Menard County Texas

Historical Markers

Bank of Menard

Marker Title: Bank of Menard, 1903
Address: Bevans & San Saba St.
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1964
Designations: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Marker Location: at the corner of Bevans and San Saba Sts., Menard
Marker Text: 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. (source: Texas Historical Commission) See Picture

The Ditch

Marker Title: The Ditch
Address: US 83 at Canal St.
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1972
Designations: na
Marker Location: on US 83 at Canal Street in Menard
Marker Text: 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 acres of valley land and power for grist mills are furnished by gravity flow from San Saba River. Use of "The Ditch," running from 5 miles above town to 5 below, began in 1876. Vaughn sold his controlling interest to Gus Noyes in 1886. Since 1905 "The Ditch" has been operated by Menard Irrigation Company, using the original dam. (1972) (source: Texas Historical Commission) See Picture

Fort McKavett Sentry Building

Marker Title: Sentry Building
Address: US 190, W of Menard at Fort McKavett
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1968
Designations: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Marker Location: in Ft. McKavett from Menard take US 190 17 miles W to FM 864, take FM 864 SW 6 miles to Fort McKavett
Marker Text: 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 Landmark--1968(source: Texas Historical Commission)

Fort McKavett, C.S.A.

Marker Title: Fort McKavett, C.S.A.
Address: Canal and Gay St., on Courthouse lawn
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1963
Designations: na
Marker Location: Courthouse lawn (corner of Canal and Gay Streets) Menard
Marker Text: 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 leave the state at start of Civil War. Permanent personnel left the post in April 1862 when the frontier defense line was pulled back more than 60 miles east. However scouting parties and patrols of confederate and state troops used the fort intermittently in aggressive warfare to keep Indians near their camps and away from settlements and to check on invasion by Union forces. Usually supplying their own mounts, guns and sustenance, these men guarded the frontier until war's end. Texas had 2000 miles of coastline and frontier to defend from Union attack, Indian raids, marauders. Defense lines were set to give maximum protection with the few men left in the state. One line stretched from El Paso to Brownsville. Another had posts set a day's horseback ride apart from Red River to the Rio Grande. Fort McKavett and other U.S. forts used by scouting parties lay in a line between. Behind these lines and to the east organized militia, citizens' posses from nearby settlements backed the Confederate and state troops to curb Indian raids. A memorial to Texans who served the confederacy Erected by the State of Texas 1963 (source: Texas Historical Commission)

Site of Fort McKavett

Marker Title: Site of Fort McKavett
Address: FM 864 at Fort McKavett, off US 190
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Designations: na
Marker Location: at entrance to Ft. McKavett from Menard take US 190 17 miles W to FM 864, take 864 6 miles SW to Fort McKavett.
Marker Text: 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 Monterrey, September 21, 1846. Evacuated by federal troops, March 22, 1859. Reoccupied April 1, 1868. Abandoned June 30, 1883. (source: Texas Historical Commission) See Picture

Frisco Depot

Marker Title: Frisco Depot
Address: N of juc. US 190 & 83
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1978
Designations: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Marker Location: near the intersection of US 190 and US 83 in Menard
Marker Text: 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 miles northeast) to Menardville. Ranchers donated right of way, while townspeople erected this depot and shortened the town's name to "Menard". Celebrations marked the arrival of the first train, Feb. 10, 1911, and completion of this mission revival station, July 4, 1911. The Santa Fe system later acquired the line. After rail service ended in 1972, this building became a historical museum. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark--1978 (source: Texas Historical Commission) See Picture

Sheriff John L. Jones

Marker Title: Sheriff John L. Jones
Address:
City:
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1961
Designations: na
Marker Location: 21 mi. N. of Junction in a pasture on the Rust Ranch just before Kimble county line (about 3 miles off road)
Marker Text: "Here on Feb. 6, 1897 Sheriff John L. Jones, ranchman John Gardner, deputies Tom Taylor, John Turman, Oscar Latta, Button Frazier & Bud Owens, wiped out the last of the Dalton gang, killed Jourd Nite & Jim Crane, shot & captured Jim Nite. Such officers & men as these brought law & order to this section of Texas." This monument erected by the descendants of John L. Jones. John Gardner and Tom Taylor 1961. (source: Texas Historical Commission)

Arroyo de Juan Lorenzo

Marker Title: Arroyo de Juan Lorenzo
Address: US 90 at Celery Creek Bridge
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1964
Designations: na
Marker Location: on US 190 at the Celery Creek Bridge, about 1.5 miles W of Menard
Marker Text: 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, to attack the Presidio, half a mile to the southwest. (source: Texas Historical Commission)

