History Will Continue to Be Made in 2013
by Joy Graham
Rockdale Reporter - 2012-12-27
As we end 2012 and begin 2013 we take time to reflect the past eight years of National
Historic Trail work in the county and state.
President George W. Bush signed El Camino Real de los Tejas National Trail into
legislation on Oct. 18, 2004. National Parks Service developed the Comprehensive
Management Plan.
The plan was approved in 2011 and in 2012 the Texas State Trail Board of Directors
worked to get legislation approved in Texas to develop a sign plan for Texas This has
taken eight years. The upper and lower sections of the 1691 trail running west to east
were mapped out by the National Parks Service in their New Mexico Office.
A contract was developed between NPS, TXDOT, THC and Milam County Historical
Commission’s Certified Local Government Committee.
Commissioners: Jeff Muegge and Kenneth Hollas met with members of Milam County CLG
Committee to identify and order the National Parks Signs.
Commissioners Muegge and Hollas will install the county road signs at the appropriate
locations on Milam County right of way Bryan Division, Cameron Location of TXDOT will
install the signs on state highway and farm market rights of ways.
Milam County CLG Committee trail work will continue into 2013 addressing issues to
update Milam County CLG Survey by locating and documenting two Rancheria Grandes or
villages where multiple tribes settled together here in the county., one of which was
visited at least as early as 1721 by the Aguayo Expedition. Six sites of High
Significance in the county are: Apache Pass-San Gabriel river crossing, Mission Nuestra
Senora de la Candelaria, Mission San Francisco Xavier, Mission San Ildefonso, Presidio
San Francisco Xavier and (6) Sugarloaf Mountain. Archeological work was performed on
the Presidio and Sugarloaf Mountain from 2007 to 2009 by Dr. Gilmore, THC Archeology
Division, and Milam CLG Committee.
In 2013, Milam CLG Committee will document and record Sugarloaf Mountain, Presidio San
Xavier and two Rancheria Grandes with the National Trust. That document information
will be published as Volume III of Milam County CLG Survey.
If you are interested in this type work and want to volunteer in 2013: call Joy Graham
512- 446-5563.
maryjoygraham@yahoo.com
.
Milam County Historical Commission
Milam County, Texas
Milam County, Texas
"Milam History"
by Mary Joy Graham
All credit for these articles goes to Joy Graham
and any references mentioned in the articles.
Published in the Rockdale Reporter