Mission Tejas

Mission Tejas SP https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/mission-tejas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_Tejas_State_Park Mission Tejas State Park is located along Texas State Highway 21 in Houston County, Texas. The park contains a commemorative replica of the first Spanish mission in Texas and one of the oldest surviving structures in Houston County. The park also contains a segment of the El Camino Real de los Tejas. The park provides 15 developed campsites and 2 primitive camping sites. A small pond allows visitors to fish. The park also contains approximately 4.5 miles of hiking trails.

For assistance using this map, contact the park. Mission Tejas State Park TexasStateParks.org/App TexasStateParks.org/SocialMedia #TxStateParks #BetterOutside LEGEND Campsites1-6 7 Campsites 7-10 9 8 6 10 4 11 Commemorative Mission 15 12 13 14 N at 5 A 2 3 1 Pond Group Pavilion Water Only Sites Steep S tep Trail Bird Blind Bird Blind Trail Water and Electric Sites 44 ower Fire Trail T Amphitheater CCC Bathtubs Playground ne Pi ail Tr Rice Family Log Home Palestine 19 Texas State Parks Store T-shirts, caps and one-of-a-kind gift items are available at the Texas State Parks Store located in our park headquarters building. 84 Rusk Alto 294 Mission Tejas State Park 21 Crockett 21 21 To Weches Lufkin Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. (12 mi ) les Hiking Trails Historic Marker Bird Blind Residence Maintenance Nacogdoches Weches 69 o Alt Park Host Sites 59 TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. © 2021 TPWD PWD MP P4508-037E (2/21) Parking g Fire Tower Hill Youth Group Camping tt he atc n M il Ole Tra PARK ROAD Bi Please review complete Park Rules and Regulations posted at headquarters. il Group Picnic Area Olen Matchett Trail k • ee Cr ro ed h n P anc Sa Br Numbered sites are for overnight camping only. NO PICNICKING. il il • Tr a Dump Station Tr a a Tr Campfires are permitted only in fire rings provided at each site. No ground fires are permitted. ing tt • Showers htn ve Gathering of firewood is prohibited. ine Lig Lo • gP Restrooms rl Public consumption or display of any alcoholic beverage is prohibited. Bi MPH il a Tr Ka • Na 25 Visitor Center Cemete ry Hill T rail e tur SPEED LIMIT State Parks Store N Nature Trail CHECK OUT time is 2 p.m. or renew permit by 9 a.m. (pending site availability). Park closes at 10 p.m. Headquarters Tr a il Tejas Timber Trail PLEASE NOTE • e B Campsites 12-15 • ur ) les mi ke roc C To 21 tt ( PARK RESERVATIONS TexasStateParks.org ParquesDeTexas.org (512) 389-8900 19343 State Hwy. 21 E Grapeland, TX 75844 (936) 687-2394 Proud Sponsor of Texas State Parks 

For assistance using this map, contact the park. For a web version of the map text, visit our Trails Information page. 

