TRA VEL Heritage
Visit
texastimetravel.com, an online resource for exploring Texas’ historic and cultural treasures.
TEXAS BRAZOS TRAIL REGION: Waco, Bryan, College Station
TEXAS FOREST TRAIL REGION: Beaumont, Nacogdoches, Tyler, Huntsville
TEXAS FORTS TRAIL REGION: Abilene, San Angelo
TEXAS HILL COUNTRY TRAIL REGION: San Antonio, Austin, Uvalde
Seminole Canyon State Park (Langtry) and Amistad National Recreation Area (Del Rio) offer access to rock art sites along the lower Pecos River. Some, like Panther Cave (above) are only accessible by boat.
www.nps.gov/amis/learn/historyculture/
oldest continuously operating cotton gin at the Texas Cotton Gin Museum in Burton. As the cotton industry was fading, the
oil boom that started with the discovery of an unprecedented oil reserve at Spindletop (near Beaumont) in 1901 spurred massive growth. Wildcatters scurried to strike it rich, and boomtowns sprang up from the ground almost as fast as the oil. In East Texas, the town of Kilgore was once home to the great- est concentration of oil wells in the world, now marked by the World’s Richest Acre Park and the East Texas Oil Museum. While the wealth brought a more cosmopolitan air to many cities, Texas culture remained uniquely, refreshingly itself.
STILL STANDING Testaments to the state’s rich history
abound in dozens of national historic land- marks and state historic sites, as well as thousands of state historical markers. T e Texas Heritage Trails program, which in- cludes 20 historic sites in 10 regions, off ers a fun way to explore the state’s past. From legendary frontier forts to genteel Victorian homes, sacred burial sites to pivotal battle- grounds, each trail has unique tales to tell. Historic courthouses also have long been a point of pride for many Texas communities.
As the state was settled, a grand courthouse was seen as a sign of prosperity, and becom- ing a county seat was a highly sought-aſt er status among competitive communities. Today, many of the state’s 254 counties boast historic and distinctive structures, including about 80 that were built before 1900.
LIVING HISTORY If you’d like to truly immerse yourself in
history, many historic sites off er visitors the chance to experience what life was like in eras past. Try out farm chores at Barrington Living History Farm in Washington, and see a family care for their animals and homestead at the Sauer-Beckmann Farm- stead in Stonewall. Sit down for an old- fashioned Chautaqua school lesson at Buff alo Gap Historic Village near Abilene, or ride a stagecoach to Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site in Anderson.
CULTURAL HERITAGE Today, the state is the largest in the
contiguous United States, with the second- largest population and six of the nation’s 20 most-populous cities. Its status as a melting pot of cultures is evident in its food, entertainment and festivals. A wide array of cultural events year-round off ers
For more infor ma tion about Texas, visit
TravelTexas.com.
TEXAS INDEPENDENCE TRAIL REGION: San Antonio, Houston, Victoria
TEXAS LAKES TRAIL REGION: Dallas, Fort Worth, Wichita Falls
TEXAS MOUNTAIN TRAIL REGION: El Paso, Van Horn, Alpine
TEXAS PECOS TRAIL REGION: Midland, Odessa, Del Rio
TEXAS PLAINS TRAIL REGION: Amarillo, Lubbock, Big Spring
TEXAS TROPICAL TRAIL REGION: Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Laredo
OTHER RESOURCES:
TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
www.thc.state.tx.us/explore-texas
HANDBOOK OF TEXAS ONLINE
www.tshaonline.org/handbook/ online
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE In Texas:
www.nps.gov/state/tx
See the City listings, and the State Parks and Historic Sites grid (page 246) in this guide for more details.
a chance to sample local traditions, from German polkas and Czech pastries in Central Texas to Vietnamese eateries in Houston and Fiesta and Diwali celebra- tions in San Antonio. All of these and more contribute to the rich fabric of Texas cul- ture, united by the state’s independent but friendly spirit—you’ll fi nd many places where history and hospitality go hand in hand. Whether it says welcome, bienvenidos, willkommen or vitame vas, the message is the same: y’all come on in! ★
PHOTO: MICHAEL AMADOR/TXDOT 15
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