VISITORS GUIDE: JACKSON COUNTY
Natural Attractions
Nine of the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail sites are in Jackson County. Ask for the map at the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. More than 225 species of birds have been documented at Lake Texana (No. 20) and Southern Bald Eagles can be seen from a viewing station on the east side of Palmetto Bend Dam Spillway. Nature programs are presented on weekends by the park rangers at Lake Texana. Phone for topics.
Spanish Colonial - French
Just three miles down river from Bennett Park is the site of La Salle's Fort St. Louis, a 17th Century French colony recently excavated by the Texas Historical Commission. The site of Fort St. Louis is not open to the public but a visit to Bennett Park matches the description of Garcitas Creek given by Henri Joutel in 1685. Dark, primal and mysterious, the park contains the northern most stands of Sabal Palm trees in Texas Ultimately the colony was destroyed by the Karankawas and then burned later by the Spanish.
The Texana Museum in Edna is one of seven La Salle Odyssey museums that will share artifacts from the discovery of the La Belle shipwreck in Matagorda Bay (1995) to tell the story of La Salle's expedition to Texas and how the fort and shipwreck were found and excavated more than 300 years later. It is anticipated that the La Salle Odyssey exhibits will be open sometime in 2003.
Native American
Each of the La Salle Odyssey museums will tell a different portion of La Salle's expedition. The Texana Museum exhibit will depict how the lives of the nomadic Karankawa Indians were changed by the arrival of La Salle and then the Spanish who were outraged that the French explorer had intruded upon their territory.
Stephen F. Austin Colony
Six families of Stephen F. Austin's "Old 300" were among the first Anglo settlers in Jackson County. The port of Texana emerged as the county's largest community. Originally named Santa Anna and renamed Texana, this old seaport is now under the waters of Lake Texana. Brackenridge Plantation Campground operated by the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority has an exhibit in their office with artifacts collected from Texana before the lake was created to serve as a water reservoir. A history trail includes the Brackenridge Cemetery. The campground's campsites, recreation building and covered pavilion are an ideal setting for a family reunion. The Texana Presbyterian Church, the first church to be built in Jackson County, has been moved to Brackenridge Plantation and has been restored.
Texas Revolution
The Otto Lawrence Children's Museum located in the historic old Jackson County Jail offers: a hands-on experience for children of all ages. It includes an old country schoolroom, old country store and post office plus vintage dress-up clothes and accessories to spark young imaginations and homemade games. Open by appointment, phone .
The Texana Museum (Edna) has models of building from old Texana, rosewood Chickering piano purchased by the widow of Major James Kerr, rare Nicolo Amati violin more than 300 years old ... exhibits depicting a country store, a cow hand's chuck box and samples of early barbed wire. To determine museum hours phone .
Other
Texana Outback Day features music ranging from German-Czech to Jazz ... County-wide Garage Sale (June) ... July 4th Celebration and Fireworks at Brackenridge Plantation Park ... Lone Star Legacy Weekend Fall Festival at Lake Texana State Park offers native plants and wildlife exhibits (October) ... Texana Music Festival at Brackenridge Plantation and Campground (Nov.) ... Outback Arts and Crafts Show ... Holiday Home Tour, including some historic homes (Dec.).