Path of the Pioneers: Bastrop to Austin (Part I)

Mary Starr Barkley's History of Travis County and Austin: 1839-1899 is a go-to, seminal history book on early Austin and Travis County. The Austin History Center's profile on Mary Starr Barkley (AHC holds the Mary Starr Barkley Papers) describes her as a life-long Austinite (1907-1981), whose "roots in Austin extended back four generations".

The first chapter in her book is titled "Path of the Pioneers", her name for the old Bastrop to Austin road. In that chapter Barkley invites the reader to begin their exploration into the settlement of Travis County the same way the early pioneers did: from east to west along the road from Bastrop into Austin. As she so eloquently put it "Why not spend a Sunday afternoon and pursue the same path those early settlers followed .. past the places of those pioneers that are history now -- Wilbarger, Hornsby, Burleson, Rogers, Tannehill, and Manor. The roll call sounds like the roster of the Old Three Hundred".

The next five posts do just that: explore the "Path of the Pioneers" starting in Bastrop, ending in Austin.

Bastrop State Park

As we begin our journey in Bastrop, it's only appropriate to being with Bastrop's namesake. The 1936 Texas Centenial marker located in Bastrop State Park. The marker reads:

Erected in Recognition of the Distinguished Service to Texas of Felipe Entrique Neri, Baron De Bastrop 1770 - 1829. Pioneer Red River empresario. Land commissioner of Austin's colony. Member of the Congress of Coahuila and Texas. In his honor this county and county seat have been named.

As you exit the park, on the right is another historical marker describing another old trail, the Gotier Trace, and straight ahead another marker detailing the early history of Bastrop.

The Gotier Trace historical marker

The Gotier Trace. Originated in 1820s. Crossed the present counties of Austin, Washington, Fayette, Lee, Bastrop; joined San Felipe, capital of Stephen F. Austin's colony, with Bastrop. Marked by James Gotier, a settler who (with several in his family) died in an Indian massacre near this trace in 1837. Like most early Texas roads, this was only a marked route which travelers could follow-- dusty in droughts, boggy in rains. From such traces, wagon roads and cattle trails, Texas has developed over 67,000 miles of fine paved highways-- a system recognized as nation's finest.

Early History of the City of Bastrop. Long before white men arrived, this region was inhabited by Tonkawa and Comanche Indians. In 1691 the first Spanish explorers crossed this territory en route to east Texas. From their route, parts of “El Camino Real” (the King's Highway) were blazed, thus placing Bastrop on a major early travel artery. Because El Camino Real crossed the Colorado River here, this was a strategic spot. In 1805 the Fort “Puesta del Colorado” and accompanying community were founded here to protect commerce on the road. In 1825 this area became “Mina,” one of the first settlements in the colony of Stephen F. Austin. It was named for revolutionary leader Xavier Mina. In the years that followed, many members of its first 100 families served in the Texas Revolution (1836), the Mexican War (1846-1848), and were active in political life in the Republic and State of Texas. In 1837 when the town incorporated, the name was changed to “Bastrop” to honor the Baron de Bastrop, influential early land agent and statesman. The city was also designated county seat in 1837. From 1851-1870, this was seat of Bastrop Military Academy, an important Texas school. First courthouse was built in 1853; present one in 1883 on the same spot.

Bastrop Historic District

Exiting Bastrop State Park you are now on Highway 21, The Camino Real, and headed for the crossing of the Colorado. The city has placed decorative markers in the sidewalk telling the story of Bastrop and El Camino Real.

Town laid out 1832

Indian Conflicts

Old Austin Highway, FM 969

After crossing the bridge over the Colorado take a right on Old Austin Highway. The name says it all, this is the old road to Austin. This will lead you to SH 71. You briefly get on SH 71 going north, but soon take a right onto FM 969. You are back on the old road to Austin. 

Nash's Ferry Crossing of the Colorado

From SH 71 FM 969 travels north to cross the Colorado once again. This is the site of Nash's ferry crossing (30.167139,-97.404501). Signs on FM 969 direct you to the flag pole that marks the crossing.

Flag pole and plaque mark the crossing.

Plaque at base of flagpole reads: Nash's Ferry Crossing. John Dempsey "Jack" Nash. "Amiable landlord of the Colorado Valley". 1854

 An article from The Bastrop Advertiser, March 1907, details the burning of the "old Nash house" and provides a glimpse of earlier times at the ferry: 

The old Nash house, 8 miles north-west of Bastrop near what is known as the Nash Ferry, was burned last week. In early days this house was known as a stage stand, where travelers en route to and from Austin to the coast got their meals, the old Captain Jack D. Nash fed them of the best he had, and never did one feast at his table without speaking its praise. The house was built in the [eighteen] forties, of the best pine-heart timber, felled and sawed south-east of Bastrop ... In those early days it was truly a hospitable home for the weary traveler.

