long,…

  • Indoor Plumbing and Lightning Rods in 1885 · 0.5 mi

    The two-story Victorian at 833 Mitchell Street is a small museum of cutting-edge 1880s building technology, dropped into a town the railroad had only just reached. Cattleman T.N. Matthews built it in 1885, and the…

  • Wells Home · 0.5 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Wells Home, a sprawling 15-room ranch house built in 1885. Imagine the effort: longleaf pine lumber brought by Gulf steamer from Florida, then hauled by oxcart from Indianola. The furniture…

  • Masonic Cemetery · 0.5 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Masonic Cemetery in Gonzales. The Gonzales Masonic Lodge bought this land in 1849 to serve as a burial ground, later adding more acreage in 1903. But two graves here actually predate the lodge's…

  • The Immortal 32 · 0.6 mi · Historical Marker

    In Memory of the Immortal 32 Gonzales men and boys who, on March 1, 1836 fought their way into the beleaguered Alamo to die with Colonel William B. Travis for the Liberty of Texas. They were the last and only…

  • Dr. John Turner Tinsley · 0.6 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the resting place of Dr. John Turner Tinsley, a man who wore many hats in early Gonzales. Born in Tennessee around 1809, he came to Texas in 1834, settling near here with his wife and five children.…

  • Holmes Hospital · 0.6 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales, and right here is the Holmes Hospital. Dr. George Holmes, a local boy born in Gonzales County, came back to town in 1915 to start his medical practice. He dreamed of a fully equipped…

  • San Jacinto, Route of Gen. Sam Houston to · 0.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales, the very town Sam Houston ordered burned to the ground. It was March 13, 1836. News of the Alamo's fall had reached him, and a massive Mexican army was closing in. Houston gathered his…

  • Ponton, Andrew · 0.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of a pivotal moment in the Texas Revolution! Andrew Ponton, the Alcalde of Gonzales, penned a defiant letter on September 26th, 1835. This was in direct response to Mexico demanding the…

  • Polk, Dr. Thomas · 0.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the final resting place of Dr. Thomas Polk, born way back on February 7th, 1792. He wasn't just a doctor; he served Texas during its fight for independence, tending to soldiers during the Siege of…

  • The Eggleston House · 0.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Eggleston House in Gonzales, a survivor from the wild days after Texas independence. Horace Eggleston built this place in 1848, right after the town was burned and abandoned during the Run-Away…

  • Valentine, Bennet · 0.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales, and right here is the story of Bennet Valentine. From <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1835</say-as> all the way until his death in <say-as interpret-as="date"…

  • Mitchell, Eli · 0.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Gonzales area, where Eli Mitchell played a key role in early Texas independence. He was a delegate to the 1833 Convention, helping shape the future of the Republic. Then, in 1835, he fought at…

  • Gonzales City Cemetery · 0.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales, and right here is the City Cemetery. This ground holds the remains of some of the earliest settlers in Gonzales, moved here from a common grave in Cemetery Square. Look for the graves of…

  • Castañeda Fernández, Francisco Narciso · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Francisco Castañeda, Mexican military officer, the son of Juan de Castañeda Quevedo and Josefa Fernández, was born in October 1799 and baptized in the parish church of San Juan Bautista de la Punta de Lampazos (now…

  • Darst, Jacob Calloway · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Jacob Calloway Darst, Alamo defender, son of David and Rosetta (Holman) Darst, was born in Woodford County, Kentucky, on December 22, 1793. David Darst was a veteran of the Revolutionary War and served under Lt. Col.…

  • Dickinson, Susanna Wilkerson · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Susanna Wilkerson Dickinson (also spelled Dickerson), survivor of the Alamo, was born about 1814 in Tennessee, perhaps in Williamson County. Her first name has also been recorded as Susan, Susana, and Suzanna; her…

  • Gonzales County · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, a place that fired the first shot of the Texas Revolution. Right here, in October of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1835</say-as>, colonists faced off against Mexican…

  • Martin, Albert · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, a town that played a crucial role in the Texas Revolution. Right here, Albert Martin, a merchant who ran a general store, became one of the legendary "Old Eighteen" defending the…

