2018-09-03: Geocaching Through South Texas History From The Alamo to the Rio Grande Valley

Hello and welcome back to another recap of AwayWeGo's Geocaching and Exploring Adventures. On this Labor Day Monday, I drove down from Killeen in Central Texas to Falcon Lake in the Rio Grande Valley. There were a lot of new places to see, so let me get started.

After nearly an hour of driving, I made a stop in south Austin for gas, Dunkin Donuts, and a quick urban geocache (GC79YHY).

From there I proceeded down to San Marcos in the next county over. Hays County was founded in 1848. The courthouse building isn't the first one in the county. The current one was built in 1909. I can't say too much more about it because it's a virtual geocache (GCG9JY) and I don't want to give away any answers.

The next county to the south is Guadalupe County. There I found another virtual geocache (GCGAQQ) in the town of Seguin. That took me to a house called Sebastopol. This Greek Revival house was built in 1854-56, with reinforced load bearing walls of cast-in-place limecrete, an early form of concrete made of lime, sand, and gravel. One of many concrete structures built in Seguin, this is an important surviving example of early concrete technology in the southwest.

Not too far away was the Juan Nepomuceno Seguin gravesite (GC6YTN1) for whom the city was named. Born in 1806, Juan assembled Mexican Texan troops and fought in the 1835 Siege of Bexar. He provided horses and aid for troops of Col. William B. Travis. Further aiding as courier during siege of the Alamo. Juan Seguin commanded Company A Cavalry 2nd Regiment during San Jacinto victory and pursuit of the Mexican Army remnants following San Jacinto battle. After a career in politics, Juan Seguin died in 1890 in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. His remains were returned to Seguin.

Moving on down to Karnes County, I arrive at my next geocache (GC4K1MF). The second Polish colony in Karnes County, the village in this area grew out of a small settlement known as St. Joe and was formally established in 1873. At times the priest at Panna Maria would conduct services at St. Joseph School in what would become Czestochowa. The "Mother Colony" church at Panna Maria was destroyed by lightning in 1877; Czestochowa settlers decided to build their own church. This was the subject of much controversy among the Polish pioneers of Karnes County. Anton Jarzombek (1836-1922) and Frank Mutz (1814-1891) each donated land for the church. Area residents contributed their labor to build the eighty-five by forty foot church with Gervase Gabrysch (1830-1904) as contractor.

Bishop Anthony D. Pellicer blessed the church on February 10, 1878. Father W. Pelczar was assigned as the first pastor that September. As a sign of their reconciliation, the parishioners from the newly rebuilt Panna Maria church presented the new parish a large painting of the Virgin Mary of Czestochowa, the Patroness of Poland. The two congregations often shared leadership in the ensuing years. The Cestohowa church (adopting the Americanized spelling of the community) thrived into the 20th century.

In the 1930's the church underwent intensive additions and remodeling. Though the original walls remained, the roof was completely removed and the ceiling raised. The north and south wings were added and the steeple was increased in height. In 1998, the church celebrated its 125th anniversary. At that time, the parish consisted of 380 members. The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church continues in the traditions of its founders.

Bee County was next on my list. I drove down to this town called Normanna, Texas. The area had been a Mexican land grant back in 1831. In 1874 it was named Walton Station after Sheriff D.A.T. Walton.

Norwegian immigrants moved into the area in 1893, and formed the nucleus of their colony just 2 miles from Walton. When the postal authorities rejected the application for a post office under the name Walton, Normanna was submitted and accepted. The name loosely translates as "the place of Norsemen" but closer to the true meaning is "far North." Seeing that's where they were from, the name was appropriate.

Families descended from the original Norwegian settlers still live in the area. Normanna has a museum in a building that has served as ranch headquarters, a hotel and a residence. The town thrived for years, but then declined after a series of fires and the advent of the automobile. This is that building today.

The geocache (GC10AXF) was located on the west side of town at the Medio Creek Bridge. The bridge was the idea of Viggo Kohler, a man who later built the large Viggo Hotel in Hebbronville (1915). He petitioned the Bee County Commissioners to accept bids in June of 1897. The bridge arrived in kit form and was assembled by the Austin Brothers Bridge Company. It has long since been decommissioned and slowly being reclaimed by nature.

Continuing south into the town of San Patricio, Texas, I went to my next geocache at the Old Cemetery On The Hill (GCMDMV). This cemetery is believed to have been used for generations by Indian tribes and Mexican settlers who lived in this area previous to Anglo colonization. Following the establishment of San Patricio de Hibernia in , the colonists continued to use the old cemetery on the hill.

According to local oral tradition, early graves in the cemetery were marked by wooden crosses and stones bearing Spanish and English inscriptions. Among those interred here are Lt. Marcelino Garcia who was killed at the Battle of Lipantitlan in 1835. Also buried here are soldiers who died in the Battle of San Patricio on February 27, 1836; James McGloin, who's grave was never marked; victims of diseases such as scarlet fever; men killed fighting duels; and many early settlers and their descendants.

After a new cemetery was consecrated at San Patricio in 1872 (GC6C4ZE), the Old Cemetery on the Hill was used infrequently. The old cemetery was neglected for many years until restoration efforts were begun in the 1960's. Some tombstones where lost or destroyed over the years. But the historic graveyard is now maintained.

Passing through the town of Bluntzer, I saw this old schoolhouse. The first Spanish land grant awarded in what is now Nueces County was the Casa Blanca Land Grant. Granted in 1798 by the Spanish government to Juan Jose de la Garza Montemayor (1765-1816) and his three sons, Juan Manuel, Jose Perfecto, and Jose Agustin, it was located between Penitas Creek and the Nueces River. Originally called Penitas Grant, it consisted of 70,848 acres, or sixteen sitios of land.

