The annual meeting of the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association will be held on Friday, May 16, on the campus of Texas State University. The meeting will be held in Room 204 of the Taylor-Murphy History Building in conjunction with the Alliance for Texas History and their annual conference.
Click here to register for our 2025 Annual Meeting.
Schedule:
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Check-In
12:00 PM – 12:15 PM: Welcome and Introductions
12:15 PM – 1:00 PM: Council on Indigenous and Tejano Communities – The Past Within Us, Discover local Indigenous and Tejano history in Hays County
CITC has made tremendous strides in bridging the gap of shared untold history by applying historical markers with the Texas Historical Commission. Nevertheless, with more than 40 percent of Hays County residents recognized as Mexican Americans, the status quo has far outweighed the disparity in historical markers for the community. In raising the sometimes-difficult questions about customarily followed practices that have created an avoidance of sharing Tejano and Indigenous history, CITC has been able to create educational opportunities and partnerships with the community.
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM: Dr. Charles Porter – Partners in Early Texas Development: Water, Acequias, and the Caminos Reales.
Irrigated agriculture was the economic cornerstone of early Spanish Texas. Surface water sustained people and livestock. Farm surpluses from the excellent acequia systems along the upper San Antonio River were carted to Espiritu Santo and other southern Texas missions via the Caminos Reales. The Caminos Reales provided the key transportation corridor for the emerging Spanish Texas economy, but not without conflict and, at times, seemingly insurmountable challenges.
1:45 PM – 2:00 PM: Break
2:00 PM – 2:15 PM: Recognition of Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra with our 3rd Annual Public Service Award
2:15 PM – 3:00 PM: Frank Briscoe – Before It Was Royal: Prehistory and the Early Built Environment Along the Camino
The history of various types of architectural structures along El Camino Real de los Tejas will be explored. From the Rio Grande to the eastern end of the trail, there are many types of structures with varied and unique histories.
3:00 PM – 3:45 PM: Christopher Rincon – The Treviño–Uribe Fort and Rancho, A frontier settlement on the Río Grande
The history and development of the Treviño-Uribe Fort in San Ygnacio, Texas will be discussed, as well as that of Los Corralitos – one of many ancient casas fuertes along the Rio Grande.
3:45 PM – 4:00 PM: Break
4:00 PM – 4:10 PM: Texas Historical Commission update
4:10 PM – 4:30 PM: National Park Service Update
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM: General Membership Business (Election of Board Members and Vote on Bylaws Amendments)
5:00 PM: Conclude
