Travel Encounters -- Caddo Mounds SHS, SH 21 W of Alto, TX
N 31° 35.911 W 095° 09.143
15R E 295793 N 3497946
The mysterious Caddo Indian Mounds were a prominent and famous sight for travelers along the El Camino Real. Now the trail ruts and the mounds are preserved at the Caddo Mounds State Historic Site west of Alto TX
Waymark Code: WMXK6K
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 01/22/2018
Views: 1
There are five interpretive signs and several Camino Real trail signs at the Caddo Mounds State Historic Site west of Alto TX. It was an essential stop for anyone on the El Camino Real because of the strangeness of the land and available water from springs and the Neches river nearby.
This sign reads as follows:
"TRAVEL ENCOUNTERS
Along El Camino Real de los Tejas
On a good day, a Spanish carreta, or wooden freight wagon, could travel up 18 miles before sunset along El Camino Real de los Tejas. In the 1750s, the driver might pass a group of Franciscan Friars in charge of the mission of San Miguel the Linares de los Adaes (now in present-day Louisiana). Next he might overtake several Caddo, possibly carrying a bois d’arc bow, corn, or other foodstuffs to trade farther west along the trail. In the distance, he may see sunlight glinting off the helmets and gun barrels of Spanish soldiers crowding the path.
In the space of a few miles our traveler has encountered 3 of the most influential types of traffic on El Camino Road Real de los Tejas: religious, trade, and military.
“The camino real, or more aptly the caminos reales, is more than a route, more than a series of parajes between two endpoints. It is a complex set of relationships between travelers and nature, buyers and sellers, governors and governed.” – Dr. Jesus de la Teja, Professor of Southwestern studies, Texas State University
Missionaries
The Franciscan order of the Catholic Church was responsible for establishing missions in East Texas beginning in 1690. They hoped to convert the local Native Americans to Christianity but did not meet with great success.
Ruts in the Road
Constant traffic over many years created ruts, known as swales, in the road. Some are still visible after hundreds of years. And in places, you can find several parallel road swales that allowed the traveler to choose the best route for that day’s journey.
Transportation
The carreta was the primary vehicle used by Spanish settlers and traders. It’s trademark wooden wheels measured up to 7 feet in diameter, and little, if any, metal was used in its construction. The carreta could be pulled by mules or oxen. The type of animal and the weight of the load determined the number of miles traveled in a day."
Feature Discription: El Camino Real Interpretive Sign
Web address for the route: [Web Link]
Secondary Web Address: [Web Link]
Beginning of the road: Natchitoches LA
End of the road: Guerrero MX
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Visit Instructions:
We ask that if you visit the site, please include a unique picture with your impressions of the location. If possible, and if you are not too shy, please include yourself and your group in the photo. Extra points will be given for your best buffalo imitation or if you are licking something salty.