INTERPRETIVE GUIDE NEARBY POINTS OF INTEREST The interior of the mission building demonstrates the handcrafted style so characteristic of the Civilian Conservation Corps. FIND RUSTIC BEAUTY AND TRANQUILITY SET IN THE HILLS OF THE EAST TEXAS PINEYWOODS WHERE THE CADDO INDIAN FARMSTEADS ONCE DOTTED THE LAND­ SCAPE. A BUILDING COM­ MEMORATING A SPANISH MISSION AND A LOG HOUSE TAKE YOU TO TEXAS’S PAST. ENJOY NATURE WHILE CAMPING, PICNICKING, AND HIKING AMONG TALL PINES Davy Crockett National Forest Caddo Mounds State Historic Site Rusk Depot Campground The Texas State Railroad PARK LOCATION Mission Tejas State Park is located 21 miles northeast of Crockett and 12 miles southwest of Alto on SH 21 (the Old San Antonio Road). The park entrance is near Weches, where Park Road 44 intersects with SH 21. The park is open throughout the year. Call in advance to schedule school or group tours of the historic structures. NOTE: Texas state law makes it unlawful for anyone to disturb in any way historic or prehistoric, archeological or paleontological sites, or any historical marker situated on lands controlled by the state of Texas. NUMBERS TO CALL For all reservations, call (512) 389-8900 For information only, call (936) 687-2394 Mission Tejas State Park 19343 State Highway 21 East Grapeland, TX 75844 (936) 687-2394 www.tpwd.texas.gov/missiontejas/ AT THIS 1930S ERA CIVILIAN CONSERVA TION CORPS (CCC) CAMP. © 2019 TPWD. PWD BR P4508-037G (7/19) In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. MISSION TEJAS STATE PARK M I S S I O N T E J A S S T A T E P A R K THE MAN BEHIND THE DREAM The Rice family home is a good example of a restored pioneer log home that evolved over time. Despite having been moved to this site, it remains as one of the oldest structures in this area. EARLY SETTLEMENT Caddo tribes established agricultural societies in East Texas. Their settlements date from the 800s to the 1830s and included farmsteads spread over an area of 78 miles. The Caddo people lived in thatched buildings spaced between cultivated and non-cultivated areas. They raised crops of corn, beans, melons, squash, sunflowers, and tobacco. FRANCE AND SPAIN STAKE THEIR CLAIM In the late 1600s, rival European powers competed to gain control of Texas. René de la Salle led a group of French colonists who arrived on the Texas coast in 1685 and built a makeshift settlement. As news of it spread, the Spanish sought to remove the French, whom they considered intruders. Captain Alonso de León and Fray Damián Massanet led an expedition to counter the French settlement. They built the first mission in the province of Texas among a village of the Caddo Indians. Three Spanish priests, three soldiers, and supplies remained at the new mission on June 1, 1690, and completed a cluster of crude wooden buildings. A smallpox epidemic in the winter of 1690 killed almost 300 people near the mission and 3,000 others in the area. The Caddo associated the disease with the Spaniards and their baptismal water. They became disenchanted with the Spanish and plotted to get rid of them. Father Massanet learned of a planned attack on October 6, 1693. The Spaniards then buried heavy items, burned the mission, and retreated to Mexico. The Spanish never achieved the level of success in East Texas that they desired. Spanish friars returned to rebuild the mission in 1716. But renewed conflict between France and Spain caused them to again abandon it in 1719. WITH HELP FROM THE CCC In 1934 the citizens of Houston County purchased land and erected a marker to commemorate the Mission San Francisco de los Tejas. The federal government chose the site for a CCC project. Young men of the 200-strong CCC Company 888 worked under army officers to build the park and reclaim the land. They received food, clothing, pay, and educational benefits for the work. For many unskilled young men during the Great Depression, the CCC offered a chance for a better life. The company completed its work and disbanded in 1935. The Texas Forest Service continued to manage the forest here until 1957. Today, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Departmen

