Goliad ( ) is a city in
Goliad County,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
, United States. It is known for the 1836
Goliad massacre during the
Texas Revolution. It had a population of 1,620 at the
2020 census. Founded on the
San Antonio River
The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in midtown San Antonio, about 4 miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the ...
, it is the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of Goliad County.
It is part of the
Victoria, Texas
Victoria is a small city in South Texas and county seat of Victoria County, Texas. The population was 65,534 as of the 2020 census. The three counties of the Victoria Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 111,163 as of the 2000 censu ...
,
Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...
.
History
Spain
In 1747, the Spanish government sent
José de Escandón to inspect the northern frontier of its North American colonies, including
Spanish Texas
Spanish Texas was one of the interior provinces of the colonial Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1690 until 1821. The term "interior provinces" first appeared in 1712, as an expression meaning "far away" provinces. It was only in 1776 that a lega ...
. In his final report, Escandón recommended the
Presidio La Bahía
The Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía, known more commonly as Presidio La Bahía, or simply La Bahía is a fort constructed by the Spanish Army that became the nucleus of the modern-day city of Goliad, Texas, United States. The curre ...
be moved from its
Guadalupe River location to the banks of the San Antonio River, so it could better assist settlements along the
Rio Grande.
[Roell (1994), p. 13] Both the ''presidio'' and the mission which it protected,
Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga
Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga, also known as Aranama Mission or Mission La Bahía, was a Roman Catholic mission established by Spain in 1722 in the Viceroyality of New Spain—to convert native Karankawa Indians to Chris ...
, moved to their new location sometime around October 1749. Escandón proposed that 25 Mexican families be relocated near the ''presidio'' to form a civilian settlement, but he was unable to find enough willing settlers.
[Roell (1994), p. 14]
With the conclusion of the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (175 ...
in 1763, France ceded
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
and its Texas claims to Spain. With France no longer a threat to the Crown's North American interests, the Spanish monarchy commissioned the Marquis de Rubi to inspect all of the ''presidios'' on the northern frontier of
New Spain and make recommendations for the future.
[Chipman (1992), p. 173] Rubi recommended that several presidios be closed, but that La Bahia be kept and rebuilt in stone. La Bahia was soon "the only Spanish fortress for the entire
Gulf Coast
The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coast, coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The list of U.S. states and territories by coastline, coastal states that have a shor ...
from the mouth of the Rio Grande to the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...
".
[Roell (1994), p. 15] The presidio was at the crossroads of several major trade and military routes. It quickly became one of the three most important areas in Texas, alongside
Béxar and
Nacogdoches
Nacogdoches ( ) is a small city in East Texas and the county seat of Nacogdoches County, Texas, United States. The 2020 U.S. census recorded the city's population at 32,147. Nacogdoches is a sister city of the smaller, similarly named Natchitoch ...
.
[ A civil settlement, then known as ''La Bahia'', soon developed near the presidio. By 1804, the settlement had one of only two schools in Texas.][Roell (1994), p. 19]
In early August 1812, during the Mexican War of Independence
The Mexican War of Independence ( es, Guerra de Independencia de México, links=no, 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821) was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico's independence from Spain. It was not a single, co ...
, Mexican revolutionary Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara and his recruits, called the Republican Army of the North
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
, invaded Texas. In November the invaders captured Presidio La Bahia. For the next four months, Texas governor
The governor of Texas heads the state government of Texas. The governor is the leader of the executive and legislative branch of the state government and is the commander in chief of the Texas Military. The current governor is Greg Abbott, who ...
Manuel María de Salcedo
Manuel María de Salcedo y Quiroga, (1776 in Málaga, Spain – executed, April 3, 1813), was a governor of Spanish Texas from 1808 until his execution in 1813. Salcedo gained leadership experience helping his father Juan Manuel de Salcedo, ...
laid siege to the fort.[Roell (1994), p. 20] Unable to win a decisive victory, Salcedo lifted the siege on February 19, 1813, and turned toward San Antonio de Bexar. The rebels controlled the presidio until July or August 1813, when José Joaquín de Arredondo
José Joaquín de Arredondo y Mioño (also known as Jose Arredondo y Miono Pelegrin y Oceja) (1768–1837) was a 19th-century Spanish and Mexican soldier who served during the last two decades of Spanish rule in New Spain. He was military comman ...
led royalist troops in retaking all of Texas.[Roell (1994), p. 21] Henry Perry, a member of the Republican Army of the North, led forces back to Texas in 1817 and attempted to recapture La Bahia. The Spanish reinforced the ''presidio'' with soldiers from San Antonio, and defeated Perry's forces on June 18 near Coleto Creek.[Roell (1994), p. 21]
The area was invaded again in 1821. The United States and Spain had signed the Adams–Onís Treaty in 1819, which ceded all US territorial claims on the Texas area to Spain. On October 4, the Long Expedition
The Long Expedition was an 1819 attempt to take control of Spanish Texas by filibusters. It was led by James Long and successfully established a small independent government, known as the ''Republic of Texas'' (distinct from the later Repub ...
