Photograph of engraved writing near the base of the San Jacinto Monument in La Porte, Texas. It reads: "The early policies of Mexico toward her Texas colonists had been extremely liberal. Large grants of land were made to them, and no taxes or duties imposed. The relationship between the Anglo-Americans and Mexicans was cordial. But, following a series of revolutions begun in 1829, unscrupulous rulers successively seized power in Mexico."

Photograph of a frieze of the San Jacinto Monument. Two men on the far left advance to the right, above the words "Houston and Deaf Smith." Carved into the middle section of the frieze are many men with guns. A drummer and piper stand to the left, a man rides a horse in the middle, and two men roll a cannon forward on the right. The words "San Jacinto Advance" are engraved under the frieze. On the far right side, above the words "Lamar's School System," several children sit at desks in front of a woman who stands next to a tall man.

Plaque for the time capsule that was buried for San Jacinto Day in 1960.

Photograph of an engraved frieze on the San Jacinto Monument in La Porte. It reads: "Measured by its results, San Jacinto was one of the decisive battles of the world. The freedom of Texas from Mexico won here led to annexation and to the Mexican War, resulting in the acquistion by the United States of the states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah and parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas and Oklahoma, almost one-third of the present area of the American nation, nearly a million square miles of territory, changed sovereignty."

Photograph of an engraved frieze on the San Jacinto Monument in La Porte, Texas. It says: "Citizens of Texas and immigrant soldiers in the army of Texas at San Jacinto were natives of Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Austria, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Portugal and Scotland."

Photograph of writing on side of the San Jacinto Monument in La Porte, Texas. It had decorative stonework above. Text: Texas declared her independence at Washington-on-the-Brazos March 2. For nearly two months her armies met disaster and defeat: Dr. James Grant's men were killed on the Agua Dulce March 2; William Barret Travis and his men sacrificed their lives at the Alamo, March 6; William Ward was defeated at Refugio, March 14; Amon B. King's men were executed near Refugio, March 16; and James Walker Fannin and his army were put to death near Goliad March 27, 1836.

Photograph of engraved text at the base of the San Jacinto Monument in La Porte, Texas. There is a family walking next to the monument. Text: The first shot of the revolution of 1835-36 was fired by the Texans at Gonzales, October 2, 1835, in resistance to a demand by the Mexican soldiers for a small cannon held by the colonists. The Mexican garrison at Goliad fell October 9; the Battle of Concepción was won by the Texans October 28. San Antonio was captured December 10, 1835 after five days of fighting in which the indomitable Benjamin R. Milam died a hero, and the Mexican army evacuated Texas.

Photograph of an engraved frieze on the San Jacinto Monument in La Porte. It reads: "With the battle cry, "Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!" the Texans charged. The enemy, taken by surprise, rallied for a few minutes then fled in disorder. The Texans had asked no quarter and gave none, the slaughter was appalling, victory complete, and Texas free! On the following day General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, self-styled "Napoleon of the West," received from a generous foe the mercy he had denied Travis at the Alamo and Fannin at Goliad."

Photograph of the San Jacinto Monument in La Porte, Texas, taken near the base looking up at the top of the monument. At the bottom of the image, a part of the frieze is visible; it depicts several men going to battle including two with a cannon, two carrying rifles, a cavalryman with a saber, a flag-bearer, and two musicians playing a flute and drum. The scene is labeled "San Jacinto Advance." Other parts of the frieze are visible on the other faces of the monument: to the left, two men with the label "Houston and Deaf Smith;" to the right, a man and woman standing in front of children seated at desks with the label "Lamar's School System."

Photograph of the San Jacinto Monument featuring a frieze, "Coming of the Pioneers." Two couples, and a man, and a horse stand in front of a wagon. All three men hold rifles. To the left, there is another frieze, showing a man with a rifle facing a woman holding a piece of paper in her hands.

Photograph of an engraved frieze on the San Jacinto Monument in La Porte. It reads: "On this field on April 21, 1836 the army of Texas commanded by General Sam Houston, and accompanied by the Secretary of War, Thomas J. Rusk, attacked the larger invading army of Mexicans under General Santa Anna. The battle line from left to right was formed by Sidney Sherman's regiment, Edward Burleson's regiment, the artillery commanded by George W. Hockley, Henry Millard's infantry and the cavalry under Mirabeau B. Lamar. Sam Houston led the infantry charge."

Photograph of a portion of the frieze on the San Jacinto Monument in La Porte, Texas. The visible corner is labeled "Lamar's School System" and shows three children lined up in front of a woman holding an open book and a man standing in the background. Portions of other images are also visible.

Photograph of the San Jacinto Monument in La Porte, Texas. Most of the monument is visible, including the frieze near the base and the top of the column.

Photograph of an engraved frieze on the San Jacinto Monument in La Porte, Texas. It says: "In June, 1832, the colonists forced the Mexican authorities at Anahuac to release Wm. B. Travis and other from unjust imprisonment, the battle of Velasco, June 26, and the Battle of Nacogdoches, August 2, followed; in both the Texans were victorious. Stephen Fuller Austin, "Father of Texas," was arrested January 3, 1834, and held in Mexico without trial until July, 1835. The Texans formed an army, and on November 12, 1835, established a provisional government."

Palo Pinto County Courthouse, built 1940 has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.

Photograph of a historic marker in Palo Pinto, Texas. It reads: "Jonathan Hamilton Baker (July 13, 1832 - October 18, 1918). Virginia native Jonathan Hamilton "Ham" Baker came to Texas in 1858 with his brother G. W. Baker and his uncle Eli Young. Stricken by malaria while a teacher in Fort Worth, he later moved to Palo Pinto County where his uncle Frank Baker was homesteading. Here he opened a school in Palo Pinto, and soon after helped establish the town's first Methodist Church. In 1859 Baker was chosen to lead a company of local men organized to defend the area against Indian attacks. He first served under Capt. J. R. Baylor and later participated with Capt. Lawrence Sullivan Ross in the recovery of Cynthia Ann Parker, the white woman seized by Comanches in 1836. During the Civil War he served as leader of the home guard. Baker was also an open range cattleman, and in 1869 he began driving his herds to Kansas railheads. Active in local government, he served as Deputy Sheriff, Justice of the Peace, Deputy Postmaster and Clerk of the County and District. In 1890 he moved to Granbury, where he became a successful nurseryman. For …

Pioneer Memorial, Palo Pinto County, back side with map

Dedicated to the honor and memory of the Pioneers and Settlers of Palo Pinto County, unveiled 1957. 1857 -1957 Centennial.

Photograph of a brown stone building in Palo Pinto, Texas (at 5th and Oak). A road is visible in the foreground, and there is a red truck to the left.

Real Estate Office in Palo Pinto on the corner of Oak and S. 5th Ave., on the courthouse square.

Street scene in Palo Pinto near the courthouse square.

Palo Pinto Fire Department sign

Dedicated to the men and women of Palo Pinto County who have served in all our wars with honor and sacrifice.

Texas Theatre in San Angelo