Apache Pass River Crossing

Apache Pass River Crossing (HM1LAF)

Location: Rockdale, TX 76567 Milam County
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Country: United States of America
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N 30° 41.394', W 97° 8.232'

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Inscription
The crossing over the San Xavier (San Gabriel) River in Milam county has been used as a passageway for centuries. Evidence shows that the area has been inhabited by humans for at least 10,000 years. During the eighteenth century, the land was inhabited by numerous native American tribes, including the Apaches. Tribes relied heavily on the plentiful water supply for agriculture and hunting. In the mid-1700's Spanish explorers saw the Apache Pass as a practical location for missions because of "the fact that there were several wide valleys suitable for irrigation...plenty of wood, a lot of stone..." Even though the Apaches made it clear they did not wish for the missions to be built in this area, the Spanish selected Apache Pass as the most desirable location.

The gravel bar across the river made it easily accessible by horseback or wagon. Three missions and a presidio were built in the area surrounding Apache Pass and were utilized between 1746 and 1757. Because of this, Apache Pass became a hub for Spanish explorers and settlers. After the missions were closed, the area continued to attract pioneers building homes on both sides of the river because of its fertile soil and fresh water supply. In 1913, a bridge was built across the river and traffic transferred to it. During restoration of the bridge, travelers were, again, using the gravel bar to traverse the river. In 2004, the United States Congress authorized the designation of a historic trail in Texas. El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail was recognized and the Apache Pass river crossing became a part of it as well as the National Register of Historic Places.
Details
HM NumberHM1LAF
Tags
Marker Number17269
Year Placed2012
Placed ByTexas Historical Commission
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Wednesday, June 24th, 2015 at 10:01am PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)14R E 678422 N 3396716
Decimal Degrees30.68990000, -97.13720000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 30° 41.394', W 97° 8.232'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds30° 41' 23.64" N, 97° 8' 13.92" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)512
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling West
Closest Postal AddressAt or near Co Rd 428, Rockdale TX 76567, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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