  • Miller, Thomas Redd · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, a town that played a pivotal role in the Texas Revolution. Right here, Thomas Redd Miller, a Virginian by birth, made his home. He was more than just a resident; he was a…

  • Mitchell, Eli · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, the birthplace of Texas independence! Right here, Eli Mitchell, an early settler and merchant, played a pivotal role. In 1835, he was elected first regidor of DeWitt's colony. When…

  • Smith, Erastus [Deaf] · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Texas, and right here, you might be near where Erastus 'Deaf' Smith made his mark. Born in New York, Smith lost his hearing as a child but found his voice as a spy and ranger during the Texas…

  • Gonzales, TX · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, a town that fired the first shot of the Texas Revolution. Right here, on October 2, 1835, Texans refused to give up their cannon to Mexican dragoons. They famously dared the Mexicans to…

  • Barnett, Dr. George Washington · 0.8 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales County, and right here is the story of Dr. George Washington Barnett. Born in South Carolina in 1793, he came to Texas and served in our army during the revolution in 1835 and '36. He…

  • Coe, Philip Houston · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, a town with a colorful past. Right here, in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1871</say-as>, Philip Houston Coe, a local gambler, found himself in Abilene, Kansas. He was…

  • Davis, George Washington · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, a place that played a key role in the Texas Revolution. Right here, George Washington Davis, a man who’d already lived a life across several states, finally found his home. He…

  • DeWitt, Green · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through DeWitt County, the heart of Green DeWitt's colony, which eventually became the town of Gonzales. DeWitt, a Missouri sheriff and militia captain, was inspired by Moses Austin and finally secured…

  • Fly, Frank Merriman · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, Texas, where Sheriff Frank Fly faced down a lynch mob back in 1901. The notorious Gregorio Cortez was in jail, accused of murder, and a furious crowd gathered, armed with a…

  • Harris, John · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through what was once the frontier, and right here, you're passing through history connected to the Alamo. John Harris, born in Tennessee around 1813, may have been Davy Crockett's step-nephew. While…

  • Highsmith, Samuel · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through what was once the wild Texas frontier, a land Samuel Highsmith knew intimately. Born in Kentucky in 1804, he came to Texas in 1823, settling on the western edge of Stephen F. Austin's colony. He…

  • King, John Gladden · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, a town with a story etched in sacrifice. Right here, John Gladden King arrived in 1830, drawn by the promise of land. He settled along the Guadalupe River, building a life as a…

  • Neill, James Clinton · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through what was once the heart of Texas's fight for independence, and right here, in what is now Milam County, lived James Clinton Neill. He wasn't just any soldier; he was the man who, by many accounts,…

  • Ponton, Andrew · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, a town that played a pivotal role in the Texas Revolution. Right here, in September of 1835, Mexican authorities demanded the surrender of a cannon, famously emblazoned with 'Come…

  • Reese, Charles Keller · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Texas, maybe thinking about the brave soldiers who fought for independence. But right here, we're talking about Charles Keller Reese, a man caught in the shadow of the Mier Expedition. After…

  • Summers, William E. · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Lavaca County, not far from Hallettsville, and right here is the area where William E. Summers once called home. Arriving in Texas in 1832, Summers settled along the Lavaca River, receiving a land…

  • Price, Walter Travis [Big Walter The Thunderbird] · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, the birthplace of a blues legend! Walter Travis Price, known as "Big Walter The Thunderbird," was born right here on August 2, 1914. He taught himself piano as a kid and became a…

  • Bowen, Joshua Robert [Brown] · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, Texas, where in 1878, a man named Joshua Robert "Brown" Bowen met his end on the gallows. Bowen was convicted of murder, but he always claimed his infamous brother-in-law, John…

  • DeWitt, Sarah Seely · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, Texas, and right here is where a legend was stitched together. Sarah Seely DeWitt, a pioneer who helped found DeWitt's Colony, had a daughter, Naomi, who was getting married in…

