Goliad (GOH-lee-ad) is a city in Goliad County, Texas, United States. Goliad, Texas is about two hours’ drive from Austin, San Antonio, and Houston, Texas, at the intersection of Highways 59 and 183. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Goliad has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 square kilometers), of which 0.004 square miles (0.01 square kilometers) or 0.28% is water. In 1836, when the county was formed, the city of Goliad moved to its current location, and Goliad was named the county’s seat of government. It’s also the home of the Aranama RV Park.
Before the Spanish established a mission and fort in 1749, Indians lived at the Goliad site. Native Americans, Spanish explorers and missionaries, Texan soldiers and early settlers walk through what is now Goliad State Park and historic sites in southeastern Texas. .Visit all the history of downtown Goliad Ruins, to learn more about Texas settlements. After two visits, Goliad has become one of our favorite Texas state parks.
If you watch our Goliad State Park video blog, we’ll explain why we’ve decided to split Goliad’s historic sites into two parks. Goliad State Park is located near the city of Goliad.
You can walk the 2.5-mile trail from the Goliad Angel Statue, through Goliad State Park, and into the city of Goliad. The Goliad Angel Trail runs north from the Goliad Angel Statue south of the park to the center of Goliad. If you take your kayak or canoe with you, the Goliad rowing route is 17.6 miles long.
There is a small area with a small floating jetty where you can fish or get out of your kayak/canoe. You can enter the San Antonio River at two different locations upstream and exit at the floating dock in the park.
For birdwatchers, the park is located along the Texas Coast Birdwatching Trail, watersports enthusiasts can canoe or kayak on the San Antonio River, and there is a small fishing area on the banks of the San Antonio River Park. Forgot your fishing tackle? No problems! Goliad State Park participates in the Tackle Loaner Program. There are tent sites, RV sites or you can rent one of the park’s shelters. In terms of camping, Goliad State Park has 20 fully equipped RV sites (30 and 50 amp). They also have 5 shielded awnings, 24 campsites with water and electricity, another 14 water-only tent sites, and a communal canteen.
Zaragoza’s birthplace is in Goliad, Texas, about a mile south of Goliad State Park. A few steps south along the Path of the Angel of Goliad, you’ll learn the story of Ignacio Seguin Zaragoza, hero of the Battle of Puebla, at the Ignacio Seguin Zaragoza Birthplace State Historic Site. General Ignacio Zaragoza was a Mexican general and hero of the Battle of Puebla-Puebla in Mexico.
The famous Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza was born in Goliad (GOH-lee-ad) in 1829. Texas shooter King Fisher lived in Goliad for a time before moving to Eagle Pass in Maverick County, Texas.
On October 9, 1835, in the early days of the Texas Revolution, a group of Anglo-American immigrants attacked the presidium of La Bahia at the Battle of Goliad (GOH-lee-ad). On Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836, during what was later called the Goliad massacre, 303 people were led out of the presidium of La Bahia for execution, and 39 were executed inside the garrison (20 prisoners were spared because doctors or doctors’ assistants ); 342 people were killed, 28 fled.
The Presidium of La Bahia saw both the Battle of Goliad in 1835 and the Massacre at Goliad in 1836. The 1902 Goliad tornado is considered the deadliest tornado in Texas history and the 10th deadliest tornado in the United States. The small villa was called La Bahia. The first major cattle ranch in Texas is said to have started at Mission Espiritu Santo.
This building served as a missionary church until it was given parish status in 1913. Like many other historical sites we visited in Goliad, this building is not original.
Built and consecrated in 1854, this limestone structure houses Goliad Lodge No. A few steps from the Presidio La Bahia, there is a statue dedicated to the Angel of Goliad and a monument to the People of the Fannins. Opposite US 183, the fort’s ancient stone walls form a defensive bulwark against drivers heading north to Austin or south to Goliad.
Later, Mission Rosario was to become the Goliad State Park rangers’ cottage. It served as a construction office during the construction of Goliad State Park, and the architect who designed it lived here for some time.
In 1749, the Spanish government moved the mission of Espiritu Santo and its royal protector, Presidio La Bahia, to the site of the small Indian village of Aranama. The Espiritu Santo Santo Mission possessed the largest longhorn herd in Texas, at times numbering over 40,000 head.
In 1829, the name of the Presidency of La Bahia was changed to “Goliad,” which is considered an anagram of Hidalgo’s name (without the initial silent “H”), in honor of patriotic priest Miguel Hidalgo, father of the Mexican Revolutionary War . . Goliad County is known as “The Birthplace of Texas Ranch” and includes the communities of Goliad, Whizatche, Under, Kilgore, Schroeder, Weser, Charco, Burair, Sarko, Riverdale, and Fannin.