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Gonzales County TX
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GONZALES, TEXAS

Suggested slogan: Come and enjoy it! ©

Gonzales County Seat, Central Texas South

29°30'32"N 97°26'52"W (29.508801, -97.447709)

Hwy 183, 13 miles S of I-10
65 miles S of Austin
65 miles E of San Antonio
130 miles W of Houston
Population: 7,165 (2020)
7,237 (2010) 7,202 (2000) 6,527 (1990)

Book Hotel Here › Gonzales Hotels

TX - Gonzales Courthouse Square<FONT FACE="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" SIZE="2"></FONT>
Gonzales Courthouse Square
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2009

Gonzales, Texas Topics:

  • History
  • Gonzales Chronicles - History, people & more
  • Gonzales Landmarks / Attractions
  • Gonzales County Courthouse next page
  • The former Gonzales County Jail next page
  • Gonzales County Towns next page
  • Gonzales Hotels › Book Here

  • TX - Gonzales County Courthouse, square with Soldiers
    Soldiers on parade with Gonzales County Courthouse in background
    Vintage photo courtesy Gonzales County Archives.

    A Short Description of a Town Long on History

    Outside of Nacogdoches, whose History predates the Texan Revolution, there is no town that figures so significantly in Texas History as Gonzales. Well, there is Brownsville. O.K. Nacogdoches, Gonzales and Brownsville. Of Course San Antonio goes without saying. 

    Gonzales is the only town of its size to retain its name from Spanish rule. It's ironic that this was the westernmost Anglo settlement in what was to become Texas. Beside it's being "The Lexington of Texas" and firing the first shot, it also was the only town to send reinforcements to the Alamo, a gesture that is understated in every History of the State. In return, Gonzales was burned to the ground in "The Runaway Scrape" and survived flood, other fires and John Hardin (who behaved himself both times he called Gonzales home). There was that little escape from the jail, but nobody got killed. With a history like this no wonder Gonzales developed a sort of self-imposed isolation for many years.

    Gonzales Hotels › Book Here

    Gonzales TX - Cotton Yard
    Cotton Yard in Gonzales - circa 1912
    Courtesy The Will Beauchamp Collection


    Gonzales, Texas
    Landmarks / Attractions



    TX - Gonzales County Courthouse 1939 old photo

    Gonzales County Courthouse
    1939 Photo courtesy TXDoT


  • Gonzales County Courthouse
    by Lou Ann Herda, Ed. D

  • Gonzales County Courthouse
    From the original April 23, 1896, issue of The Gonzales Inquirer

  • The Legend of the Courthouse Clock
    by Lou Ann Herda, Ed. D

  • Former Gonzales County jail, Gonzales, Texas designed by Eugene Heiner
    The Former Gonzales County Jail
    Designed by Eugene Heiner

    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson


    Sam Houston Oak, Texas historic tree
    The Sam Houston Oak
    by Mike Cox

    Photo courtesy Sarah Reveley, 2008


    TX - gonzales Memorial Museum

    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2009

    The Gonzales Memorial Museum

    More Gonzales Attractions
  • The Sam Houston Oak Mike Cox "Texas Tales" column
    The ancient tree shades a wide area just east of Peach Creek, 8.5 miles from Gonzales...

  • Driving Tour

  • Holiday Historic Home Tour, and Christmas Lights

  • Pioneer Village

  • Riverside Park

  • The Guadalupe River

  • The nine-hole golf course


    Sight Seeing
  • Gonzales, The Trip


    Gonzales Nearby Destinations
  • Gonzales County Towns
  • Cost
  • Lakewood
  • Palmetto State Park
  • Gonzales Hotels › Book Here

  • A Destination Worthy of a Drive

    Today, there's plenty to do and see, and it's certainly a destination worthy of a drive from Dallas as well as Houston. It's a mere 64 miles from Austin, and San Antonio is a brief and comfortable 66-mile drive.

    Bed and Breakfasts provide a civilized and relaxed way to visit, and for the more savage and pagan, there are two unusual and under-used parks only minutes away. The city itself has Independence Park with many amenities and views of the Guadalupe River come with nearly every picnic table.

    Gonzales is undergoing a skin shedding of sorts, with many houses undergoing restoration, following the lead of their magnificent courthouse. A Main Street City, it has shown its awareness of its own importance.

    Gonzales Hotels > Book Here

    Gonzales Chronicles

    Come & Take It
  • The Battle of Gonzales: "Come and Take It" by Jeffery Robenalt
    Although the Battle of Gonzales was, in reality, nothing more than a minor skirmish, its political consequences were far reaching.
  • It's that time again in Gonzales - Come & Take It by Murray Montgomery

  • Dr. Pat Wagner and the "Come & Take It" Cannon by Murray Montgomery
    Those of us who love Texas history can thank Dr. Wagner for the little cannon that is presently on exhibit at the Gonzales Memorial Museum.

  • Susannah Dickinson by Linda-Kirkpatrick

  • Richard Kimble and Almaron Dickinson, Heroic hat makers at the Alamo by Murray Montgomery

  • Old Mass Grave at Gonzales by Murray Montgomery
    In April of 1905, human remains were found in Gonzales while excavation work was underway at a site on St. Michael Street...

