This Day In Texas History - March 1

[joe817]

1836 - Thirty-two troops attached to Lt. George C. Kimbell's Gonzales ranging company made their way through the enemy cordon and into the Alamo. Travis was grateful for any reinforcements, but knew he needed more.

1836 - One month after delegates were elected at the various settlements around Texas, the Convention of 1836 convened at Washington-on-the-Brazos. As the Mexican Army made its way up from the Rio Grande to San Antonio, the delegates hastily begin drafting a Declaration of Independence. The Convention names Sam Houston as commander-in-chief of the republic's military forces.

1836 - John Milton Swisher and a force of 10-12 men began a trek from Washington County en route to the Alamo, after learning of William B. Travis's appeal for assistance. They halted in Gonzales after learning of the Alamo defenders' fate.

1840 - Several military units in Texas history have been named for William B. Travis. The Travis Guards were organized at Austin on March 1, 1840, for home protection and speedy campaigns against Indian attack. Officers were elected annually, and the first roster listed as officers a captain, two lieutenants, four sergeants, four corporals, a secretary, and a treasurer. In 1840 the group was called to San Antonio to repel Indian attack.

1845 - A congressional joint resolution was passed in the Republic of Texas in favor of annexation by the United States of America.

1848 - Hays County was organized by the Texas Legislature. San Marcos is declared the County Seat. San Marcos Springs, the second largest cluster of springs in Texas, is located just 2 miles north of the courthouse. Originally named Canocanayesatetlo by the Tonkawa Indians, the springs became the site of the famed Aquarina Springs for many years.

1850 - Fort Merrill, located on the right bank of the Nueces River where the Corpus Christi to San Antonio road crossed the river, fifty miles above its mouth, was founded by Capt. Samuel M. Plummer and companies H and K of the First United States Infantry. Lumber and logs used in the construction of the fort were shipped in from New Orleans, and the soldiers of the garrison erected the buildings. The fort was abandoned on December 1, 1855. Fort Merrill is off U.S. Highway 281, three miles northwest of Dinero in Live Oak County.

1861 - The 2 1/2-year history of the Butterfield Overland Mail in Texas came to an end. The Butterfield line began operations on September 15, 1858. It carried passengers and mail between St. Louis, Memphis, and San Francisco, a distance of 2,795 miles. A government contract called for the company to carry letter mail twice weekly in both directions in four-horse coaches, or spring wagons suitable for carrying passengers. Each trip was to be completed in twenty-five days. The postage rate was ten cents per half ounce. Passenger fare was $200 each way. Stage service in Texas was terminated in March 1861, when an agreement was made to modify the contract and move the route northward out of the state.

1882 - Fossati's Delicatessen is founded in Victoria. Today, Fossati's is the oldest deli in Texas.

1939 - The Golden Gate International Exposition was held in San Francisco. As part of the fair, a race was held from Texas to the fair in San Francisco. On this date in Nacona, the starting gun was fired by Amon G Carter, and 18 riders took off in hopes of receiving 750 brand new silver dollars from the San Francisco Mint.

1942 - The cruiser Houston was sunk in the Sundra Strait. The surviving crewmen and the Second Battalion, 131st Field Artillery of the Thirty-sixth Infantry Division, came to be known as the Lost Battalion because for a year no one at home knew what had happened to them. The men of the Lost Battalion spent the rest of the war in Japanese prison camps.

1946 - Edgar Odell Lovett retired as president of Rice Institute (now Rice University) in Houston. Rice Institute was chartered in 1891 by William Marsh Rice with a $200,000 note payable upon his death. He was First president of Rice Institute.

1978 - the Nature Conservancy, a private concern based in Arlington, Virginia, bought Enchanted Rock for $1.3 million and agreed to act as interim owner until the state could take over, thus guaranteeing that the area would not be opened to private development. Enchanted Rock, a spectacular granite dome near the Gillespie-Llano county line in southern Llano County, rises to 1,825 feet above mean sea level and is the second largest such mountain in the United States. Its name derives from Spanish and Anglo-Texas interpretations of Indian legends and related folklore, which attribute magical properties to the ancient landmark.

The first owners of this land were Anavato and María Martínez, to whom a headright certificate was issued in 1838. Llano rancher Charley Moss(owner at the time) first offered it to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; the Nature Conservancy stepped in when the agency could not pay his price and deeded the land to the state six days later. Following eighteen months of renovations, the site reopened as Enchanted Rock State Park in March 1984. Today the 1,643-acre Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is a favorite destination of hikers, campers, rock-climbers, hang-gliders, and other outdoor enthusiasts from around the state.
[Note: I've heard about this all my life, but never made it out there. Someday I hope to.]

[JakeTheSnake]

We used to go and climb all over Enchanted Rock, not sure I am capable now. Great memories, there is a cave that starts near the top and comes out at or near the bottom back side.

[joe817]

Folks, tomorrow's entry is going to be a long one. Lots of stuff happened and I found several letters I thought worth sharing.

[Bruin98]

Enchanted Rock is a controlled access park now. Only so many people allowed on it at a time.

Get there early in am or youll be out of luck.