  • King, William Philip · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    William Philip King, Alamo defender, was born on October 8, 1820, in Cotton Gin Port in Monroe County, Mississippi. He was the first of seven children of John Gladden King and Parmelia (Parchman) King. His father had…

  • Pollard, Amos · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Amos Pollard, chief surgeon of the Alamo garrison, son of Jonas and Martha (Martin) Pollard, was born at Ashburnham, Massachusetts, on October 29, 1803. He was raised in Surry, New Hampshire, and graduated from the…

  • Mason, Charles · 0.8 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the birthplace of Charles Mason, a true Texas hero. He fought for Texas Independence at the very first battle in Gonzales, and then went on to fight again at the decisive Battle of San Jacinto.…

  • Andrews, Willie Ann Hudson · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, the heart of Texas, where you might be passing near the Harris Chapel community. Right here, back in 1867, Willie Ann Hudson Andrews arrived from Virginia. She wasn't just a…

  • DeWitt, Christopher Columbus · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through South Texas, and right here is the land that shaped Christopher Columbus DeWitt. Born in Missouri in 1820, he came to Texas as a boy with his father, Green DeWitt, a famous empresario who founded…

  • Gipson, James · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, where James Gipson settled in the late 1830s after a long journey from Indiana. Gipson wasn't just a pioneer; he was a surveyor, an Indian fighter, and he operated Gipson's Ferry…

  • Jones, Augustus H. · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, a town that Augustus H. Jones called home. He arrived in Texas in 1835, just in time to jump into the fight for independence. Jones fought at the Presidio La Bahía, joined the…

  • Jones, John C. · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, a town that was home to a remarkable physician who served during the Civil War. Dr. John C. Jones, after studying obstetrics and surgery in Europe, returned to Texas in 1861. His…

  • Palmetto State Park · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving between Luling and Gonzales, and right here is Palmetto State Park. What makes this place unique? It's home to the only palmetto swamp in the entire Southwest! This unique ecosystem, known as the Ottine…

  • Parramore, James Harrison · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, Texas, and right here is the home of Colonel James Harrison Parramore. He arrived in this area as a young boy in 1849 and later fought in the Civil War. Parramore served with…

  • Stamps · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, a town with a unique story from the Civil War. Back in 1863, when the Confederacy couldn't supply enough stamps, local postmasters had to get creative. Here in Gonzales, the…

  • Tumlinson, James Stephen, Jr. · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, Texas, land of pioneers and revolution. Right here, James Stephen Tumlinson Jr. carved out a life in the early 1800s. He was one of Stephen F. Austin's original colonists,…

  • Turner, Amasa · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Texas, maybe near Gonzales or along Cedar Bayou, and you're passing through history. Amasa Turner wasn't born here, but this land called him. He came from Massachusetts, tried business in Alabama,…

  • White, James Phelps · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through what was once vast cattle country, and right here, you're passing through the territory where James Phelps White learned the ranching business from his uncle, George Washington Littlefield. In…

  • Fly, George Washington Lafayette · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    George Washington Lafayette Fly, Confederate Army officer and Texas legislator, the youngest of ten children of William and Mary (Mitchell) Fly, was born on June 2, 1835, in Yalobusha County, Mississippi; in 1846 the…

  • Kerr, James · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    James Kerr, soldier, attorney, surveyor, and physician, was born near Danville, Kentucky, on September 24, 1790. In 1808 his Baptist minister father moved the family to Missouri. Kerr fought in the War of 1812 under…

  • Lockridge, Samuel A. · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Samuel A. Lockridge, businessman, filibuster, and Confederate officer, was born in 1828 in Jefferson County, Alabama. His family moved to Mississippi when he was a child. Around 1856 Lockridge played a key role-devoting…

  • Turner, Amasa · 0.8 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site where Amasa Turner once served the Texas Army. He was more than just a soldier; Turner was a private, an officer, and a recruiter during the crucial years of 1835 and 1836. He helped build…

  • Davis, Jesse Kencheloe · 0.8 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the resting place of Jesse Kencheloe Davis, a veteran of the decisive Battle of San Jacinto. Born in Alabama in 1802, Davis fought for Texas's independence. He passed away in 1869, long after the…

