, 1935-02-17
1ROBeRI lee STATEN

February 10. 1885. - The first
story 81 the old san Antonio road
covered It's route from the Sabine
River to Nscogdoches.-the capital
VI the Department OF Nacogdoches.
For the preceding ll9 years cit was
established III l7i6) NacogdocheS had
been successfully a Spanish mission
town. military post and border head
quarters. Through II passed all Of
the immigration and traffic in and
out Of Texas. and the Old Stone
Fort. which was built there In l776.
still stands and Is reverently cared
for. Out OF Nacogdoches. the road
ran near the present town OF DOUGLAS.
crossing the Angelina River cline Of
present NacogdccheS and Cherokee
countless al Lynnewood Crossing.
Then came the site Of the Palestine
Baptist church.-the second built In
Texas. Continuing the road passed
through the present Alto talonp San
Antonio Street, to a crossing of the
Neches River Zine OF present Chero-
kee and Ftuston countless near
Treasure Like. Northeast Of this lat
ter point are scT. interesting GRE
historic mounds. The road next par
alleled San Pedro creek near present
Weches, and later touched Pine
Sprtng,-an old stage stand. Thence
cufhWevfwardlv. it DaSSed near
present Crockett and running partly
ALONGSIDE Carsons Ranch reached
the Trinity River al Robbins Cross
ing, which was a crossing noted on
the earliest maps OF Texas. The his
torical significance OF the names of
the streams and some Of the towns
has been mentioned In other stories
II THE series. THIS work ,~>iot,rre
traVerSed part OF present Nacog-
docheS and all Of Cherokee and
Houston counties. fo'Srine and
neiehboring State Highway No. 81.
February NJ. Ie2S. - The home
owning colonistS IN TexaS.-both the
earlier ones IN those now corninv
n,-Were a reading neorle.-at least
thev were 70 the extent of the little
leisure that wac theirs and OF the
publications that we're available 70
EnRlish-sDesking peoDle OF the time.
IN most Instances the books in the
homes OF the earlier colonists were
onlv the essentials 10 home mating
and home BUILDING. such as the Bible.
reference and school books. plus 2
Few volumes OF personal preference
That was always true OF colonists
who mace the tourney to Texas over-
lano. when space and WEIGHT was a
CONSIDERATION. Manv who came bv
water brought Libraries Books were
rare during the earlier neriod OF
Austin'S Co,onv- The publications
that tire were mostly chean rerrints
OF the United States Of the North al
OF foreign works. and the newspapers
were dull and cumbersome TO handle
You VIII recall. however. that the
Tine 81 which we write was M
which all o. the conditions OF Anglo
N'rlcan life were changing rap
loly; that u was about the middle of
me perod Of the appearance OF 4
distinctly Anglo American literature
and also a time when a swift. ener-
Retic and fearless type or newspaper
vas taking the field in the larger
cities OF the states. Texans were
alert 70 and obserTant OF the new
era, for they had develoned 2
thoughtfulress that came OF being
internationally encouraged a n Il
threatened In the matter Of their
freedom and the security OF their
MONIES. Their mail contact with
the outside was through New Or
.eanS ano also through Natchitoches
Fort JeSSuO and across the Sabine a.
Games Ferry into Nacogdoches
Ihere was an uncertain mail service
between Nacogdoches and San An
tonic. It's route ran south from
NacogdocheS and thence west. over
the A~stasccSito Road. through Lib
erty. San Felipe and Goliad.