The Oldest Czech Settlement - Texas Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

South of La Grange, TX, State Highway 77 (SH 77) connects La Grange to IH-10. About 4 to 5 miles south of La Grange, you should observe a brown informational highway signs telling you there is a historical marker located there. In this case, the historical marker (on the right of the road if driving south from La Grange, or on the left side of the road heading north toward La Grange). There is not only a TX historical marker at this large, shady area off the side of the road, but there is also a large, imposing monument to a citizen who was very influential to the development of the Czech community as well as to the development of Texas.

This historical marker tells of the establishment of the first, and thus oldest, Czech settlement in Texas. It was established in 1856 by six (6) family groups from Czechoslovakia who settled in this area between November and December of 1856. Names of the paternal heads of the families are listed and the settlement was given the name of Hostyn, TX.
The marker is of gray marble about 4 feet high, renting on a larger square base of concrete. At the top of the stone marker is a bronze laurel with the lone star of Texas inside the wreath. Only the face of the marker is inscribed. Nothing is engraved on the back of the marker. It is shaped like a large head stone and is close to the edge of the actual highway. About 100 feet behind it, under the boughs of a large oak tree is a citizen memorial made of red granite. Both of these markers are easily visible from the highway when approaching them from either direction.

Additional references:
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Marker Number: 1141 Marker Text: in Texas was established at Hostyn when in November 1856 the families of Josef Janda Valintin Kolibal Frantisek Koza Arrived here from Czechoslovakia and in December 1856 arrived here Alois Klimicek Benjamin Klimicek and Frantisek Marak Erected by the State of Texas 1936

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Date Logged Log   03/15/2017 Benchmark Blasterz visited it 12/20/2012 WayBetterFinder visited it

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