  • Dickinson, Edward · 0.8 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales, the "Come and Take It" town, and right here we remember Edward Dickinson. He was a citizen soldier, a volunteer who answered the call during the Texas Revolution. Dickinson joined the…

  • Matthews, William A. · 0.8 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of a true Texas hero, William A. Matthews. He wasn't just a soldier in the Texas War for Independence; he was a freighter, a quartermaster, and a vital courier. Imagine him, riding hard with…

  • Fort Waul · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving near Gonzales, Texas, and right here on Waldrip Hill are the remains of a Confederate dream. This was meant to be Fort Waul, a massive supply depot and defensive stronghold for the Confederacy in Texas.…

  • Guadalupe College Land Grant · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, a town with a history tied to ambitious, if delayed, educational dreams. Back in 1841, the Republic of Texas chartered Guadalupe College, granting four leagues of land across eleven…

  • Patrick, James Blair · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, a town that owes a lot to early settlers like James Blair Patrick. He arrived here in 1829 with the Ponton family, becoming a key figure in this community. Patrick wasn't just a settler;…

  • Urban, Alvin Peter [Al] · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, the hometown of Al Urban, a singer-songwriter who found his voice right here. Born in 1935, Urban started playing guitar as a teen and formed his first band in the early 1950s. By…

  • Warm Springs Rehabilitation System · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through South Texas, maybe not too far from Gonzales. Back in 1937, this area was home to the Gonzales Warm Springs Foundation for Crippled Children. Folks believed the natural springs here had healing…

  • Key, John Cotlett Garrett · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    John Cotlett Garrett Key, lawyer and Confederate officer, was born in Edgefield District, South Carolina, in 1809. He was the son of John Alford Key and Winifred (Simpkins) Key. Key studied law and practiced in Sparta…

  • Mills, Albert N. · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Albert Nelson Mills, attorney, legislator, and military veteran, was the third of four sons born to William Nelson and Ann (Leap) Mills of Alexandria, Virginia. Albert Mills’s ancestors were some of the earliest…

  • Parker, Horatio S. · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, Texas, where Horatio S. Parker, a lawyer originally from New York, made his mark. By 1860, he was practicing law here. When the Civil War broke out, Parker didn't hesitate. He…

  • Sayers, William Branch · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, a place that saw service in the Civil War. William Branch Sayers, brother of a future Texas governor, volunteered in 1861 for Terry's Texas Rangers. He served in the eastern…

  • Smith, John R · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, where John R. Smith organized a company of Confederate cavalry in 1862. Nicknamed 'Captain Smith's Spy Company,' this unit saw action across Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, and…

  • Stewart, William Henry · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, a town that was once home to William Henry Stewart. He arrived here in the fall of 1844, a lawyer from Maryland. Stewart quickly became a local leader, serving as mayor in 1848…

  • Walsh, Charles Clinton · 0.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales, Texas, where Charles Clinton Walsh arrived in 1893. He wasn't just a lawyer, but also a civic leader and poet. Walsh helped establish banks in North Texas, organized the San Angelo Bank…

  • Jewish Cemetery · 0.8 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Jewish Cemetery, established back in 1907. It was recognized as a Historic Texas Cemetery in 2002.

  • Odd Fellows Cemetery · 0.8 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Odd Fellows Cemetery, established back in 1870. This site was recognized as a Historic Texas Cemetery in 2002.

  • Battle of Gonzales · 0.9 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of the very first battle of the Texas Revolution! Back on October 2nd, 1835, the colonists here refused to give up a cannon to Mexican authorities. They actually buried it in a peach orchard…

  • Jones, Augustus H. · 0.9 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the marker for Augustus H. Jones, a Texan who fought for our independence. He was there for the Storming of Bexar in 1835, a key battle in the Texas Revolution. Jones also saw action at Goliad.…

  • Gonzales Cannon · 1.2 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past Gonzales, Texas, the site of a pivotal moment in the Texas Revolution. On September 29th, 1835, Mexican government troops marched here demanding the return of a small cannon. The colonists stalled…

  • Texas HS Baseball Leaders 2026: Gonzales (Gonzales) · 1.2 mi

    Gonzales (Gonzales, TX) placed on the 4A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Nathan Castillo (0.527 avg).

