Our first history field trip for the year was near Houston. It actually is very close to Sealy. It is the first place that Stephen F. Austin brought the first 300 to help settle Texas. We had a good trip and it was worth the hour drive. The kids really enjoyed it. It is a new historical site and Nathan was excited to find that a Sugarland Scout troop had done an eagle project and built benches around some of the natural sites. The kids both took pictures – Nathan with his camera and Mandy with mine. 
A statue of Stephen F. Austin. It has been a long time since I have studied Texas history and it was interesting to learn about this chapter of history. The settlers were from Missouri and at the time, Missouri had been settled by Spain and so many of the Missourians were Anglo- American Spanish citizens. That is why the governor of Mexico allowed Moses Austin, Stephen’s father to come to Texas. They had already pledged loyalty to Spain.
Another Texas statue at the site. In the background is the small museum, which at one time had been a store.
One of the benches that was an eagle project for this historic site. Below is the tree that was there when the settlement was established and the cement box on the right bottom is a well that was dug during the settlements time.
The museum and the curator who told us about the site. 
Coins of the time period.
The flags that have hung over Texas. There are five, can you name them?
Stephen F. Austin’s cabin. It is interesting, how people lived in such a small place and think of how large our homes are now.
We had a good time and learned that the reason that the settlement or any remains of the settlement (both houses were moved from different spots) was that Samuel Houston ordered the burning of the city as Santa Anna’s troop marched through so that there would be no supplies for the Mexican army. It must of been hard to burn your home after working so hard to build it.
We next went to a park – Stephen F. Austin Park and had lunch. There were a set of trees (I don’t know what kind) that wove themselves around each other. It was rather bizarre and we tried to take pictures but I don’t know how effective the pictures will be at displaying what we saw.
Having lunch. 
See the darker branches?
It was a good first field trip.
No comments:
Post a Comment