• Originally published May 16, 2008 at 9:23 a.m., updated May 16, 2008 at 9:23 a.m.

GOLIAD – The shades of green are endless this time of year in Texas, as are the outdoor activities. Lovers of the early summer can spend a day in nearby Goliad State Park that offers more than just history, it offers a serene setting for picnics, hiking, biking and paddling. Over 300 years ago, the Spanish built Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga on the banks of the San Antonio River and found it to be an ideal location.

Today, it continues to be ideal, offering just about every outdoor activity imaginable. Beth Ellis, Goliad State Park Specialist, recommends going early in the summer when it’s cooler, arriving in time for the 10 a.m. programs, hiking and picnicking, followed by the 2 p.m program. She said a day in the region can be spent at one of the many interesting sites including the Presidio La Bahia, the fort built to protect the mission, the town square, the Market House Museum, or nearby Fannin, where the Fannin battleground is located.

Q: What are some of the upcoming programs at the park?

A: “In July, we have a program called Adventures in Camping for kids ages 9-12. It will be four or five days of day camping. Then, that Friday night, the kids who are participating will have the opportunity to camp over with their families. We are trying to get kids a little more familiar with being out in nature. We teach them different skills they can practice and give them a better understanding and awareness of the natural world. It’s a fun thing. Parents need to preregister their children by calling 361-645-3405. Also in July, we are going to have an exhibit throughout the month on the Civilian Conservation Corps in Texas state parks and its contribution. The Summer Flotilla is June 7; it is a free event on the San Antonio River."

Q: What was the CCC?

A: “Franklin D Roosevelt came into office right after the Great Depression really got going. The CCC was first enacted under the New Deal. It was meant to restart the economy of the country by giving young men jobs. They were paid a paycheck, most of which went home to mom and dad. They got to keep a little bit of it in their pockets every month, but it was meant to jump start the economy and keep people from starving. That’s one thing that people like us don’t understand today - how terrible the Great Depression was. There were people who were starving to death in this country. I’m not talking about the itinerant poor. I’m talking about middle-class people who lost their life savings, lost their jobs, and they were starving. I’ve had the opportunity to talk to CCC vets over the years since I started working here, and I had several say to me that if it 'hadn’t been for the CCC, and the paychecks I was able to send home to mom and dad, we would have starved.’”

Q: When was the CCC here working?

A: “From 1935-1941.”

Q: Is the CCC still in existence?

A: “"Interestingly enough it is still on the books. Congress could fund the CCC now if it wanted to. It was a wonderful program. The funny thing about it is that they were meeting that immediate need in the ’30s trying to get food on people’s tables. And here we are all these years later still benefiting from that program. It is a lasting testament to the quality of the work they did and to that program.”

Q: What are some of their contributions here in Goliad?

A: “Our site is a Spanish Colonial site but it fell into ruin when it was abandoned, for about 100 years. When the people of Goliad decided to turn this into a state park, they worked to bring a CCC camp here to restore it. The CCC did a lot of historical research and archeology, and then they did the reconstruction that you see now. When you look at our site, you see Spanish colonial, but equally important is our CCC heritage. On top of that we have the Texas Parks and Wildlife history. TPWD became involved in the late ’60s.”

Q: You mentioned this site has essentially been here since the 1700s when the Native Americans were living here. Are there examples of Native American pieces?

A: “In our museum up in the mission, we have a lot of artifacts that were excavated by the CCC or Texas Parks and Wildlife. People can see examples of everyday pieces of equipment, tools and things that Native Americans used here.”

Q: What made this site a good place originally for the mission?

A: “Two-thirds of the park is bounded by the San Antonio River, so there was water available. Another thing is the limestone outcroppings here. They used that for quarrying to build the buildings here. When they established the mission here, they ended up turning it into a big cattle ranch. In those days, back in the 1700s, this place was wonderful prairie land, perfect for running cattle. It was an ideal spot for them to set the mission up here. They had grasslands for cattle, the river for water, and a stone source for building.”

Q: What other features are available here at Goliad State Park for day trippers?

A: “We have the museum, our chapel exhibit, our workshop exhibit, picnic facilities and we have the river that goes right around the park. And not everyone realizes this, but you don’t have to have a fishing license to fish if you are inside of a state park. People who perhaps don’t have a fishing license or they can’t afford one, well, they can go to a state park because they’ll be allowed to fish. We’ve got big catfish in our river.

On the weekends, we have programs on Saturdays and Sunday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. We are open 8 a.m to 5 p.m. seven days a weeks. The grounds close at 10 p.m.”

Christina Burke is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact her at 361-580-6516 or cburke@vicad.com or to comment on this story go to www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.

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