  • Old Eighteen · 1.2 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past Gonzales, where history was made on September 29, 1835. Eighteen Texans, led by Captain Albert Martin, stood their ground here. They stalled 150 Mexican Dragoons for two whole days, all to demand a…

  • Oak Forest Bridge · 1.3 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the old Oak Forest Bridge, or at least, what's left of it. Back in October 1913, Gonzales County commissioners hired A.A. Alsbury & Company to build a bridge across the Guadalupe River. By February…

  • Fort Waul · 1.4 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of Fort Waul, a Confederate earthwork built right here in late 1863. It was named for General Thomas N. Waul and designed to protect inland Texas from Union forces coming up the Guadalupe…

  • Two Miles North to Site of Maurin Quarry · 1.4 mi · Historical Marker

    Hey road trippers! You're driving past the former site of the Maurin Quarry, a real workhorse for this region. From 1882 to 1908, this place dug out sandstone that built up Gonzales, Shiner, and several other towns you…

  • Burkett, David · 1.5 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the land where David Burkett once lived, a progressive patriot and citizen soldier who came to Texas with his family in 1830. He was part of Green DeWitt's Colony and served as a guard for women and…

  • Kerr's Creek · 1.5 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past Kerr's Creek, a name that stuck after ex-Missouri state senator James Kerr settled here in the 1820s. He and six other men built homes right on this stream, hoping to found a capital for the Green…

  • Santa Anna Mound · 1.6 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past Santa Anna Mound, formerly known as DeWitt Mound. Back in 1835, Mexican troops set up camp right here, waiting for the famous Gonzales cannon. But the colonists weren't giving it up! The Mexicans…

  • Sarah Seely Dewitt · 1.9 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the resting place of Sarah Seely DeWitt, a true pioneer and patriot. Born in Virginia in 1789, she came to Texas in 1826 with her husband, empresario Green DeWitt. But Sarah's legacy goes beyond just…

  • Green Dewitt Cemetery · 2.0 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Green DeWitt Cemetery, a final resting place for one of the most important families in early Texas history. Green DeWitt and his wife Sarah packed up their family in Missouri and headed for Texas…

  • Duncan's Ferry · 3.0 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past what was once Duncan's Ferry, a vital crossing started around 1834 by a Scotsman named Benjamin Duncan. This ferry played a role in one of Texas's most pivotal moments. Legend says Susanna Dickinson,…

  • Hodges, James, Sr. · 3.6 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales County, a land rich with Texas history. Just after arriving in April of 1835, James Hodges Sr. bought over 17,000 acres of prime land for three thousand dollars in silver. Before Texas…

  • Davidson, William Lewis · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, and right here, you might have been in the shadow of William Lewis Davidson. After fighting for the Confederacy, Davidson, a young lawyer, was reportedly on the run. Legend has it…

  • Dennis, Thomas Mason · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through South Texas, perhaps near Gonzales, where Thomas Mason Dennis spent his final days. Born in Georgia in 1807, Dennis arrived in Texas in 1835, just in time to join the fight for independence. He…

  • Lavaca River · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving near the Lavaca River, a waterway with a name that traces back to French explorers. In the late 1600s, René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, saw buffalo along its banks and called it 'Cow River.' The…

  • Rocky Creek (Gonzales County) · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, and right here, on Rocky Creek, a story of survival unfolded in early 1836. While the Alamo was under siege, John Hibbins, his wife Sarah Howard, her two sons, and her brother…

  • Belmont, TX · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Belmont, between Gonzales and Seguin on U.S. Highway 90A in western Gonzales County, was established in the 1840s as a stage stop called Centerville. When citizens applied for a post office they had to choose a new name…

  • Cost, TX · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Cost is on State Highway 97 six miles west of Gonzales in central Gonzales County. It formed as a community when German settlers began arriving in the area during the 1890s. The community was first known as Oso, but its…