Menard County

Marker Title: Menard County
Address: US 83, N of Menard
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Designations: na
Marker Location: about 3.5 miles N of Menard on US 83 in Roadside Park
Marker Text: Formed from Bexar county Created: January 22, 1858 Organized: June 25, 1866 Named in honor of Michel Branamour Menard 1805-1856. Signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, member of the Texas Congress, founder of Galveston. Menard, the county seat. (source: Texas Historical Commission)

Mission Santa Cruz de San Saba

Marker Title: Mission Santa Cruz de San Saba
Address: Off US 190 at Menard Country Club
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1962
Designations: na
Marker Location: on grounds of Menard Country Club about .5 mile off US 190, about 1.5 miles W of Menard
Marker Text: This building was originally built as a presidio or fort and the Mission was apart from it. After the Mission was attacked and burned by Indians, all personnel moved into the presidio.(source: Texas Historical Commission)

Paso de la Santa Cruz

Marker Title: Paso de la Santa Cruz
Address: US 190/83 intersection
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1964
Designations: na
Marker Location: near the intersection of US 190 and US 83 in Menard
Marker Text: 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 Mission, 2 miles east, and the River ford were both named for the cross. (source: Texas Historical Commission) (See Picture)

Pegleg Crossing on the San Saba

Marker Title: Pegleg Crossing on the San Saba
Address: SH 29, about 10 mi. SE of Menard
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1970
Designations: na
Marker Location: on SH 29 ROW, about 10 miles SE of Menard
Marker Text: An hourglass-shaped pass through the hills were 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 fighters, German settlers, gold-seekers. Probably named by landowner Wilhelm Harlen for one-legged land commissioner T.W. Ward. Crossing became station on stage line. Gained notoriety for many hold-ups that occurred at "Robbers' Roost" (1 mile west). Pegleg served in later era as crossing on Great Western Cattle Trail. (source: Texas Historical Commission)

Pioneer Rest Cemetery

Marker Title: Pioneer Rest Cemetery
Address: US 83, S side of Menard
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1973
Designations: na
Marker Location: on US 83 (W side of road) on southern edge of Menard
Marker Text: 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 the old courthouse and jail, razed in 1931, and reputed to have been in the original structure of nearby San Luis de Las Amarillas (Built by the Spanish in 1757). Final resting place for many area pioneers, including soldiers, cowboys, gamblers, preachers, civil war veterans, Indian fighters, and Texas Rangers. (source: Texas Historical Commission)

Puerto de Baluartes

Marker Title: Puerto de Baluartes (Haven of the Strong Points)
Address: US 83, 1 mi. S of Menard
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1964
Designations: na
Marker Location: on US 83, 1 mile S of Menard in Roadside Park
Marker Text: In this pass between the hills--location of present day Menard--a site for an important Spanish mission to the Apaches was chosen in 1754 by Don Pedro de Rabago y Teran, second explorer sent on the assignment by the viceroy of New Spain. Suitable to be fortified and farmed, this pass had its mission built in 1757. (source: Texas Historical Commission)

Real Presidio de San Saba

Marker Title: Real Presidio de San Saba
Address: US 190, at Menard Country Club
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Designations: na
Marker Location: 1.5 miles W of Menard off US 190 about .5 mile (on grounds of Menard Country Club)
Marker Text: 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 1757-1761. After March 1761 the name was real Presidio de San Saba the stone building was completed in 1761.(source: Texas Historical Commission)

Sacred Heart Catholic Church

Marker Title: Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Address: Canal & Bevans Streets
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1984
Designations: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Marker Location: at the corner of Canal and Bevans Streets Menard
Marker Text: 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 courthouse until 1899, when this building was constructed under the direction of the Rev. P. Beaudrillard for Sacred Heart Parish. The Gothic Revival Building features native stone and lancet windows. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-1984 (source: Texas Historical Commission) See Picture

Santa Cruz de San Saba, Mission

Marker Title: Site of Mission Santa Cruz de San Saba
Address: FM 2092, E of Menard
City: Menard
County: Menard
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Designations: na
Marker Location: on FM 2092 about 3 miles E of Menard
Marker Text: 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 Jose Santiesteban, martyrs to the Christian cause. (source: Texas Historical Commission)

NOTE: While I strive for accuracy in all transcriptions, please be advised that typing errors may be present. I would suggest you always verify my online information with a copy of the actual record.

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Saturday, March 22, 2008 11:00 AM