The school for the town was opened in the 1870's, but flooding by the hurricane of 1919 necessitated its relocation. Justina Bluntzer, daughter of Nicholas, donated the land for the school. This final school building was constructed in 1939. The school held classes until it was consolidated with the Banquete ISD in 1971.

My next geocache was at the Cemeterio De La Luz (GC1CXD6). I couldn't find any information on this cemetery other than there's over 350 burials here dating back to 1926.

Still working my way south, I stop at the Restland Memorial Park cemetery for my next two geocaches (GC2N9WG, GC7TGWT). Located in Bishop, Texas, the town was established in 1910 by F. Z. Bishop on land he had purchased from the Driscoll Ranch. A businessman from Corpus Christi, Bishop dreamed of building a model town on the prairie. He planned, designed, and managed the construction of the townsite. He died in 1950 and was buried in Restland Memorial Park.

My final geocaching stop brought me to the Pedro Garza Zamaora Cemetery (GC23ZNM). There's only 140+ burials dating back to 1904. This row of statues stood out the most.

Well that's it for this days adventure. There's a lot of South Texas / Mexican history to be learned on this drive. We'll be discovering that over the next few months while I work on this new wind project. Until next time, happy caching!

2016-01-23: Strange Houses, Hiking Hills, History and Cemeteries

Today was a day for Geocaching fairly close to Lubbock. Getting a late start after breakfast, we headed east over to Ransom Canyon to grab a virtual cache (GCGPZH). High above overlooking the canyon is a very unique house. It kinda reminds me of a kids Viewfinder from the one side. You can't tell from the photos below, but the side facing the lake is just a giant glass window.

A couple of houses down and across the street is this Hobbit looking house.

As we continued to cache around the lake, hundreds, maybe thousands of ducks were flying by overhead. Not sure you are able to see them flying in formation on the device you are reading this one. Hopefully you can.

After Ransom Canyon, we headed south down US-84 a few miles to the town of Slaton. There we found our next Geocache at the Slaton Harvey House (GC1EKVV). From the historical sign: The city of Slaton has historic ties to the railroad. For decades the site was ranchland until the Santa Fe Railway sought a location for a division point to service trains. The Santa Fe bought the land in April 1911, naming the townsite for rancher and banker O. L. Slaton. Passenger and freight service became central to the economy, and the company built a passenger depot and Harvey House the following year. Scottish immigrant Fred Harvey created the Harvey House chain in 1876, partnering with the Santa Fe Railway, which built the restaurants and provided space on their trains for food and supplies. Harvey provided the equipment, management and hospitality staff, including the hostesses known as Harvey Girls.

The Slaton Harvey House served efficient but elegant meals to 42 passengers at a time around a horseshoe shaped counter on the first floor, which also housed the kitchen, bakery, gift shop and manager's office. The manager and his family and the Harvey Girls roomed on the second floor. The Slaton Harvey House, a commercial and social center, operated for 30 years, briefly reopening to serve troops during WWII. The building remained a passenger depot until 1969; the railroad later converted it to a freight depot and operations center before vacating the property in the 1980's. Slaton citizens coordinated the preservation and restoration of their landmark building.

From there we drove north on some backroads to stretch our legs and do some hiking. There were a couple of caches with a high terrain rating. Sounds like an adventure! We arrived at the first area (GC4C0MZ) and I drove around the curve past it and then back again trying to figure out the best parking and approach to the top of the hill. It was an exhilarating climb with a fantastic view! So peaceful and quiet with only the sound of the wind out there.

A couple miles away on the east side of Horseshoe Canyon was the next cache (GC1K5MW) and the next hike. Slightly easier than the first one, but still an amazing view and peaceful. Only one car had passed the whole time up and back.

On our way to the next couple of caches out in the middle of nowhere, we passed by a herd of deer grazing in a field.

Our last cache for today was located at Emma Cemetery south of the town of Ralls. Emma is on that short list of ghost towns that were once county seats. Business partners R. L. Stringfellow and H. E. Hume were store owners in the Crosby County seat of Estacado, when they bought a section of land in 1890. A post office was granted that year and the name submitted was Emma - after a woman who later married one of the partners. History doesn't seem to record if she became Mrs. Stringfellow or Mrs. Hume.

The central location made Emma a consideration for the county seat and since residents of Estacado were already drifting to the newer community, an election was held in the Fall of 1891. Emma squeaked through by a six-point margin (109-103). The residents of Estacado moved the courthouse and other prominent buildings to Emma and the town prospered for awhile. By 1910 there was a population of 800 and Emma had all essential businesses including a bank and newspaper.

Emma's future seemed bright up until it was bypassed by the railroad in 1910. The shoe was now on the other foot and Emma lost out to the new town of Crosbyton in an election held in September of 1910. This election was also close (198 to 120) and soon the former townspeople of Estacado and Emma were moving again - this time in an organized exodus that consisted of steam engines, mules and most of the male population. The former courthouse was dismantled and taken to Cedric and the next year the Emma post office moved to Ralls. Today only the historical marker is left.

History lesson is over. Now back to Geocaching. Cemetery caches are one some of our favorite caches to find. This one happens to be a virtual cache (GCHA69). Now since we've been Geocaching, we must have been to a hundred or more cemeteries. THIS is a first! Every headstone we've ever seen said "Died", "Death", or simply "D". Poor Tommie Horrell had the truth told about him. He was MURDERED on Jan 5, 1894 at the young age of 24.

While we ended the day with only ten caches, they were really good quality caches. Unusual houses, history, hiking, a cemetery... this is why we like this game! Where do we go to tomorrow? You'll just have to come back and see!