A view from the bridge over FM 969 provides a great view of Nash's ferry crossing

The Old Dirt Road, from Mina (Bastrop) to Austin

Below is a full text transcription of Frank Brown's Old Dirt Road, his description of the early road from Mina (later Bastrop) to Austin (Brown, Chapter 11, pp. 21-23. Transcribed from Texas State Library, Genealogy Collection's copy ).

 

The Old Dirt Road

From the time of the earliest penetration of this upper valley by white men, the trail from Mina to the foot of the mountains, where Austin now stands, was along the north side of the river, and the distance was called forty miles. This trail had been partially blazed out by prospectors who came to look at the county at different times in the ‘20s. It was further defined in March, 1830, by Stephen F. Austin, with surveyors and a few colonists, who meandered the stream on its north side from Mina to the west line of the Tannehill league, some three miles east of the present Congress Avenue.

Among those who came up in 1830 [were] Reuben Hornsby, Martin Wells, Jesse Tannehill, and the Wilbargers, who had previously made their selections. But actual surveys were not made before March, 1830, as stated. All the travel from the lower country to the mountains, was over this trail. It was a rough road, over and around the hills in many places, crossing the creeks near their mouths. A rise in the river would back the water up the creeks, thereby rendering the road for a time impassable, except for horsemen, who would swim them.

The old road around Piney creek at Bastrop, following the trail, then pursued the route over the hills, crossing Sandy and Wilbarger creeks near the river; thence up the valley through Wilbarger’s prairie, Well’s prairie, Webber’s prairie, and Hornsby’s along the foot of the hills, crossing Gilleland and Walnut creeks not far from the river. The road ran over the hills in places where they bluffed on the stream. The Colorado between Bastrop and Austin is tortuous; and, as the old road conformed to the general course of the river, the distance was not less than ten miles greater than a trail that was sometimes traveled by crossing the river twice – once at Bastrop and again near the mouth of Wilbarger creek. Ox-wagons carrying freight, or families, and travelers on horseback or afoot, went the old road.

There were no regular stages until the fall of 1845. The first so-called stages, which were usually nothing but light two horse wagons, without springs, were put on by Brown and Tarbor (sic) during that year. The first Concord coach ever seen in Austin was in 1847. It was a novelty to many, especially those who had grown up in the country. It attracted much attention.

About 1850 a shorter route was opened. The road ran as before down the valley and crossed the river at the home of John D. Nash, about twenty-two miles below Austin (Nash resided upon the south bank.) From this point to Bastrop was about eight miles, the road pursuing nearly a straight course down the prairie valley, and crossing the river from the south side at the town of Bastrop, making the distance about 32 miles – a shorter and better route every way.

Noah Smithwick's Recollections of Indian Encounters at Fort Colorado

Noah Smithwick served as a ranger at Fort Colorado and recorded a number of stories about the fort in his memoir, Evolution of a State. Additionally, Frank Brown's Annals of Travis County and Austin and John Holland's Recollections of Early Texas retell some of these same stories, sometimes filling in details not always provided by Smithwick. Here then are some recollections of Fort Colorado from that angle, with an eye towards what can be gleaned about early trails and roads connected with the fort.

 

Indian Activity on Walnut Creek

Walnut Creek figures into a lot of Indian stories of early Austin. The following account is of interest with respect to trails as this section of Walnut Creek ("about three-quarters of a mile away") would have been part of the Camino Real de los Tejas:

A Stampede. A few men decided to take the horses out to graze in the early morning .. The animals were grazing towards Walnut Creek about three-quarters of a mile away, and were nearing the timber, when several Indians dashed out, yelling and blowing whistles. The horses snorted and started on a run, when an Indian on horseback rushed in ahead of them, and leading off up the creek, the remaining Indians following (Brown, Chapter 5, p. 3)

 

Indians Camped at the "Regular Crossing" of the Colorado

Smithwick was among the Rangers that participated in the following strike against a camp of Indians on the Colorado, and recorded in his Evolution of a State (p. 113):

One evening early in the spring of 1837 we were out on the parade, which was lighted by the silvery rays of a crescent moon, whiling away the time between supper and taps ... The festivities were brought to a sudden close by a bright flame that suddenly shot up on a high knoll overlooking the present site of Austin from the opposite side of the river. Fixing our eyes steadily on the flame, we distinctly saw dark objects passing and re-passing in front of it. Our scouts had seen no sign of Indians, still, we knew no white men would so recklessly expose themselves in an Indian country, and at once decided they were Indians. Hastily summoning Captain Andrews, we held a consultation as to the measures to be adopted for their capture. We surmised they had but just struck camp, otherwise they would have known their camp fire could be seen from the fort. The Indians, being on the other side of the river near the [or their, see Galveston Daily News article below] regular crossing, Captain Andrews suggested that we take an early start and intercept them at the ford .. [but] .. I urged that we start at once and surprise them in camp.… Selecting fifteen of the best mounted men, we were soon ready to start. The moon was getting low, and having the river to cross, we made all haste to get across before it went down. With the disappearance of the moonlight clouds blew up, obscuring the stars and making it difficult to keep on our course. We had the river to guide us, however, and, having scouted the country till we were familiar with every hill and ravine, we moved slowly forward. .. Picking our way through the brush, and stumbling over rocks, we watched and listened for any sign that might indicate discovery …In this way we consumed the greater part of the night.

