Presidio San Saba – Menard Texas
Located in the city of Menard Texas, the ruins of the Presidio San Saba are a reminder to the early Spanish exploration and attempts to colonize the territory. While the site has not yet been reconstructed, walking around the grounds does offer the visitor a feeling for the size of the presidio and a careful reading of the welcome sign does give an insight into the area’s history.
1) Presidio San Saba
- Originally established in April 1757 as San Luis De Las Amarillas Presidio
- Original purpose was support for Santa Cruz de San Saba Mission
- First place Europeans had a conflict with the Comanche
- Comanche’s had horses and guns from the French, were a superior fighting force
- In 1758 the Mission was attacked by 2,000 Comanches and their allies
- By 1772, unrelenting attacks by various tribes caused the Presidio to be moved
- Remains of the Presidio are being reconstructed for historical purposes
2) Menard County
- Located in Central Texas at the intersection of U.S.Highway 83 and State Highway 29
- The county encompasses approximately 902 square miles in the heart of Central Texas
- Terrain is rolling hills
- The San Saba River serves as the main drain of the area
- Wide variety of wildlife, includes foxes, deear, opossums, turkeys, badgers, many other species
- Early settlers of the area included the Apache and Comanche
- Comanches were frequent raiders of the early settlements
- James and Rezin Bowie traveled the San Saba Valley in the 1830s to look for a silver mine
- Formed from Bexar County in 1858
- Named for Michel Branamour Menard, the founder of Galveston
- The county had its first official government in 1871, did not participate in the secession vote
2) City of Menard
- Located one mile from San Luis de las Amarillas Presidio
- Original name was Menardville when founded in 1858
- Mendardville served as an overnight stop on north and west cattle trails
- First courthouse was built in 1872
- 1899 San Saba River flooded the town
- 1910 town was renamed Menard at the request of the Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railrood Company
- Town was market for livestock, will, and mohair, along with oil production