INTERPRETIVE GUIDE IN APPRECIATION The home was donated to Mission Tejas State Park in 1973 by surviving members of the Rice Family. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be forever grateful for being given the opportunity to preserve this unique piece of history to share with park visitors. NEARBY POINTS OF INTEREST RICE FAMILY LOG HOME AT MISSION TEJAS STATE PARK PARK LOCATION El Camino Real de los Tejas was a road that could carry people from Nachitoches, Louisiana, to Mexico via San Antonio and was instrumental in the early settlement of Texas. Original traces of El Camino Real de los Tejas can be viewed at Mission Tejas State Park. Mission Tejas State Park is located 21 miles northeast of Crockett and 12 miles southwest of Alto on SH 21 (the Old San Antonio Road). The park entrance is near Weches, where Park Road 44 intersects with SH 21. The park is open throughout the year. Call in advance to schedule a guided tour of the historic structures. NOTE: Texas state law makes it unlawful for anyone to disturb in any way historic or prehistoric, archeological or paleontological sites, or any historic marker situated on lands controlled by the state of Texas. GET A GLIMPSE OF A NUMBERS TO CALL DREAM REALIZED BY ONE For all reservations, call (512) 389-8900 For information only, call (800) 792-1112 FAMILY WHO TREKKED EL CAMINO REAL DE LOS TEJAS IN SEARCH OF Mission Tejas State Park 120 State Park Road 44, Grapeland, Texas 75844 (936) 687-2394 • www.tpwd.texas.gov/missiontejas/ TOUR INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT PARK HEADQUARTERS WEALTH, OPPORTUNITY, AND ADVENTURE. © 2020 TPWD. PWD BR P4508-037A (4/20) In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. R I C E F A M I L Y L O G H O M E A T M I S S I O N THE MAN BEHIND THE DREAM T E J A S S T A T E P A R K Sometime between 1828 and 1838, Rice added the dogtrot and Rooms 2 and 3. During hot weather, the family and visitors sat, ate, washed, and often slept in the dogtrot to take advantage of breezes funneled through the passageway. The dogtrot seems to have evolved in the American South during the 18th and 19th centuries. When Rice first built the home, it may not have had any windows, or only a small, shuttered one like the one found in Room 2. Glass would have been added later as it became available. British tradition dictated that at least one full-sized window be cut in the front wall facing the porch. The centrally positioned doors also reflect British influence and distribute the structural load most effectively. The second and third rooms were constructed of logs hewn on both sides and joined at the corner with half dove-tail notching. This is considered the best technique for building log homes. Porches were common in most Texas log homes and provided shade during the hot Texas summers as well as a storage area for saddles, riding gear, etc. during rainy weather. THE RICE FAMILY HOME According to tradition, Joseph Rice built Room 1 in 1828. It served as a multi-purpose dwelling in which the entire family cooked, ate, and slept. The upper level was probably used for sleeping. Access to the upper level was by means of a ladder. COURTESY PEGGY HARKINS Rice gave Room 1 to his grandson, John Rice in the 1860s. John and his wife, Nancy, supposedly raised the ceiling and two doors to accommodate tall furniture. They also painted the ceiling blue and added wallpaper. Rooms 2 and 3 are joined by a double fireplace on the common wall. This type of construction is sometimes referred to as “saddlebag construction” because the roof of the house sits across the common chimney like saddlebags on a horse. There are many 19th century homes with dogtrots and some with saddlebag construction but the Rice Home is one of few with both. Remnants of the wallpaper added by John and Nancy Rice. Some say the blue paint will prevent wasps from building nests on the ceiling. LOG BUILDINGS IN AMERICAN HISTORY T exas log construction recalls a heritage that began in Europe during prehistoric times. Buildings made of horizontally laid logs fastened with corner notching may have originated during the Middle Stone Age

-Official- FACILITIES Get the Mobile App: MAPS ACTIVITIES TexasStateParks.org/app T O Y O T A T U N D R A The Toyota Tundra is built to explore the great outdoors. No matter what the weekend throws at you, your Tundra takes it on with ease. | toyota.com/tundra Official Vehicle of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation CONTENTS 4 100 Years of Texas Parks 6 Parks Near You 8 90 Checklist DIRECTORY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT 52 68 20 38 60 30 84 68 David Yoskowitz, Ph.D. Executive Director Rodney Franklin State Parks Director Mischelle Diaz Communications Director TPW COMMISSION Arch “Beaver” Aplin, III, Chairman Lake Jackson Dick Scott, Vice-Chairman Wimberley James E. Abell Kilgore Oliver J. Bell Cleveland Paul L. Foster El Paso Anna B. Galo Laredo Jeffery D. Hildebrand Houston Robert L. “Bobby” Patton, Jr. Fort Worth Travis B. “Blake” Rowling Dallas T. Dan Friedkin, Chairman-Emeritus Houston Lee Marshall Bass, Chairman-Emeritus Fort Worth 52 Panhandle Plains 48 State Parks Map Special thanks to Toyota and advertisers, whose generous support made this guide possible. Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Cover illustration: Brad Woodard, bravethewoods.com Texas State Parks Official Guide, Nineteenth Edition © TPWD PWD BK P4000-000A (3/23) TPWD receives funds from DHS and USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin (including limited English proficiency), disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, visit tpwd.texas. gov/nondiscrimination or call (512) 389-4800 for information on filing a complaint. To obtain information in an alternative format, contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915, by Relay Texas at 7-1-1, (800) 735-2989, or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you speak a language other than English and need assistance, email lep@tpwd.texas.gov. You can also contact Department of the Interior Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240, and/or U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), Mail Stop #0190 2707, Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20528. In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. WELCOME from Rodney Franklin, State Parks Director This year is very special for Texas State Parks: We are celebrating our 100-year anniversary in 2023. More and more Texans are discovering the beauty of State Parks and exploring the outdoors in new and adventurous ways. Our teams across the state are incredibly excited to welcome outdoor enthusiasts, especially those who have yet to discover what our parks have to offer. The variety of Texas’ lands is unmatched; from the mountains of west Texas to the Gulf shores, the Texas State Park system celebrates and preserves the natural and cultural treasures that make Texas such a special place. The 640,000-plus acres that make up the state park system are nearly as diverse as the people of Texas. Since 1923, our mission has been to help connect our visitors with the outdoors. As we honor those who have come before us, I invite a new generation to be a part of the story of the lands that connect us all. There is more to enjoy in our parks than you know, so please join us in our celebrations and activities. Every day we look for new and better ways to ensure your state parks are welcoming to every Texan, regardless of their background or experience being outside. I hope you’ll visit soon and often, while bringing your friends and family along. YOU are a natural and we’re looking forward to celebrating the 100-year anniversary of state parks with you! WHAT’S NEW IN STATE PARKS Galveston Island State Park reopened the beachside of the park with a new headquarters, campsites, restrooms, and more. Bastrop State Park unveiled an extensive new group of trails, the “Tree Army Trails,” many of which are ADA-accessible. Improvements and major repairs are planned for Indian Lodge, Tyler, Inks Lake, Cedar Hill, South Llano River, Eisenhower and several other state parks All-terrain “GRIT” wheelchairs are now available at 10 parks with more adaptive equipment on the way to help people of all abilities experience Texas State Parks. Learn more about our accessibility efforts, page 14. More information: TexasStateParks.org/whatsnew 100 Years of Texas Parks The crown jewels of Texas road trips started as an unfunded wish list before the Depression. Back in 1923, Governor Pat Neff realized rising numbers of new car travelers needed places to camp overnight on multi-day trips. Neff convinced the state legislature to create a six-member State Parks Board, half men, half women. Isabella, the Governor’s mother, and her family donated acreage on the Leon

