APRIL 2012 San Jacinto Festival, Ceremony Rest Stops Home of New Exhibit Coincide bout fifty miles from the San or the first time in five Jacinto Battleground in years, three annual A Chambers County, the Texas F events celebrating the Department of Transportation has Battle of San Jacinto will occur opened a pair of new rest areas on east on one day: Saturday, April 21. - and west-bound Interstate 10. The state’s official recognition Ground was broken for these modern of the 176th anniversary of the rest stops in January of 2010 just east Battle of San Jacinto will occur of the Trinity River Bridge on sites at the Commemorative that formerly hosted truck weigh Ceremony, which will take stations. The San Jacinto Museum of place on the terrace of the San Reenactors fire prepare to fire a cannon at the 2011 reenactment. History has been asked to provide a Jacinto Monument at 10:00 a.m. the San Jacinto Volunteers, Texas Parks & series of exhibits highlighting the Participating in the event will be the Wildlife Department, San Jacinto College, history of the region, and the first Rolling Thunder with a cannon salute, the and Deer Park ISD, who help the San display, presented when the rest stops Deer Park High School Orchestra under Jacinto Museum of History coordinate this opened to the public on March 1st, the direction of Frank Woodruff, and the event. Texas Army. More information will The battle reenactment begins at 3 p.m. be available at www.sanjacinto- Presented by hundreds of members of the museum.org as plans progress. San Jacinto Volunteers and other living Beginning at 10:00 a.m. and history organizations from across the state, running to 6:00 p.m., the San Jacinto the reenactment dramatically interprets the Festival events will include Runaway Scrape, the cannon duel, and the entertaining and educational activities. final battle between the two forces. A favorite activity is visiting the General Sam Houston will be portrayed by reenactors in the Mexican and Texian Jim Lynch. camps to learn what the soldiers of Plan to bring lawn chairs or blankets to 1836 were doing on the day of the comfortably watch the reenactment. battle. New to the festival this year, Because the Lynchburg Ferry is only Solero Flamenco will perform running one boat, the line to board the features historic photos, newspaper flamenco dance. “This festival would not ferry will be long; plan to arrive by articles and documents concerning the be possible without our Presenting Highway 225. Visitors should park at the nearby Houston Ship Channel. Sponsor H-E-B, as well as Dow Chemical first festival parking lot they come to and Curator Elizabeth Appleby is Company, Vopak, the Pasadena take the shuttle to the festival grounds; excited to be able to share information Strawberry Festival, and LyondellBassell,” buses will stop at the farthest parking lots with travelers about the land that they says Larry Spasic, San Jacinto Museum of first, so those visitors will be the first to are passing and History President. Thanks are also due to board. See “EXHIBIT” on page 2 Continued from “EXHIBIT”, page 1 hopes that the displays will encourage tourists to visit San Jacinto and other area historic sites. “I am intrigued to learn that San Jacinto Veteran: these rest stops are built on land formerly owned by James Taylor White, one of the first cattlemen in Texas. Anywhere you look in Texas, you find Joseph Harlan history,” said Appleby. It was here that, during the days of the Anahuac arch 31, 1836. Started from the Disturbances, the rebels, including William B. Travis, first articulated some company (who were retreating of the ideas that would become central to Texas’ revolutionary movement “M from Milam) for the army, the in the June 1832, Turtle Bayou Resolutions, including allegiance to the waters being high swam the creek & stayed at Mexican constitution of 1824. Medaws[?] on the [symbol] Arrived at the army Each center has interactive exhibits, nature trails, picnic tables, jungle on April 11th started to Harrisburg on the 15th got gyms, free Internet access and many other amenities—including an oversize there on the 19th, fought on the 21st. Marched off model of the iconic San Jacinto Monument obelisk and star. The next time in May left the army on furlough the 16th May.” you are traveling east of Houston on I-10, take the time to stretch your legs This excerpt from the diary of Joseph Harlan, now and visit some history! in the hands of a descendant, places him on the battlefield at San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. Would you like to receive the San Jacinto News electronically? If