Near Farm to Market Road 864 at Ranch to Market Road 1674.
Peek in the windows of the building closest to you to see a barracks for one of the two regiments of black cavalry stationed at Fort McKavett. Enlisted men lived in close quarters, so everything they owned was stored on shelves above their beds. . . . — — Map (db m175882) HM
Near Farm to Market Road 864 at Ranch to Market Road 1674.
Lower-ranking commissioned officers and their families lived in the row of houses in front of you. Although preferable to the barracks of the enlisted men, officers still had to share each of these small homes with as many as 10 other people. . . . — — Map (db m175845) HM
Near Farm to Market Road 864 at Ranch to Market Road 1674.
Higher-ranking officers lived in the row of houses you see in front of you. Each home features four rooms: bedroom, parlor, dining room and kitchen/servant's quarters. Walk around each one and look in the windows to see the furnishings. . . . — — Map (db m175847) HM
On Ranch to Market Road 864, on the left when traveling north. Reported permanently removed.
Officer-of-the-day station and sentry post on north road to Fort Concho. Constructed 1852, by 8th Infantry; Fort McKavett provided protection for settlers from Indians. Guadalupe River cypress with native limestone. Recorded Texas Historic . . . — — Map (db m143942) HM
Near Farm to Market Road 864 at Ranch to Market Road 1674.
Many of the enlisted men in the 1870s were former Civil War soldiers, both black and white. Of the whites who enlisted, around half at any one time were foreign-born, mostly from Ireland, Germany and England. Black enlistees were both ex-slaves . . . — — Map (db m175880) HM
On Ellis Street (U.S. 83) at Canal Street on Ellis Street.
The Vaughn Agricultural and Mechanical Canal Company was chartered in 1874 by William J. Vaughn, President; William Tipton, Director; and James H. Comstock, Director and Secretary. Major H.M. Holmes was appointed attorney.
Irrigation for 2,000 . . . — — Map (db m29619) HM
On U.S. 190, 0.8 miles west of Frisco Avenue (Route 83).
Name used by Spaniards of Presidio de San Saba (in existence from 1757 to 1770) for this stream now called Celery Creek.
Stone to build Presidio was quarried from bluffs along the creek, and deep banks let hostile Indians approach undiscovered, . . . — — Map (db m239060) HM
On East San Saba Avenue at Bevans Street, on the right when traveling east on East San Saba Avenue.
Built of native stone for settlers then keeping money in merchants' safes or riding 60 robber-infested miles to do banking. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1964. — — Map (db m136242) HM
The final stone construction of the bastions (projecting fortifications) was similar to the presidio construction. The temporary adobe structure created immediately upon arrival was replaced later with stone. However, unlike the other presidio . . . — — Map (db m115922) HM
Near San Saba Avenue (Farm to Market Road 2092) at Gay Street, on the right when traveling east.
Fort McKavett C.S.A.
Located 21 miles west. Upon secession Confederate cavalry occupied this post to give protection against Indians. Early in 1862 this fort confined group of Union troops from surrendered U.S. forts who were seeking to . . . — — Map (db m115841) HM
Near Beavans Street at Canal Street, on the right when traveling south.
Religious, Cultural and Historical Marker to Remember the Founding of the Santa Cruz de San Saba Mission
This historic Catholic church, built in 1899, has been designated as a religious, cultural and historical monument to remember . . . — — Map (db m115730) HM
On Frisco Avenue (U.S. 83) north of U.S. 190, on the right when traveling south.
Seeking a rail line to speed marketing of their livestock, residents of this area in 1909 asked the Ft. Worth & Rio Grande Railroad, a branch of the Frisco System, to extend track from Brady (40 mi. NE) to Menardville. Ranchers donated right of way, . . . — — Map (db m29941) HM
On U.S. 83 at 8th Street, on the right when traveling south on U.S. 83.
Some seven million head of cattle & horses went up the Great Western Trail from 1874 to 1893 from Mexico through nine U.S. states into Canada with major years being 1874 to 1886. This trail lasted more years, carried more cattle, and was longer than . . . — — Map (db m90952) HM
On E. San Saba Street (Farm to Market Road 2092) east of Gay Street, on the right when traveling east.
Some seven million head of cattle & horses went up the Great Western Trail from 1874 to 1893 from Mexico through nine U.S. states into Canada with major years being 1874 to 1886. This trail lasted more years, carried more cattle, and was longer than . . . — — Map (db m115840) HM
On Presidio Road, on the left when traveling south.
A corral for cattle was just outside the west wall at this location.
Another corral for horses was located outside the south wall. — — Map (db m164016) HM
On E. San Saba Street (Farm to Market Road 2092) east of Gay Street, on the right when traveling east.
Menard County organized in 1871, and officials built the first courthouse in 1880 and a second in 1886. In 1930, in a close election, county residents approved a new jail and courthouse. Elmer G. Withers of the Fort Worth firm Withers and . . . — — Map (db m115838) HM
On E. San Saba Street (Farm to Market Road 2092) at Gay Street, on the right when traveling east on E. San Saba Street.
In Memory of Those Who Died
They held in their keeping the safety of the republic. They kept alight the lamp of liberty. Their record of service to God and Country helped to preserve the American way of life. They lived and died so . . . — — Map (db m115836) WM
On Presidio Road, on the left when traveling south.
It is believed that this bastion was filled with earth nearly to the top
to support cannons. The crenelated top is a 1937 interpretation. — — Map (db m164017) HM
On E. San Saba Street (Farm to Market Road 2092) east of Gay Street, on the right when traveling east.