  • G.W. Fly: Confederate soldier and Texas statesman by Murray Montgomery
    While researching old issues of The Gonzales Inquirer from the year 1905, I came across the obituary of Mr. G.W. Fly. The Fly name is very prominent in the history of Gonzales...

  • Murder of Local Doctor During Reconstruction from Murray Montgomery's "Lone Star Diary"
    After the Civil War ended, folks in Texas and throughout the South underwent a phase in time known as "Reconstruction." During this period, the states that had previously been part of the Confederacy were now subject to military rule as well as, occupation by Union troops. Citizens of Gonzales, Texas, had to deal with the problem of enemy soldiers, in their hated blue uniforms, walking the streets ...

  • Slave Ada Stone by Murray Montgomery
    109-Year-Old Ex-Slave Recalls Days Long Past

  • "A River, A Town, and Memories" by Murray Montgomer
    Remembering Tillie McGill Bright
    "I met her one time and I will always cherish those few hours that we spent together — talking about the memories of her childhood in Gonzales, Texas..."

  • Small Town Artillery I -
    The Most Famous Piece of Ordnance in Texas

  • Small Town Artillery II -
    Gonzales: The Gun of August

  • The Gonzales Inquirer

  • The Texas, Gonzales, and Northern Railroad

  • Southern Clay

  • The Caracara - Vulture of the Millennium

    Gonzales Hotels › Book Here



  • Gonzales TX - Lynn Theatre with Neon Sign

    Lynn Theatre with Neon Sign
    See Barclay Gibson's Texas Theatre Old Neon Collection

    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2009



    Gonzales Tx - Display Cannon
    Display Cannon
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2009


    Gonzales Tx - Display Cannon
    Display Cannon
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2009


    Coca-Cola ghost sign in Gonzales, Texas
    Coca Cola ghost sign in Gonzales
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson

    More Ghost Signs | Coca Cola | Texas Towns


    Gonzales Tx - Brick Chimney
    Brick chimney
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2009


    Gonzales, TX - San Marcos River Bridge, Postmarked 1908
    Gonzales, TX - San Marcos River Bridge, Postmarked 1908
    Click on image to enlarge
    Postcard courtesy William Beauchamp Collection


    Gonzas, TX cotton shipped by railroad

    Shipping a carload of cotton, Gonzales, TX
    Postcard written June 5, 1912 Mailed to Paris, France
    Click on image to enlarge


    Gonzales, Texas Forum

  • Subject: Gonzales Inquirer - Thank You
    I'd just like to thank you for the blurb on the Gonzales Inquirer. My father, Paul Ziemer, served as Editor of the paper in 1953-55, and my mother, Margaret Ziemer, was (I believe) the first female editor in chief of that venerable paper, in 1956. - Eric Ziemer, August 07, 2004

  • All the DeWitt Colonists want to say thanks for the feature on our head municipality, Gonzales. Well done, it's hard to fish out because of poor record keeping, but contemporary Texians (and DeWitt Colonists) were a bunch of jokers half the time, in fact it's pretty well known that a significant portion of the Old 18 including alcalde Ponton were "pulling Col. Ugartechea and Lt. Castaneda's leg" on multiple events during the affair over a tube that could barely belch (or should we say vomit given a good powder emetic) out a potpourri of half-digested ordinance from local blacksmith trailings (it made a lot of noise though). - Wallace L. McKeehan, SONS OF DEWITT COLONY TEXAS, October 10, 1999

  • I found your website today and was both impressed and enchanted with the variety of material and humor. I liked the cow (steer?) over the Gonzales restrooms! - Bill Rau, SIDE ROADS October 13, 1999


    Editor's Note
    Each visit to Gonzales convinced us that their desire to show their town is a sincere desire to share. Our special thanks to the Chamber of Commerce for their candor and to the Historic Society who contributed the images you'll see throughout the trip. Thanks also to the citizenry of Gonzales (new and old) who took time from their daily routine to answer questions and give directions to us (most of which were correct). - 1999

  • TX  Gonzales  County 1920s Map
    Gonzales County 1940s map
    From Texas state map #4335
    Courtesy Texas General Land Office

    Gonzales County Town List
  • Albuquerque ghost town
  • Bebe
  • Belmont ghost town
  • Cheapside ghost town
  • Cost
  • Cranz
  • Dewville ghost town
  • Dilworth ghost town
  • Gonzales County Seat
  • Harwood
  • Hermis ghost town
  • Hickston
  • Hopkinsville ghost town
  • Leesville
  • Little New York
  • Monthalia
  • Nickel ghost town
  • Nixon
  • Oak Forest
  • Ottine ghost town
  • Saturn ghost town
  • Sedan ghost town
  • Smiley
  • Waelder
  • Wrightsboro ghost town

  • Contiguous Counties:
    Fayette County (NE) Lavaca County (E) Dewitt County (SE) Karnes County (SW) Wilson County (SW) Guadalupe County (W) Caldwell County (NW)



    Take a road trip

    Gonzales Area Major Cities:
    Austin | San Antonio | Houston
    See Gonzales County

    Book Hotel Here:
    Gonzales Hotels | More Hotels
    Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and new or vintage/historic photos, please contact us.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     


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