so, Initially left of off the Honor Roll, Harlan was send a message to [email protected] to state your added to the list of veterans of San Jacinto when a preference, and future editions will come to you by e-mail. review of additional names was concluded in 2011. There are a few discrepancies in the facts presented in his diary—the Republic Claims show Annual Dinner Honors Mayor that he was in camp beyond May 16, and other s in years past, the San Jacinto Museum Dinner will be an dates don’t align with the movements of the Texas exceptional evening that commemorates the impact of the battle army. Prior to his discharge but after May 16, A that stands as one of the most significant victories in history. Harlan acquired pay claims from several other Hilmar Moore will be recognized for his dedication and service to the soldiers, which he later pursued. He did not claim Richmond area and to the state of Texas. He is the longest serving mayor a Donation Certificate for service at San Jacinto. in Texas history, with over 60 years of service to his community. The event Joseph Harlan was born February 18, 1796, in will take place on Wednesday, April 25, at the Houston Country Club; South Carolina. When he was sixteen, he ran away advance reservations are required. Nancy and David from home to fight in the War of 1812. He came Randall are chairing the dinner. to Texas in early 1836 and joined Houston’s army; Guest speaker will be Henry William Brands, he returned to South Carolina later that year to Dickson Allen Anderson Centennial Professor of settle his affairs and bring his family back to History at the University of Texas at Austin. His Texas. In 1837 he took a headright in Robertson books on American history and politics include County, a little south of what is now Calvert. Andrew Jackson, The Age of Gold, and TR. Several of According to The 1840 Census of the Republic of his books have been bestsellers; two, Traitor to His Texas, in 1840 he had five slaves, sixteen cattle, Class and The First American, were finalists for the and three work horses. He died July 12, 1844, Pulitzer Prize. He can be seen and heard on national leaving a widow and several children. and international television and radio programs. Sponsors of the San Jacinto Texas Independence 5K Fun Run/Walk Office Systems of Texas Vopak Kroger Rotary Club of Pasadena Shell Federal Credit Union Texas Outhouse JSC Federal Credit Union Tregre & Associates D.D.S. Monument Inn Joe V’s Smart Shop Congressman Gene Green Sapp Insurance Services Ozarka Larry Spasic Deer Park EMS DiPuma Printing Company Texas Chiropractic College Southern Komfort Kitchen Frame-It Havard Welding Supply Spencer Animal Hospital Shipley Do-Nuts Victory Properties, Inc. Salons of the Forest Ryan Spasic Staples Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors Kwik Kopy Kryspix Images Marco Avila/DJ 911 SAN JACINTO NEWS APRIL 2012 2 Today’s Heroes of San Jacinto New and Renewing Members Annual Fun Run Off to a Good Monument Society Start Mr. George C. Hixon he first annual Mr. and Mrs. T. R. Reckling, III Mr. and Mrs. Eliot P. Tucker San Jacinto Texas Museum Circle T Hon. Frank W. Calhoun Independence 5K Fun Mr. and Mrs. John C. Dawson, Jr. Run/Walk on March 3 Hon. and Mrs. Gene Green Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Hutcheson, Jr. brought people of all Mr. J. K. McAndrews ages out to traverse Mr. David Singleton the battleground. The Independence Society start of the race was Mr. and Mrs. Jerry S. Brannen signaled by reenactor Fred Muston, who fired his long gun promptly at Mr. and Mrs. William D. Noel Mr. and Mrs. J. Dickson Rogers 7:30. Beginning at the base of the San Jacinto Monument, the race route Family Freedom Society passed by the Battleship Texas, the Texian and Mexican Camps and Mr. and Mrs. William J. Anderson, Jr. returned to make a circuit of the Monument. One hundred eighty-six Dr. and Mrs. Philip L. Cimo Mr. and Mrs. John L. DeVault people registered for the event. The overall male winner was Roger Mr. and Mrs. Ben M. Durr Wacker with a time of Mr. and Mrs. William C. Tapley 19:59.0; the overall female winner was Ann Wacker with a time of 22:46.1. Sponsors of the event furnished water, fruit and doughnuts to the runners and walkers; other sponsors provided gift cards that were given as door prizes to the participants. Marco Avila/DJ 911 played music before the start to energize the athletes. Volunteers came from Above: At the head of the pack: Roger Wacker followed by Deer Park High School, Kroger, and the Bell Sergio Luna, 1st and 2nd place winners. Below: walkers also enjoyed the event.