  • Monthalia, TX · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Monthalia, on State Highway 466 fourteen miles west of Gonzales in west central Gonzales County, developed around a church and a Masonic lodge established in 1868. As early as 1846 the first settlers had arrived in the…

  • Pilgrim, TX · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Pilgrim is on Farm Road 1116 sixteen miles southwest of Gonzales in southern Gonzales County. The area was initially settled in the 1820s, and settlers were drawn to the site by extensive salt flats along nearby Salt…

  • Kokernot, Herbert Lee · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Right here in Gonzales County, you're driving through the heart of ranching country, and Herbert Lee Kokernot was a big part of that story. He learned the cattle business on his father's land, and by 1897, he took over…

  • Waul, Thomas Neville · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, Texas, a place that was home to Thomas Neville Waul, a Confederate officer who raised his own fighting unit: Waul's Legion. He recruited this legion in the spring of 1862, and…

  • Leesville, TX · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Leesville, on State Highway 80 in the southwestern part of Gonzales County, was originally established on the east bank of Castleman's Creek, later named O'Neill Creek, for the Henry O'Neill family, who had arrived in…

  • Ottine, TX · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Ottine is nine miles northwest of Gonzales in western Gonzales County. It was named in 1879 by combining the names of the founding settlers Adolf Otto and his wife Christine. Previously the settlement had been known as…

  • Cox, George Washington · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, the birthplace of George Cox, a man who dramatically improved public health across Texas. Cox became director of the Texas Department of Public Health in 1936, facing criticism…

  • Eckols, John William · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, near Belmont, the area where John William Eckols served in the Texas Legislature. Eckols, a farmer and cattle rancher, won a seat in the House of Representatives in 1898 as a…

  • Lake Gonzales · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, and right here, you're passing Lake Gonzales, also known as H-4 Reservoir. This isn't just a pretty body of water; it's a hydroelectric power plant. Dam construction started back…

  • Willis, Leonidas M. · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, a place that saw action during the Civil War. Right here, Leonidas Willis, a local businessman, raised a cavalry company in the spring of <say-as interpret-as="date"…

  • Bebe, TX · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Bebe, a rural community on Texas Highway 97 in southwestern Gonzales County, was originally called Stroman; two men named Perry and Stroman owned a general store in that location. In 1896–97, the area had tri-weekly…

  • Cheapside, TX · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Cheapside is on Ranch Road 2067 twenty-one miles southeast of Gonzales in south central Gonzales County. The first settler to establish permanent residence there was Thomas Baker (1822–84), who moved to Gonzales County…

  • Dreyer, TX · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Dreyer (also known as Dryer) is a small farming community located on Farm Road 443 about fourteen miles southeast of Gonzales and near the DeWitt County border. The town was named after early settler Henry Dreyer, who…

  • Hopkinsville, TX (Gonzales County) · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Hopkinsville was located where Farm Road 1296 crosses Copperas Creek, five miles north of Waelder in northern Gonzales County. The town was named for Dennis Sheffield Hopkins, who bought land from Thomas Zumwalt in 1851…

  • Wrightsboro, TX · 3.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Wrightsboro is located on Farm Road 108 twelve miles southwest of Gonzales in southwestern Gonzales County. It was settled about 1851 and named for L.C. Wright, an early settler from Alabama. The town was granted a post…

  • Greenwood Cemetery · 5.1 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past Greenwood Cemetery, a final resting place for many of Gonzales County's earliest settlers. Look for the headstone of John Pritchett, a veteran of the War of 1812. He was laid to rest here in…

  • Texas Revolution, Site of the First Shot of the · 5.9 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of the very first shot of the Texas Revolution! On October 2nd, 1835, Texans here defied the Mexican government, refusing to return their cannon. Instead, they issued the famous 'Come and…

  • Texas Revolution, First Shot of the · 5.9 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past Gonzales, Texas, and right here, about a mile and a half away, is where the Texas Revolution officially kicked off! On October 2nd, 1835, Texans under Colonel John H. Moore fired a small cannon,…

