We live between Victoria and Goliad, in central south Texas. We’ve been here about 15 years, but between work and raising kids, I haven’t explored the historical town… until now.
Joining me today is Carrie, one of my besties and serial co-workers (seriously, I jokingly called her my personal recruiter for years… we worked together at 4 different companies over the last 14 years). We had planned to get together to discuss how to create reels for her new real estate career. SHAMELESS PLUG: Go check out her Facebook page, and if you’re in the market for real estate, DEFINITELY check out her website and give her a call. Seriously, she’s the absolute best!!
But the day before we were scheduled to do this, one of my childhood besties from Sugar Land, Melissa, called me and asked if I was busy. She and her sister, Laura were dying to get out and about and do something different. I told her what Carrie and I had planned, and they were all in. So the four of us went off to explore Goliad.
Goliad is a small town – the census in 2020 recorded the population as 1,620 – with a big impact on Texas history. Like many small towns here, the courthouse square is graced with a large historical courthouse – this one was built in 1894 of Limestone, brought by ox cart to Goliad from Austin. Many of the buildings surrounding the courthouse square are marked with similar years.
<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fparttimegypsysouls%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02JzUs4149yifssDmH3cFog24XY292BX8d1DX2eemC1ay9VTCcPbZjn6xr6UAF33s3l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="626" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>What is unusual here is a large, very old oak tree in the north portion of the courthouse lawn. A sign in front of it marks it as the “Site for court sessions at various times from 1846 to 1870. Capital sentences called for by the courts were carried out immediately, by means of a rope and a convenient limb. Hangings not called for by regular courts occurred here during the 1857 “Cart War” – a series of attacks made by Texas Freighters against Mexican drivers along the Indianola-Goliad-San Antonio Road. Above 70 men were killed, some of them on this tree before the war was halted by Texas Rangers.”
Another marker reads, “Santa Anna’s Surrender Ratified. Gen. Vicente Filasola, second in command of Mexican Armies in Texas War for Independence fled from area of his nations defeat at San Jacinto, April 21, 1836. Filasola’s aim was to go back to Mexico with his army. After he had passed through Goliad, he was overtaken at Mujerero Creek (12 mi. SW) by Texan Army couriers, Col. Bent Form Smith and Capt. Henry Teal. Signing the ratification of peace at Mujerero, May 26, 1836, were Gen. Filasola, Gen. Eugene Tolsa, Col. Augustine Amat, Col. Smith, and Capt. Teal.”
Also on the north lawn is a memorial to the Goliad men who lost their lives in World War II. The transcription of the stone reads, “Because these sons of Goliad County, Texas gave their lives in World War II that freedom might live, the citizens erected this memorial and dedicated it to their undying hopes and everlasting memories”. The names and ranks of those lost are inscribed on stones on each side of the memorial stone.
We window shopped and actually shopped in a couple of stores before heading to our next stop – Presidio la Bahia.
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