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Goliad TexasINTRODUCTION HISTORY The Spanish government sent an emissary to inspect the northern frontier of its North American colonies in 1747, including Spanish Texas. By 1749, Spain wanted 25 Mexican families to live near a local presidio (La Bahía) and the mission it guarded to form a settlement, but there were not enough willing settlers. With the conclusion of the Seven Years War in 1767, Spain again commissioned an inspection of all the presidios on the northern frontier of New Spain and make recommendations for their future. La Bahia was saved and actually rebuilt in stone. La Bahia was soon the only Spanish presidio along the entire Gulf Coast from the Rio Grande to the Mississippi River. The presidio sat along several major Spanish trade and military routes and quickly became an important area. A civil settlement, also known as La Bahia, soon developed nearby. By the end of 1821, Mexico had achieved its independence from Spain, and Texas became part of the newly created country. In 1829, the name of the village of La Bahía was changed to Goliad, an anagram of Hidalgo (omitting the silent initial "H"), in honor of the patriot priest Miguel Hidalgo, the father of Mexico's independence. On October 9, 1835 a group of Texians attacked the presidio in the Battle of Goliad. After a short skirmish, the Mexicans surrendered. The first declaration of Texas independence was signed here on December 20, 1835. Texians held the area until March 1836, when the Texian were defeated at the nearby Battle of Coleto. The Texian survivors were imprisoned at the presidio until March 27, 1836, when they were executed in an event known as the Goliad Massacre. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO ATTRACTIONS RESTAURANTS LODGING 
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