  • Dikes Family Cemetery · 5.9 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Dikes Family Cemetery, established around 1850 by Miles G. Dikes. He arrived in Texas from Georgia back in 1829 as part of the DeWitt Colony. His son, Lovic, was the first person buried here in…

  • Andrew Zumwalt · 6.0 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the burial site of Andrew Zumwalt. He fought in the decisive Battle of San Jacinto in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1836</say-as>, helping Texas win its independence. Born in <say-as…

  • Site of Cost School · 6.1 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of the Cost School, a place that served this community for over four decades. Built in 1916, this two-story brick schoolhouse, designed by architect Henry T. Phelps, welcomed 125 students…

  • King Cemetery · 8.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the King Cemetery, a burial ground that's served this area since the 1830s. John Gladden King and his wife Parmelia settled here in 1830, and their family has been laid to rest here for seven…

  • Braches House · 8.8 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of the Braches House, a home with deep roots in early Texas history. Bartlett McClure, Gonzales County's first chief justice, settled here in 1831, building a log cabin. He even attended the…

  • Houston, Sam, Oak · 8.9 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of a crucial rallying point during the Texas Revolution. Just a quarter-mile north, under the Sam Houston Oak, General Sam Houston set up his headquarters camp on March 13, 1836. This was…

  • Camp Swift · 9.5 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of Camp Swift, a massive World War II training ground that housed and trained 300,000 soldiers. Opened in May 1942, this triangular reservation was a city unto itself, covering almost 56,000…

  • Meeks - Maynard Cabin · 9.5 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of the Meeks-Maynard Cabin, built way back in 1854. Picture this: quarter-notched cedar logs, put together with the help of Thomas Hughes. This wasn't just any cabin; it was a Recorded Texas…

  • Saturn Cemetery · 9.5 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through the area where a community known by names like Possum Trot and Prickly Pear began to form in the 1870s. In 1882, land was sold here for a cemetery, which became known as Saturn Cemetery, serving…

  • Ottine Cemetery · 10.5 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past Ottine Cemetery, a place that started as a family burial ground. In 1879, Adolph Otto and his eleven children settled here, building a home and a grist mill. Adolph died in San Antonio in 1890, but…

  • Gates Cemetery · 10.6 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past Gates Cemetery, a resting place for generations of a family that came to Texas with Stephen F. Austin. Samuel H. Gates received this land for his service in Texas's War for Independence. The first…

  • Wells, Fleming T. · 10.8 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Gonzales area, where Fleming T. Wells made his mark. Born in Orange County, Wells served as a purser in the Texas Navy, an important role keeping the ships supplied. He was secretary to Captain…

  • Owens, James D. · 10.8 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the resting place of James D. Owens, a volunteer soldier who fought for Texas's independence. Born in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1811</say-as>, Owens joined the Texas army and bravely…

  • Wrightsboro, Community of · 11.1 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of Wrightsboro, a community founded in 1851 by L. C. 'Jack' Wright. Locals gave the town its name because Wright's burro, a donkey, loved to roam this area! Wright himself was a noted…

  • Harwood, Thomas Moore · 11.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, and right here is the town of Harwood, named for Thomas Moore Harwood. He arrived in Texas in 1850, first teaching school in Matagorda before moving inland to practice law.…

  • Harwood, TX · 11.8 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Gonzales County, heading towards Harwood. This town owes its existence to the westward expansion of the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway, founded back in 1874. It was named for Thomas…

  • Ebenezer Cemetery · 11.9 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through southern Gonzales County, passing the historic Ebenezer Cemetery. Founded in the 1850s, this burial ground served the Ebenezer community. Though the nearby Ebenezer Church closed in the early…

  • Kokernot, David L. · 12.0 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Gonzales marker for David L. Kokernot. He was a soldier, officer, scout, and courier during the Texas War for Independence. Kokernot served valiantly in the fight for Texas freedom from 1835 to…

  • Harwood Cemetery · 12.0 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past Harwood Cemetery, a final resting place with roots stretching back to the town's founding. The oldest marked grave here belongs to I. M. Shelton, a Civil War veteran who died in 1877. Local legend…

