East Texas' Early History -
Everything
has a beginning and most are very small. Texas
began in its far eastern region, now called East Texas and like a tiny
acorn it has grown symbolically into the great oak tree called Texas. It began nowhere else but
there. Spain claimed it and at first, called it their "terra
incognito" or unknown land. After exploring it, they soon named it
their "new Philippines." Today, it is called Spain's far northeastern borderland. They knew almost nothing about it until the Frenchman La Salle planted
a tiny fort and colony near the Gulf Coast below present Victoria. This
act set Spain in motion. Several military expeditions, on land and sea,
were sent to destroy this French cancer. But, instead of the Spanish
having to do it,
sickness, murder and the coastal Karankowa Indians destroyed it for them.
However, they realized that they must colonize Texas or lose it.
The first attempt was in 1690 when a tiny eight-man mission was built and manned by
five soldiers and three priests - they called it Mission Tejas. They soon
built a second one that they called Maria. At this time, many head of
livestock were driven up from Mexico and turned loose for the use of these first
two missions. They were located west of the Neches River in
East Texas. Both soon failed. But, a much bolder thrust was carried
out twenty-three years later (1716 - 1717) when six missions with civilians, soldiers
and priests, were strung from the east side of the Neches River, not far from the
original Tejas mission, to the Rio Hondo a few miles west of Natchitoches,
Louisiana -- this was part of Spanish Texas then. Families and many more
soldiers came with this second entrada. Soon the area called "Los Adaes"
with its furthest mission and fort would also become the first capital of Texas
-- not Washington-on-the-Brazos or even Houston. On two more occasions,
more thousands of head of livestock were driven overland from Mexico, distributed
among these six missions and turned loose in the great virgin forest of East
Texas, to multiply until they were counted in the millions -- they were
everywhere.
These missions, civilians and soldiers, plus the thousands of head of livestock
were the true beginning of Texas. It began nowhere but in East Texas and
our great livestock industry including ranches, cowboys and trail drives began
nowhere else but in East Texas -- not in South or Southeast Texas. It can truly be
said, this was the tiny acorn from which Texas has grown -- it all started in
East Texas.
For this reason, TEXAS HISTORICAL PRESS specializes in the history of
East Texas -- the beginning of Texas. Thousands of the descendants of
these original Spanish families still live in the area of Nacogdoches, East
Texas and around Spanish Lake, Zowlle, Robeline and Natchitoches, western
Louisiana -- formally Spanish East Texas. Books, maps, and diaries that
focus on eastern Texas are offered
to truth seekers.
You are invited to browse the information found in these unique web pages and
learn the authentic history of how Texas began.
Purchase the outstanding and rare books written by outstanding Texas historians
and story tellers. Get an overview.
Obtain copies of the original diaries and live vicariously with the brave men
who wrote them -- both soldiers, and missionary padres who braved dangerous wild
animals and unhappy Indians as they brought European civilization to East Texas
-- and eventually to all of Texas.
Buy the old maps, reproduced for you so that you can follow the progress of the diarist
and see exactly where they traveled on the ancient trails that went from Indian
village to village. Many of these are in color and beautifully drawn,
suitable to hang.
Even some correspondence between these early pioneers is available to you.
Letters that helped shape Texas.
Thus
the mission of Texas Historical Press is to make the vibrant and exciting
history of Old, Old East Texas available in all its formats, under one web
site. These include books that deal with early Texas history,
One-Of-A-Kind Rare Books, cook books of Old East Texas and the south, diaries
of the early explorers - Spanish missionaries, Mexican, French
and Anglo pioneers,
maps showing early East Texas that portray the original trails and roads, some of
which are our highways today, locations of the Indians, Spanish land grants
showing the first ranches in Texas and much more. Peruse the following to
see the many things that are available .
Unique And Rare
Books - Most of
our books are one-of-a-kind and can be purchased nowhere else but from this
website. Many books are large, printed on eight and one-half
by eleven size paper and are double
sided, profusely illustrated and footnoted for laymen and scholars alike -- this
makes a 200-page book 400 pages of common size. Select a category below, then click on each for details or to purchase.
If you are a purchasing librarian or the manager of a bookstore, interested in single copies or bulk purchases, please
click here
to contact us about your needs.
The Most Complete History of Early East Texas Ever Written
A Three-Volume
Set Of Early East Texas History by H. Gordon Pettey, Ph.D.
Eleven years to write, many more to research. For serious
scholars and laymen who love the history of Texas and demand
correctness. Click on all items below that are underlined.
