Kings Highway
N 28° 18.695 W 099° 27.943
14R E 454341 N 3131806
#116 Kings Highway DAR pink granite marker is found on the left shoulder of CR 133 when driving from Artesia Wells, TX toward Catarina, TX.
Waymark Code: WMZEY0
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 10/31/2018
Views: 4
The trail known throughout Texas as the Kings Highway can also be called the El Camino Real, El Camino Real de los Tejas, Old San Antonio Road (OSR), and Royal Road. The Kings Highway, or El Camino Real de los Tejas, is really a series of trails that meandered and shifted over time as needs changed for the travelers. However, it stayed within a generally consistent direction and overall location. While other old mission trails in other states are also referred to as El Camino Real, this marker is in the context of the path connecting Mexico City to what is now Natchitoches, Louisiana. Within Texas, a few other labels are sometimes used when referencing the El Camino Real, such as the San Antonio to Nacogdoches Road; or, from during the Civil War era, the Camino Arriba.
The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) set these pink granite markers along a major portion of the El Camino Real de los Tejas in 1918, in conjunction with the State of Texas funding the cost of the markers. Many still exist today and are still visible along State Highway 21 and the State Highway OSR which are both documented as covering large portions of the El Camino Real de los Tejas trails. The Texas legislature declared the Old San Antonio Road as a Texas Historical Trail and more recently this trail was designated as a National Historic Trail.
This marker #116 is one that is not yet listed in Texas Historical Commission Atlas Dimmit County. There are four Kings Highway markers associated with Dimmit County that are accessible to the public: #115, #116, #117, and #118. One of the "findable" markers is #115 which originally was placed in Dimmit County, but got relocated across the county line into La Salle County. Kings Highway markers #116, #117, and #118 are safely within Dimmit County and are easily visible to public viewing. The other six markers within Dimmit County (#119 - #124) are on private property; and if they still exist, are closed to public viewing.
This pink granite Kings Highway marker #116 is found on the left shoulder of CR 133 when driving from Artesia Wells, TX toward Catarina, TX. The marker stone is on the left side of an entrance gate make of pipe that leads onto private land. The marker is along the fence row of barbed wire at the end of the pipe fence and is on the roadway shoulder. A tall sign reading "Piloncillo Ranch" is some yards from the pink granite stone and offers a good landmark to lookout for when trying to find the marker.
Additional References:
Old San Antonio Road: (
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Kings Hwy history: (
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El Camino Real Historical Trail: (
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Old San Antonio Road History: (
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