Guía de Parques INSTALACIONES Descarga la Aplicacíon Móvil MAPAS ACTIVIDADES texasstateparks.org/app ¡Los niños entran gratis! La entrada es gratis para los niños de 12 años y menores. Encuentra un parque: parquesdetexas.org Contenido Estero Llano Grande SP 2 Actividades y Programas 4 Parques Cercanos 6 Lugares para Quedarse 8 Tarifas y Pases 9 Directorio 10 Mapa de Parques 18 Instalaciones y Actividades BIENVENIDO Rodney Franklin, Director de Parques Texas tiene algunas de las tierras públicas más diversas del país, con una gran riqueza natural y cultural. La vida silvestre está por todas partes, los paisajes florecen con belleza, y la historia es abundante. Sus parques estatales son parte del legado que nos enorgullece. La gente de Texas ayuda a asegurar ese legado para las generaciones futuras al visitar y ser voluntarios. ¡Gracias! Estos más de 630,000 acres exhiben algunos de los grandes tesoros del estado. Los parques nos ayudan a crear recuerdos con la familia y a encontrar consuelo en la naturaleza. Los parques fortalecen las economías locales y unen a las comunidades. Sobre todo, los parques nos permiten pasar tiempo al aire libre para recargar energías, estar saludables y relajarnos a nuestra manera. Les invito a disfrutar de sus parques estatales, explorando lo mejor de Texas con amigos y familia. Los parques están aquí para todos. Nos pertenecen a todos. ¡Visítelos, diviértase y ayude a protegerlos para siempre! Foto de portada: Estero Llano State Park, Chase Fountain © 2021 TPWD PWD BK P4000-000A (5/21) TPWD recibe fondos del Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de EE.UU. (USFWS por sus siglas en ingles). TPWD prohíbe la discriminación por raza, color, religión, nacionalidad de origen, discapacidad, edad y género, conforme la ley estatal y federal. Para solicitar un acomodo especial u obtener información en un formato alternativo, por favor contacte a TPWD en un Teléfono de Texto (TTY) al (512) 3898915 ó por medio de “Relay Texas” al 7-1-1 ó (800) 735-2989 ó por email a accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. Si usted cree que TPWD ha discriminado en su contra, favor de comunicarse con TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, o con el Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de EE.UU., Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. De acuerdo con la Ley de Depósito del Estado de Texas, esta publicación está disponible en el centro de Distribución de Publicaciones del Estado de Texas y/o las Bibliotecas de Depósito de Texas. ACTIVIDADES Y PROGRAMAS ¿Qué puedo hacer en los parques estatales? ¡Disfruta de un día de campo, visita un sitio histórico o elige entre muchas otras opciones! Bicicletas Pedalea a lo largo de los parques a cualquier velocidad, en cualquier estilo, con cualquier grupo. Elige las rutas, el tipo de terreno y las distancias que cumplan con tu zona de confort. Caminatas Empieza con un circuito más corto, avanza a terrenos más difíciles o únete a una caminata guiada. Pescar Puedes pescar sin licencia en tantos como 70 parques estatales. Muchos parques ofrecen equipo para pescar a manera de préstamo y eventos especiales para aprender a pescar. Barcos Renta canoas y kayacs y explora uno de los senderos acuáticos en Texas. Nadar Animales Silvestres Acampar Descubre aves, mamíferos y plantas que tienen su hogar en Texas. Muchos parques tienen señalamientos y listados que te ayudan a aprender más. Encuentra un lugar que cumpla con lo que quieres. Prueba nuevas recetas, comparte historias favoritas y disfruta de las estrellas. 2 Más información y reservaciones: parquesdetexas.org Escape del calor en arroyos, ríos, lagos, manantiales, piletas y playas del mar. Tu seguridad en el agua es muy importante. Lleva el chaleco salvavidas. Aprende a nadar. Guarda a los niños. (512) 389-8900 ¡Pregunta en tu parque cuáles están disponibles! Los niños de 12 años y menores entran GRATIS Cielos Estrellados Escapa de las luces de la ciudad y goza de maravillosas vistas del cielo que no encontrarás en ninguna otra parte. Ven a una fiesta de estrellas o toma una excursión de constelaciones auto-guiada. Familias en la Naturaleza Elige un taller o diseña tu propia aventura. ¡Monta una tienda de campaña, cocina al exterior, prende una fogata y juega al exterior! Nosotros te Toma una publicación gratuita de actividades o pregunta por los paquetes gratuitos con los parques proporcionamos todo el equipo. No es necesario tener experiencia. participantes. Usa los binoculares, lupas, libros de bosquejos y libros de guías para explorar el parque. Mochilas para Exploradores Soldados Búfalo de Texas Descubre la historia con cuentos, vestuarios y herramientas. Sigue la pista de un animal, pesca con caña, cocina sobre una fogata, visita los fuertes y más. Adéntrate en las historias de vida de aquellos que sirvieron valientemente en los primeros regimientos Áfrico-Americanos de las Fuerzas Armadas. ! Seguridad en el Parque Ten cuidado con el agua Pre