Goliad, Texas

Places Visited:

Texas: Goliad

As we passed through the small town of Bay City, Texas Joyce spotted this cute murial. The building was beside a RR track so the murial was fitting. Note the Jazz players hanging out of the window. We were traveling from Galveston Island into Victoria, Texas.

Murial on Commercial building in Bay City, Texas

To finish off our day we stopped by the small historic Texas town of Goliad. This is one of the first communities settled by Europeans/Americans in what is now Texas. At that time this territory was part of Mexico. The Goliad Courthouse is a set on a Square in the center of the city. Note the European architecture. On the ground of the courthouse is the famous "Hanging-Tree".

Historic Goliad Courthouse in Goliad, Texas

This is the historic Courthouse in Goliad, Texas. We stopped by to see the famous "hanging tree" that is on the grounds of this historic Courthouse.

Historic, Hanging Tree, on the grounds of the Goliad Courthouse

Believe it or not the "Hanging Tree" is ann official Texas Historic Landmark. You might say that the Goliad Hanging Tree is a symbol of Texas style justice. For many years in the mid-1800's court trials in Goliad County were held under this big oak tree. Death sentences were carried out promptly, courtesy of the tree's many handy noose-worthy branches.

The Hanging Tree also served as a gallows for a number of impromptu lynchings during the 1857 "Cart War" between Texans and Mexicans.

Estimates range into the low hundreds for those that met their fate hanging from the Goliad Hanging Tree.

Historic, Hanging Tree, in front of the Goliad Courthouse Goliad, Texas

Historic, Hanging Tree, in front of the Goliad Courthouse Goliad, Texas

If you ever wanted to know what a "Hanging-Tree" looked like this is one. Actually the picture above and to the right are the same hanging-tree.

Tornado forming between Goliad and Victoria, Texas

As we were driving back to Victoria and our motorhome a terrible looking storm came up. Joyce took these pics of a tornado trying to form. As far as we know it never touched the ground.

Tornado forming between Goliad and Victoria, Texas

Texas tornado forming between Goliad and Victoria, Texas.

Tornado aftermath between Goliad and Victoria, Texas

The tornado may never have touched the ground but you can bet the rain was a deluge. The circular motion in that super cell is evident.

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