The Rangers attacked the camp of sleeping Indians about day-break. The Indians were routed, one Indian wounded and one Ranger killed, with all Indian horses and "camp equipage" going to the Rangers. What we don't know from Smithwick's story is the ford of the Colorado at which the Indians were camped.

Jenkins in Recollections (p. 50) recounts this story, saying "The soldiers knew the hill from which the light gleamed..", but adds nothing as to where the Indians were camped.

Brown in Annals of Travis County provides a bit more detail on the story (pp. 6-7). Brown says the "regular crossing" was the Shoal Creek crossing, and says "the scrimmage here recited must have occurred not far from the present site of St. Edward's College. The distance from the fort to the scene of the fight, as the crow flies, must have been about five miles, while the distance traveled by way of the ford, must have been fully ten miles".

Brown's verbiage ("the scrimmage here recited must have occurred") may indicate some speculation on his part. Never the less, it's the best historical account of the location we have.

 

Trail of Indians

So the ford at Shoal Creek was what Smithwick considered the "regular crossing" of that time, and by "regular" we might assume most frequently used. This combined with the fact that the Indians were also camped near St. Edward's College on South Congress hints that the Indians may well have been headed north on Brown's "Trail Going North".

 

Trail of the Rangers

Given the prominence of the Shoal Creek crossing, the Rangers surely had an established route from the fort to the crossing. And recall, Jenkins indicated the Rangers seem to recognize the hill atop which the Indians were camped. If indeed they were on Brown's "Trail Going North", that was an old trail the Rangers would have been familiar with, after all, that was known as Old San Antonio Road, the route to San Antonio. The stage would years later run this trail to and from Austin and San Antonio. So the Rangers likely had knowledge of the route they needed to follow. But what was that route?

Barkley (p.9-10) describes the route by which early settlers entered Austin from Webberville. Travelling on today's FM 969 / Old Webberville Road, passing by Fort Colorado, turning south on Webberville Road to its' intersection with 7th Street, east on 7th until about the "900 block" (near where the French Legation would later be), then south toward 5th Street, then west over to Congress. This was the "route of Lamar on his triumphant entry into Austin as President of the Republic of Texas in the fall of 1839". The previous year, 1838, then Vice President Mirabeau Lamar stopped at Fort Colorado to procure an escort of Rangers before proceeding to Jacob Harrell's cabin near the Shoal Creek crossing of the Colorado. Lamar was on the buffalo hunt that famously led to his decision to recommend that location as the site of the future capital of Texas. And just a year previous to Lamar's buffalo hunt, Smithwick's Rangers needed to travel from Fort Colorado to the Shoal Creek crossing.

The Shoal Creek crossing and Congress Avenue are very close to one another so it may well be Smithwick's Rangers traveled a similar route along Webberville Road from the fort to the Shoal Creek crossing. If so, the route to the Indian campsite near present day St. Edwards University might have looked something like the following map. The measured distance of this route is 9 miles, close to the 10 miles given by Brown.

 

The Hill From Which the Light Gleamed

A final point about Smithwick's story that is worth examining: Could the Rangers in fact see a campfire on a hill near present day St. Edwards from the fort, some 5 plus miles away?

In Anne Thiele Holder's book about the Tannehill family, Tennessee to Texas, in describing a fictionalized conversation, Jesse Tannehill says "At the fort site, you can see as far as eight-ten miles in any direction". Today it's hard to visually confirm that from the site of Fort Colorado a hill by St. Edwards would be visible: Views are now obstructed by neighborhood trees and houses, and especially by the plethora of high rise buildings that now occupy downtown Austin.

Still, modern GIS provides hope. GIS tools are now available to allow one to analyze what geographical features are visible from a given location. Archeologists have use of such tools to analyze the prehistoric landscape. One such tool freely available on the internet is "Hey Whats That" (as in, "Hey, what's that peak there on the horizon?"). Below is a visibility cloak map created using the application. The X in the upper right marks the general local of Fort Colorado. The cross-hairs in the lower right mark the spot of a hill on the St. Edward's campus. Red indicates points which could (but for trees, houses and high rise buildings) be visible based altitude and curvature of the earth. Clearly, many elevated areas on the south bank of the Colorado might have been visible from the fort, especially if we consider that the Rangers might have been using an elevated position, say from the top of one of the fort's buildings or stockade.

Smithwick's story rings true!

Red indicates what is visible from Fort Colorado

A view from the St. Ed's Main Building hill looking north to general direction of Ft. Colorado

An article by Noah Smithwick from Galveston Daily News 1897

1839 Austin & Vicinity Map shows trail from Tannehill league (location of Fort Colorado) entry