Santa Anna in Coleman County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Santa Anna, C.S.A.
Comanches used Santa Anna peaks as signal points. Early surveyors, travelers, explorers and settlers took them as guide points. In 1857, nearby United States Cavalry at Camp Colorado kept lookouts here.
In the Civil War, 1861-65, Frontier Rangers camped at foot of mountain with sentries on height watching at the pass the military road from San Antonio northeastward to Fort Belknap, a strategic outpost guarding Texas from invasion by Indians and Federal troops. During the 1870’s, thousands of longhorns went through the gap, over the Western Cattle Trail.
In 1879, “The Gap” had a store and post office to supply the cattle drives. When Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe built here in 1886, settlers moved from the gap to the railroad, starting the present town.
Quarries in the mountain yield fine sands for the manufacturing of glass.
Erected 1965 by State Historical Survey Committee. (Marker Number 4573.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • Settlements & Settlers • War, US Civil • Wars, US Indian. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #11 James K. Polk series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1846.
Location. 31° 44.532′ N, 99° 19.431′ W. Marker is in Santa Anna, Texas, in Coleman County. Marker can be reached from Wallis Avenue (U.S. 84) west of 2nd Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 709 Wallis Ave, Santa Anna TX 76878, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Santa Anna Veterans Memorial (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); First Christian Church of Santa Anna (approx. ¼ mile away); Stonemason T.T. Perry (approx. 0.3 miles away); Thomas T. Perry (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Turner House (approx. 0.4 miles away); Santa Anna Cemetery (approx. 0.8 miles away); Emma Daugherty Banister (approx. 0.8 miles away); John R. Banister (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Santa Anna.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 2, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 9, 2016, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 672 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 9, 2016, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.