April 21 is San Jacinto Day, a celebration of the last battle of the Texas Revolution in 1836. Although the battle was relatively short—just 18 minutes—it ended in a decisive victory that lead to the state’s independence from Mexico.
Well after the conflict, in 1856, the Texas Veterans Association began demanding the state create a memorial for Texas soldiers who died in the revolution. It took about 40 years for the state to come up with the money. But in 1897, Texas bought the land where the battle had taken place. The 1,200-acre site, just east of Houston, was turned into the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site.
In 1936, armed with funding from the New Deal, officials began construction of a $1.5 million monument on the property. It took three years to build. When finished, the 570-foot tall monument was the tallest in the world. And it still is today.
Octagonal in shape, the monument is mostly concrete, faced with native Texas limestone blocks. A nine-pointed star that’s 35 feet tall and weighs 220 tons caps the giant column. The star symbolizes the Lone Star Republic. An observation deck at the top of the monument lets visitors view the battlefield, as well as the Houston Ship Channel and Battleship Texas.
The base of the monument contains a 160-seat theater. It features a short film on the history of Texas. And there’s also a museum. The San Jacinto Museum of History has artifacts from various cultures that have called Texas home, as well as special objects from Mexican Texas, the revolution and the Republic of Texas. The monument also has a large reflecting pool. It measures 1,800 feet long and covers an area of more than 8 acres.
Each year, on the Saturday closest to San Jacinto Day, officials there stage the largest battle reenactment in the south. Hundreds of actors take part, dressed in period clothing and armed with replicas of weapons from the time. Events in recent years have attracted more than 12,000 visitors.
In honor of history and all that it has to teach, Veteran Energy wishes all of you a happy San Jacinto Day.