Was a General in the United States Marine Corps and a highly decorated combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He is most noted for commanding the 1st Marine Division in Korea during the Inchon invasion and the Battle of the Chosin . . . — — Map (db m115839) HM
On Frisco Avenue (U.S. 83) near U.S. 190, on the right when traveling south.
Spot where in 1753 Juan Galvan, Spanish explorer, put up a huge cross, to show his choice of site for Mission San Saba. Indians gathered at the cross, remaining to participate in the first known Christian worship service in this area.
The . . . — — Map (db m29591) HM
Hourglass-shaped pass through the hills where McDougal Creek joins San Saba River. For years a favored Indian campground, it entered written history, 1732, as site of Spanish-Apache battle.
Saw passage of adventurers, mustang hunters, Indian . . . — — Map (db m72083) HM
On Ellis Street (U.S. 83) 1 mile north of 1st Street, on the right when traveling south.
Burial plot was begun by Adam Bradford, who buried his father, Jack Bradford, here in 1863. As the town and cemetery grew, the city bought the tract from Mrs. Gustav E. Schleicher in 1904.
Fence surrounding cemetery was built of stone from . . . — — Map (db m115860) HM
On Presidio Road, on the left when traveling south.
Each day the presidio was alive with activity, as women baked
bread, beans simmered and meat roasted. The yard echoed with
the noise of livestock, children, dogs and soldiers. — — Map (db m164018) HM
Near Frisco Avenue (U.S. 83) north of U.S. 190, on the left when traveling north.
Presidio de San Luis de las Amarillas was founded in April 1757 to protect the Mission Santa Cruz de San Sabá, established at the same time for the conversion of the Eastern Apaches. The Presidio (fort) and Mission were also intended to promote . . . — — Map (db m115710) HM
Near U.S. 190, 1.1 miles west of Frisco Avenue (U.S. 83).
In 1732 the governor of Spanish Texas named the nearby river “San Sabá,” perhaps after St. Sabbás, a sixth-century monk. In 1757, soldiers built the Presidio San Luis de las Amarillas out of wood. By 1764, stone replaced wood and the . . . — — Map (db m115919) HM
Near U.S. 190, 0.8 miles west of Frisco Avenue (U.S. 83).
Originally established on the San Gabriel River as the Presidio of San Francisco Xavier in 1751
Moved to the present site in 1757 as a protection to the Mission Santa Cruz de San Saba
Known as the Presidio de San Luis de Las Amarillas . . . — — Map (db m72032) HM
Today little of the original presidio remains standing; mostly lower wall sections and footings. The sides of the entrance gate and other large hand carved stones are also believed to be original elements. In 1937 the Texas Centennial Commission . . . — — Map (db m115921) HM
Near Beavans Street at Canal Street, on the right when traveling south.
Roman Catholic worship services were held in Menard as early as 1872, when J.J. Callan set aside this lot of land for the construction of a Catholic church building. Visiting priests held occasional services in various homes and in the . . . — — Map (db m115731) HM
On Railroad 864 at Ranch to Market Road 1674, on the right when traveling south on Railroad 864.
Established March 14, 1852 by the United States War Department as a protection to frontier settlers against hostile Indians. Named in honor of Captain Henry McKavett, who fell at the Battle of Monterey, September 21, 1846. Evacuated by federal . . . — — Map (db m29879) HM
On Farm to Market Road 2092, 3.1 miles east of U.S. 83, on the left when traveling east.
Founded among the Lipan Apache Indians by Franciscan Missionaries in 1757 through the financial aid of the Count of Regla. - Sacked and left in ruins by the Comanches in 1758. - - Here perished Padres Alonso Giraldo de Terreros and José . . . — — Map (db m72301) HM
On Canal Street east of Ellis Street (U.S. 83), on the left when traveling east.
The Lafora Map
August 12, 1767
Early in 1766 the Marques de Rubi was commissioned by the Viceroy of Spain to make inspection of all the frontier settlements from Lower California to the Louisiana border. Accompanied by an engineer, . . . — — Map (db m115727) HM
On Presidio Road, 0.2 miles south of U.S. 190, on the left when traveling south.
The Spanish Mission Strategy
Welcome to the site of the Presidio de San Sabá - the Fort of San Sabá, which was built in 1757
to protect Mission Santa Cruz de San Sabá located about four miles downstream. A century
before the founding . . . — — Map (db m164015) HM
Near U.S. 190, 1.1 miles west of Frisco Avenue (U.S. 83).
The main building within the presidio was located close to the round bastion in the northwest corner, near the main road. It contained a courtyard and seven large rooms, including the captain’s quarters (the only two-story structure), a guardhouse . . . — — Map (db m115920) HM
On Presidio Road, on the left when traveling south.
From ancient times, Native Americans left their footprints here on the banks of the San Saba River. They were predominantly Lipan Apaches, along with Comanches and other tribes. After early Spanish explorers came here, they sent reports back to . . . — — Map (db m164014) HM
On Frisco Avenue (U.S. 83) north of U.S. 190, on the right when traveling north.
Welcome to Menard, Texas
This scenic Central Texas town of 1,600 souls was established in 1858 along the banks of the San Saba River and has thrived modestly through the decades as a center of farming and ranching industry. It is . . . — — Map (db m115712) HM
On Canal Street at Beavans Street, on the left when traveling east on Canal Street.
(South Side)
Welcome to Menard, Texas
This scenic Central Texas town of 1,600 souls was established in 1858 along the banks of the San Saba River and has thrived modestly through the decades as a center of farming and . . . — — Map (db m115729) HM
