This Road Trip Takes You To The Most Fascinating Historical Sites In All Of Texas
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Katie Lawrence
Author
Many of us slept our way through history class in grade school, but this living lesson is guaranteed to captivate all who embark on it. Texas has an incredibly rich past characterized by gruesome battles and groundbreaking discoveries that shaped not only the development of our state but our nation as a whole, and this road trip leads to ten iconic sites everyone who lives in the Lone Star State should visit at least once.
As always, the Google Map with exact directions + addresses can be found here.
Built in 1747, this Spanish fort played a key role in the Texas Revolution, specifically the Battle of Goliad and Goliad Massacre. It became a National Landmark in 1967 and has since served as a public museum and subject of archaeological research. You'll find Presidio La Bahia at 217 US-183, Goliad, TX 77963.
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Dating back to the 1700s, four of San Antonio's five historic missions are conveniently located within walking distance of one another. Connected by an eight-mile scenic trail, visitors can explore the places where priests and local Native Americans lived + worked nearly three centuries ago. The park is located at 6701 San Jose Dr, San Antonio, TX 78214.
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The fifth and most notable mission, this Texas icon is where one of our state's bloodiest battles took place. As tourists, we often forget about the gory pasts of such beautiful buildings, but paying homage to the soldiers who fought and died for our freedom is our duty as Americans. Show your respect at 300 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205.
No matter how you feel about Austin, visiting our state capitol at least once is a must. Considering how it's even larger than the nation's capitol, this symbol of Texas is a perfect example of how everything really is bigger here. See for yourself at 1100 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701.
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A thoroughfare for over four million heads of livestock between 1866 and 1890, the Stockyards are still home to the world's only twice-daily cattle drive. Dance at the largest honkey-tonk on earth, stay where Bonnie & Clyde once did, and witness hundreds of beautiful longhorns parading down the street. You'll find the district at 2501 Rodeo Plaza, Fort Worth, TX 76164.
Located on the sixth floor of the Dallas County Administration Building, this chilling museum was constructed in the exact spot where Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. Learn about the life, death, and legacy of the President as well as information surrounding the assassination at 411 Elm St, Dallas, TX 75202.
Of course we had to include the oldest town in Texas! Incorporated in 1837, Nacogdoches has an incredibly rich history evident all across the city. From a charming village to an old-fashioned general store, everything about this little city is nostalgia at its very finest.
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Known as "Where Texas Became Texas," this historic site is where delegates met on March 2, 1836 make a formal declaration of independence from Mexico. Located at 23400 Park Rd 12, Washington, TX 77880, it's a must-visit for tourists and natives alike who want to learn more about our great state!
Proudly serving in both World Wars, Battleship Texas (or USS Texas) was decommissioned in 1948 after 34 years of service. She was the first battleship to become a permanent museum and US National Historic Landmark, and is the only remaining World War I-era dreadnought battleship. You'll find her at 3523 Independence Pkwy, La Porte, TX 77571.
Spindletop was an integral player in the development of not only Texas, but our entire nation. The incredible gusher discovered in 1901 filled approximately 100,000 barrels a day and forever altered the industry. The museum (with a working gusher replica!) is located at 5550 Jimmy Simmons Blvd, Beaumont, TX 77705.
Who are you bringing on this road trip? How many of these sites have you visited so far?
For more Texas history, check out These 11 Amazing Texas Restaurants Are Loaded With Local History
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