SAN AUGUSTINE COUNTY

San Augustine County: For a number of years now I have traveled northeast from Houston up US Highway 59 to Lufkin Texas, then headed due east on highway 103 across lake Sam Rayburn to San Augustine County and the Angelina National Forest. To me this is really beautiful country with rolling hills and majestic tall forest of pine, oak and hickory accented by gorgeous dog wood trees in the spring. In the later part of the year towards fall and hunting season the forest is a blaze with color from sweet gum, oak and more. I would compare the color here to any stand of maple trees up north, and say we win hands down! Seriously, it is just beautiful! Take a trip around Lake Rayburn from Jasper to Lufkin to San Augustine and down highways 147, 103, 21, 96, 63 or 705. The traffic is light as the population for the county is only 8,865 from the 2010 census. The county seat is the city of San Augustine founded in 1837 and is one of the earliest cities in Texas. Be sure and stop on the old city square where the county court house and jail is located. There is alot of history waiting for ya there!


San Augustin, Texas

 It is also an interesting fact that as early as 1691 and for more than three and a half centuries people have been traveling through this part of Texas along what's now known as the Old San Antonio road or the Old Spanish Trail or El Camino Real. This road travels roughly from Natchitoches LA down to San Antonio TX, going through San Augustine County mostly east to west. The early Spanish explorers and priests built missions along this road to attract and convert Indians into settled Christian citizens. One such mission was the Mission Dolores, built in the early 1720's, at the present day town site of San Augustine, Texas off highway 96 & 21 near highway 147. The mission was not abandoned until 1773 so this mission was an active settlement for some 50 years, were the Spanish priests, soldiers and settlers interacted for the most part, peacefully with the local Indians. There are published accounts of many wagon trains and traders traveling through this area and along the Old San Antonio road. The Spanish often hauled silver and gold bars, coins and jewelry along this route to bargain for supplies needed on the long and dangerous trip to San Antonio. Not all of the Indians or early settlers  were friendly along the route and there were many stories about travelers that never made it all the way to their intended destinations. What happened to them and the gold or silver or jewelry will probably never be known for sure but that is certainly the stuff legends of buried treasure are made of.  So pull out that metal detector and dust off the GPS and do some treasure hunting anywhere from San Augustine to Nacogdoches to Bryan and on down toward San Antonio. The Old Spanish Trail is still marked and parts of the road are the exact same trail used many years ago. Of course now of days, you'll have to check with land owners first and please be aware that State and National Parks prohibit removal of artifacts or minerals found on the grounds. But Hey, other than that, knock yourself out and make yourself rich when you find that long lost cache of gold. Wow! would that be exciting or what! Now where in the world did I put that metal detector I use to have somewhere? lol


Spanish Gold Coins


The Old Spanish Trail & Mission Delores