(with 52 members) captured La Bahia. Four days later, Colonel Ignacio Pérez arrived with troops from Bexar, and Long
Long may refer to:
Measurement
* Long, characteristic of something of great duration
* Long, characteristic of something of great length
* Longitude (abbreviation: long.), a geographic coordinate
* Longa (music), note value in early music mens ...
surrendered.[Roell (1994), p. 23] By the end of 1821, Mexico had achieved its independence from Spain, and Texas became part of the newly created country.
Mexico
In 1829, the name of the Mexican Texas
Mexican Texas is the historiographical name used to refer to the era of Texan history between 1821 and 1836, when it was part of Mexico. Mexico gained independence in 1821 after winning its war against Spain, which began in 1810. Initially ...
village of La Bahía was changed to "Goliad", believed to be an anagram of ''Hidalgo'' (omitting the silent initial "H"), in honor of the patriot priest Miguel Hidalgo
Don Miguel Gregorio Antonio Ignacio Hidalgo y Costilla y Gallaga Mandarte Villaseñor (8 May 1753 – 30 July 1811), more commonly known as Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla or Miguel Hidalgo (), was a Catholic priest, leader of the Mexican ...
, the father of the Mexican War of Independence
The Mexican War of Independence ( es, Guerra de Independencia de México, links=no, 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821) was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico's independence from Spain. It was not a single, co ...
.
On October 9, 1835, in the early days of the Texas Revolution, a group of Anglo-American immigrants attacked the ''presidio'' in the Battle of Goliad
The Battle of Goliad was the second skirmish of the Texas Revolution. In the early-morning hours of October 9, 1835, Texas settlers attacked the Mexican Army soldiers garrisoned at Presidio La Bahía, a fort near the Mexican Texas settlem ...
. The Mexican garrison quickly surrendered, leaving the Anglo-Americans in control of the fort. The first declaration of independence
A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of th ...
of the Republic of Texas was signed here on December 20, 1835. Anglo-Americans held the area until March 1836, when their garrison under Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
James Fannin
James Walker Fannin Jr. (1804 or 1805 – March 27, 1836) was an American military figure and slave trader in the Texas Army and leader during the Texas Revolution (1835-1836) against Mexico. After being outnumbered and surrendering to Mexi ...
was defeated at the nearby Battle of Coleto
The Battle of Coleto, also known as the Battle of Coleto Creek, the Battle of the Prairie, and the Batalla del Encinal del Perdido, was fought on March 19–20, 1836, during the Goliad campaign of the Texas Revolution. In February, General Jos ...
. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular mal ...
, then President of Mexico, ordered that all survivors were to be executed. On Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in each of the four canonical Gospels. Palm Sunday marks the first day of Hol ...
, March 27, 1836, in what was later called the Goliad Massacre, 303 were marched out of the fort to be executed, and 39 were executed inside the ''presidio ''(20 prisoners were spared because they were either physicians or medical attendants); 342 men were killed and 28 escaped.[Hardin (1994), p. 174]
The famous Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza
Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín (; March 24, 1829September 8, 1862) was a Mexican general and politician. He led the Mexican army of 600 men that defeated 6,500 invading French forces, including the elite French legionnaires at the Battle of Puebla ...
was born in Goliad in 1829. He commanded the forces resisting the French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed Force ...
in the Battle of Puebla
The Battle of Puebla ( es, Batalla de Puebla; french: Bataille de Puebla) took place on 5 May, Cinco de Mayo, 1862, near Puebla de Zaragoza during the Second French intervention in Mexico. French troops under the command of Charles de Lorencez ...
, now celebrated as ''Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo ( in Mexico, Spanish for "Fifth of May") is a yearly celebration held on May 5, which commemorates the anniversary of Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, led by General Ignacio Zaragoz ...
'' on May 5, 1862.
The Texas gunfighter King Fisher
John King Fisher (October 1853 – March 11, 1884) was a gunslinger from the U.S. state of Texas during the heyday of the American Old West.
Early life and education
Fisher was born during October 1853 in Collin County, north of Dallas, Tex ...
lived for a time in Goliad before moving to Eagle Pass in Maverick County, Texas
Maverick County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 57,887. Its county seat is Eagle Pass. The county was created in 1856 and organized in 1871. It is named for Samuel Maverick, cattleman ...
.
