Kings Highway - Texas Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

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 #118 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, #115, 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 #118 is found on the right side of US-83 when driving through the town Catarina, TX on the way to Carrizo Springs, TX. This is found right before the highway bends into a curve and heads northwest as it leaves Catarina. There is a another large informational marker about the El Camino Real just a few feet away from this Kings Highway stone marker. This Kings Highway marker is the last accessible marker of the ones placed along the El Camino Real by V.N. Zively's survey in 1918. The rest of the markers are on private land and not available to public viewing. For you who have sought out these Kings Highway markers from Sabine County all the way through to Dimmit County to here, it has been quite a ride but this is the end of the trail.

Additional References:
Old San Antonio Road: (visit link)
Kings Hwy history: (visit link)
El Camino Real Historical Trail: (visit link)
Old San Antonio Road History: (visit link)

Marker Number: -None- Marker Text: Kings Highway Camino Real Old San Antonio Road Marked by the Daughters of the American Revolution And the State of Texas A. D. 1918

Visit Instructions:
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Date Logged Log   12/02/2018 WayBetterFinder visited it