The Texas Tradition of Cattle Ranching Began in Tejas

Cattle ranching is not only part of the Texas economy, but also parts of its culture and history.

A Trail Through Texas History: El Camino Real de los Tejas

El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail was designated as part of the National Trails System by the U.S. Congress in 2004, but its story started far earlier, as a series of routes laid by Indigenous Texans and later followed by Spanish colonists, French explorers, Anglo-American settlers, and enslaved people seeking freedom.

Picture of a man using a HAM radio

Going Ham at Mission Dolores

Parks on the Air (POTA) operators explore Historic Sites with their HAM Radios.

Historic Road Trip: Nacogdoches and San Augustine

Known as the “Oldest Town in Texas,” Nacogdoches takes immense pride in its history. In fact, the entire downtown is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Nacogdoches honors its heritage through a statue of the city’s founder, Gil Y’Barbo, and numerous historical museums, each conserving a different part of the town’s 241-year legacy. In reality, its settlement is much older—Caddo Indians arrived in this area 10,000 years prior to the city’s establishment.

Picture of a longhorn

The Texas Tradition of Cattle Ranching Began in Tejas

Learn about the 300 year history of cattle ranching in Texas.

Picture of a priest

Man on a Mission

Stephen F. Austin will be forever remembered in history as the “Father of Texas” for his role in founding the Republic of Texas. Over 100 years before Austin ushered Anglo immigrants into Texas, however, a “father” in a different sense of the word led another group of settlers into the area—Father Antonio Margil de Jesús.