1902 tornado
The 1902 Goliad tornado devastated the town, killing 114 people, including Sheriff Robert Shaw, and injuring at least 225. It is tied for the deadliest tornado in Texas history and the 10th-deadliest in the United States. Dr. Louis Warren Chilton, a young doctor whose wife was injured and whose daughter was lifted in the tornado funnel but survived, set up a temporary hospital and morgue in the courthouse. The Dr. L.W. and Martha E.S. Chilton House was built starting in June and included an underground shelter.[ (accessible by searching withi]
National Archives Catalog
)
Geography
Goliad is located near the center of Goliad County at (28.669, –97.392). U.S. Route 59 passes through the center of town as Pearl Street, leading northeast to Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
and southwest to Beeville. U.S. Route 183 (Jefferson Street) crosses US 59 northeast of the original center of town; US 183 leads north to Cuero and south to Refugio. Goliad is southeast of San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, subdivision_t ...
and north of Corpus Christi.
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the city has a total area of , of which , or 0.28%, are water. The San Antonio River
The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in midtown San Antonio, about 4 miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the ...
flows from west to east along the southern border of the city; it is a tributary of the Guadalupe River, joining it just before their mouth at San Antonio Bay
San Antonio Bay is a bay on the Texas Gulf Coast situated between Matagorda and Aransas Bay. It consists mainly of the combined waters of the San Antonio and Guadalupe rivers, and is located at the mouth of the Guadalupe River, about 55 miles ...
.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 1,620 people, 713 households, and 420 families residing in the city.
2000 census
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2000, 1,975 people, 749 households, and 518 families resided in the city. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was 1,294.3 people per square mile (498.4/km). There were 877 housing units at an average density of 574.7 per square mile (221.3/km). The racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the city was 75.44% White, 6.08% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 14.99% from other races, and 2.53% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 49.72% of the population.
Of the 749 households, 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were not families. About 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city, the population was distributed as 26.3% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,200, and for a family was $33,438. Males had a median income of $28,889 versus $20,167 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $13,997. About 19.7% of families and 23.1% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 31.5% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The Goliad Independent School Districtbr>
serves Goliad.
Attractions
* The Texas Mile
The Texas Mile is a land speed auto racing event in Beeville, Texas, at the Chase Field Industrial Complex. Participants, amateur and professional alike, from across the globe test their fastest standing 1-mile speeds in a wide range of vehicles. ...
, a weekend motorsports racing festival, used to be held at the Goliad Airport near Berclair, TX. After the US Navy reclaimed the airport as a training field, the festival has been held at an airport in Beeville, Texas.
* Goliad Market Day (held on the second Saturday of every month) is an event where produce, arts and crafts, and other retail items are sold.
* Schroeder Hall is one of Texas most legendary dance halls where legends like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Ray Price and many others often performed. The hall is still presenting some of the biggest names in country music today as it has for generations.
* Goliad Brewing Company Beer Garden Open to the public Friday 5pm–9pm and Saturday from 12–7pm
Notable people
* Bum Phillips
Oail Andrew "Bum" Phillips Jr. (September 29, 1923 – October 18, 2013) was an American football coach at the high school, college and professional levels. He served as head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for the Houston Oilers fro ...
* Ignacio Zaragoza
Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín (; March 24, 1829September 8, 1862) was a Mexican general and politician. He led the Mexican army of 600 men that defeated 6,500 invading French forces, including the elite French legionnaires at the Battle of Puebla ...
* Dalhart Windberg
Dalhart Windberg (born 1933 in Goliad County, Texas) is an American painter known for his use of light, color, and shadow in still life and landscape paintings.
Windberg was named for a popular entertainer of the day, Vernon Dalhart. He was in ...
Gallery
Image: Presidio 1 (1 of 1).jpg , Presidio Nuestra Señora De Loreto De La Bahia
Image: Goliad Church 4 (1 of 1).jpg , Nuestra Senora del Espiritu Santo de Zuniga Site
Image: Downtown Goliad7 (1 of 1).jpg , Downtown Goliad, Texas
Image: Downtown Goliad9 (1 of 1).jpg , Masonic Lodge building in downtown
Image: Downtown Goliad8 (1 of 1).jpg , Goliad County Courthouse
Image: Downtown Goliad2 (1 of 1).jpg , Downtown Goliad, Texas
Image: Downtown Goliad 10 (1 of 1).jpg , Goliad County Library
Image: Downtown Goliad 5 (1 of 1).jpg , Downtown Goliad, Texas
Image: Downtown Goliad 8 (1 of 1).jpg , Von Dohlen Building
Image: Bergmann House (1 of 1).jpg , Bergmann Building
Image:Fannin Monument Goliad Wiki (1 of 1).jpg, Goliad Massacre Monument
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Goliad has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
See also
* List of geographic names derived from anagrams and ananyms
These are geographic anagrams and anadromes. Anagrams are rearrangements of the letters of another name or word. Anadrome
An anadrome is a word whose spelling is derived by reversing the spelling of another word. It is therefore a special type ...
References
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
City of Goliad official website
'' Handbook of Texas'' Online article
The Texas Mile
{{Authority control
Cities in Texas
Cities in Goliad County, Texas
County seats in Texas
Victoria, Texas metropolitan area
Populated places established in 1749
1749 establishments in the Spanish Empire