Lorenzo State Historic Site

Transcription

(wind) (music) >> RISING FROM THE FLAT TEXAS WETLANDS ALONG THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL, IT IS ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE SYMBOLS OF TEXAS HISTORY. A SOARING MONUMENT TO COMMEMORATE A SMALL BATTLE WITH HUGE CONSEQUENCES THAT TOOK PLACE UPON THIS FIELD IN 1836. (music) MEXICO'S PRESIDENT SANTA ANNA AND HIS ARMY HAD COME TO TEXAS, A PART OF MEXICO AT THE TIME, TO PUT AN END TO THE REVOLUTION FOR TEXAS INDEPENDENCE. AFTER MASSACRES AT THE ALAMO AND GOLIAD, SANTA ANNA AND HIS SOLDIERS MARCHED IN PURSUIT OF SAM HOUSTON AND THE TEXAN TROOPS. THE TWO FORCES MET ON THE OPEN FIELDS OF SAN JACINTO. THE MEXICAN TROOPS WERE RELAXING, COMFORTABLE IN KNOWING THEY HAD 1,300 TRAINED SOLDIERS TO SAM HOUSTON'S 750 UNTRAINED TROOPS. THE AFTERNOON ATTACK BY THE SMALLER TEXAS ARMY ON APRIL 21ST, 1836, WAS UNEXPECTED, TAKING THE MEXICAN ARMY COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE. EIGHTEEN MINUTES LATER THE MEXICAN ARMY WAS IN DISARRAY. THE VICTORY SECURED TEXAS INDEPENDENCE. >> THIS MONUMENT WAS BUILT TO BE A MEMORIAL, TO REMIND US OF THE SACRIFICES OF ALL THOSE WHO FOUGHT FOR TEXAS INDEPENDENCE. AND WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE THEY SEE THAT SINGULAR VISION IN THIS SAN JACINTO MONUMENT. >> DEDICATED ON SAN JACINTO DAY IN 1939, THE BUILDERS OF THE MONUMENT INVENTED TECHNIQUES DESIGNED ON THE SPOT THAT ARE STILL IN USE BY CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES TODAY. AT 567 FEET ABOVE THE BATTLEGROUND, THE GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS LISTS THE STRUCTURE AS THE TALLEST MONUMENTAL COLUMN IN THE WORLD. >> WE HAVE UTILIZED EVERY SQUARE FOOT OF THIS BUILDING. WE CURRENTLY HAVE A WORKING RESEARCH CENTER FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO LEARN ABOUT THE WONDERFUL HISTORY OF THIS STATE. WE ALSO HAVE A GALLERY FULL OF EXHIBITS WHICH REFLECT THE ARTIFACTS AND DOCUMENTS OF THAT TIME. WE ALSO HAVE ONE OF THE BEST HISTORICAL INTERPRETATIONS IN OUR THEATER FOR TEXAS STUDIES. >> FROM THE OBSERVATION FLOOR VISITORS CAN VIEW THE RICH TAPESTRY OF THE TEXAS COASTAL AREA, INCLUDING RESTORED WETLANDS, THE BATTLESHIP TEXAS, AND THE SACRED BATTLEGROUND. >> THE MONUMENT REALLY HONORS BOTH SIDES OF THE BATTLE, BOTH MEXICO AND TEXAS, AND OF COURSE INDEPENDENCE WON FOR TEXAS FROM MEXICO AT THIS SITE. AND SO WHAT BETTER SITE TO HAVE THIS MAGNIFICENT MONUMENT, ERECTED TO HONOR ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS. SINCE ABOUT 1990 THERE'S BEEN A GROUP OF ASSORTED LIVING HISTORIANS WHO HAVE ASSEMBLED ON THE SATURDAY CLOSEST TO SAN JACINTO DAY, APRIL 21, TO REENACT THE BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO. (canon fire) WE'D INVITE YOU TO COME, IT'S FREE TO THE PUBLIC AND IT'S A WONDERFUL TAPESTRY OF COLOR AND SOUND AND SMELLS. (music) >> THIS PLACE EMBODIES THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF PEOPLE LIKE SAM HOUSTON, AND LORENZO DE ZAVALA, LAMAR, SIDNEY SHERMAN. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT LEAD THE WAY FOR TEXAS TODAY.