  • Littlefield, Hutson B. · 12.0 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the resting place of Hutson B. Littlefield, a volunteer soldier who fought for Texas independence. He served during the Texas War for Independence and is buried here in Gonzales. His service helped…

  • Harwood Methodist Church and Masonic Lodge · 12.1 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Harwood, a town that sprung up in 1875 when the railroad came through. Right here is a building that served two vital community roles. The first floor hosted Methodist worship and even a…

  • Lee, Theodore S. · 12.1 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the final resting place of Theodore S. Lee, a Vermonter who came to Texas and lived a long life. Born way back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1799</say-as> in Rutland, Vermont, Theodore…

  • Salt Flats of Pilgrim Lake · 13.0 mi · Historical Marker

    Driving through Gonzales County, you're passing over land that's been a natural treasure for centuries. Long before any Europeans arrived, native peoples likely used this spot for its salt. Later, in the 1800s, pioneers…

  • Steen Cemetery · 13.8 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past Steen Cemetery. The Steen family's migration west spanned several generations and included a friendship with the Davy Crockett family in Tennessee before they finally settled in Gonzales County in…

  • Gunkel Family Cemetery · 13.8 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Gunkel Family Cemetery, established in 1903. It's recognized as a Historic Texas Cemetery.

  • Pilgrim, Community of · 14.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Pilgrim, a Texas community named for a pioneer educator, Thomas J. Pilgrim. He arrived in Texas way back in 1828, and the very next year, he organized the first school in Stephen F. Austin's…

  • William B. Fleming · 14.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales County, near Belmont, and you're passing the site of William B. Fleming's homestead. Fleming, born in Georgia in 1830, came to Texas and served with the Texas Rangers and in the…

  • Bunting Family Cemetery · 15.1 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Bunting Family Cemetery, established in 1873. It was recognized as a Historic Texas Cemetery in 2004.

  • Herder Half Moon Place · 15.4 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of the Herder Half Moon Place, a Greek Revival home built in the 1880s. Its builder, George Herder, was a veteran of the Texas Revolution, who came to farm and ranch in the Half Moon…

  • George W. Davis · 15.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of George W. Davis, a citizen soldier who fought for Texas's independence. Davis served during the pivotal years of 1835 and 1836, contributing to the struggle that would birth a republic.…

  • Waelder, TX · 15.9 mi

    Waelder might seem like just another blink-and-you'll-miss-it town along Highway 90, but it's got a history deeper than the roots of those post oak trees that dot the landscape.

  • Engineering a Town into Existence · 15.9 mi

    Waelder exists because a railroad company drew a line and a nearby town got up and walked to it. In 1874 the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway surveyed this spot into lots as one link in a chain of depot…

  • Nixon Cemetery, Old · 16.0 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the last vestige of Old Nixon, a community that thrived here in the mid-1800s. It took its name from Robert T. Nixon, but later became 'Old Nixon' to avoid confusion with another town. This cemetery,…

  • Half Moon · 16.0 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through the area once known as Half Moon, a place named for the peculiar shape of its timber. First mentioned in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1689</say-as> by Spanish explorers, it was a…

  • Dickson School · 16.0 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of the old Dickson School. Established in 1886, this school served Lavaca County for over sixty years. It started as a one-room schoolhouse and was later expanded and moved across the road…

  • Waelder, Town of · 16.1 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Gonzales County, right where a town sprang up thanks to the railroad. In 1876, the Galveston, Harrisburg, & San Antonio Railroad laid tracks through here, and this spot was chosen as a shipping…

  • The Town That Picked Itself Up and Walked Five Miles · 16.2 mi

    Five miles north of where you're standing, a town called Hopkinsville came first. It was founded in 1852 by Dennis Sheffield Hopkins on land bought the year before, and by the mid-1850s it had blacksmith shops, a cotton…

  • When the Rangers Rode In Over Barbed Wire · 16.2 mi

    In 1883 the trouble around Waelder wasn't outlaws or rustlers. It was fence wire. That year the Fence Cutting War swept across Texas: as big cattlemen strung the new barbed wire and fenced off range that small farmers…

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