looking for the best little town in texas (Gonzales, Howe: taxes, live in)

[Frodo2008]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

Does it even rain out there anymore?

The Austin/San Antonio area and Smithville even more so have been in a big drought for the last year and a half. So it hasn't rained much at all for a while now but lately that area has been getting some rain so the drought has lessened some.

[spanko75]

Originally Posted by NOTAM

temple is not a small town by any means. sheesh, i cant even find myself around all the highways and byways without GPS. now Belton, right next door, is a different story..

quote=spanko75;9137236]Temple

[/quote] lol, it's not that big that you need a gps. It's a great family town, more so than Killeen anyway. I live 2 miles from Lake Belton, so it's the best of both worlds to me.

[marmac]

I'm not a Texan, but a Minnesota friend who lived in South Padre Islands said if he moves back, he would look for a place roughly between Victoria and Waco.

I would be looking for many of the same things as the OP ( minus the schools and jobs)

[gy2020]

I like Seguin. Pop around 25,000 close to lakes on the Guadalupe river. Guadalupe River is the prettiest river in Texas, bt some accounts. 40 miles from San Antonio, 50 miles from Austin, 12 miles from New Bruanfels and 20 miles from San Marcos. Has the biggest 4th of July parade in small towns of Texas. I've been here 3 years now and was originally from San Antonio, but have lived in Austin, Houston and St. Louis.

[theloneranger]

Originally Posted by marmac

I'm not a Texan, but a Minnesota friend who lived in South Padre Islands said if he moves back, he would look for a place roughly between Victoria and Waco.

I would be looking for many of the same things as the OP ( minus the schools and jobs)

That describes about half of the state, unless he's talking about a town on 183 or 35.

Specifically on the route between the towns, there is Cuero, Gonzales, Luling, and Lockhart that are worth mention. Lockhart has the world's best BBQ. Gonzales is a historical town--the first battle of the Texas Revolution was fought in Gonzales--the "Come and Take It" banner you see so often in Texas originated with the Mexican army's failed attempt to confiscate the cannon Gonzales used to protect itself from Indian attacks.

[marmac]

He travels #77 on his trips from Minnesota to Tx ( Waco to Victoria.)

I'm guessing that was the area he was referring to, but he did not mention a specific town.

I would like to take a trip down and check out the area.

[Mr. Solis]

Originally Posted by theloneranger

That describes about half of the state, unless he's talking about a town on 183 or 35.

Specifically on the route between the towns, there is Cuero, Gonzales, Luling, and Lockhart that are worth mention. Lockhart has the world's best BBQ. Gonzales is a historical town--the first battle of the Texas Revolution was fought in Gonzales--the "Come and Take It" banner you see so often in Texas originated with the Mexican army's failed attempt to confiscate the cannon Gonzales used to protect itself from Indian attacks.

Interesting, I had just read the other day, that the Mexican Government had given cannons to people living in what we now call Texas, to defend themselves against whoever was just arriving in Texas, taking it as their own. Yea, even though Mexico City was very far away, and the Mexican Government was not that committed to rural Texas, which was the very northern tip of their vast lands, they still sent some cannons, but to no good ends. Looks like the Good Ol Boys were a bit more committed on making Texas their own, took the cannons away, now they call them their own. Some even say, "mexico tried to take the cannons away, but couldnt".

I think it was more like, the ones who were given the cannons, didnt have enough cannon balls, or couldnt shoot straight.

Btw, my dad lives in Bastrop, just east of Austin. It is a small town, has work, nice lake, nice green scenery, somewhat hilly. Mostly white people, some hispanics, and blacks. Nice town.

[theloneranger]

Originally Posted by Mr. Solis

Interesting, I had just read the other day, that the Mexican Government had given cannons to people living in what we now call Texas, to defend themselves against whoever was just arriving in Texas, taking it as their own. Yea, even though Mexico City was very far away, and the Mexican Government was not that committed to rural Texas, which was the very northern tip of their vast lands, they still sent some cannons, but to no good ends. Looks like the Good Ol Boys were a bit more committed on making Texas their own, took the cannons away, now they call them their own. Some even say, "mexico tried to take the cannons away, but couldnt".

I think it was more like, the ones who were given the cannons, didnt have enough cannon balls, or couldnt shoot straight.

Btw, my dad lives in Bastrop, just east of Austin. It is a small town, has work, nice lake, nice green scenery, somewhat hilly. Mostly white people, some hispanics, and blacks. Nice town.

A little off topic, but if you're interested in Gonzales' history here's a little bit from Wikipedia
"
The Mexican Constitution of 1824 liberalized the country's immigration policies, allowing foreigners to settle in border regions such as Mexican Texas. In 1825, American Green DeWitt was granted an empresarial contract with the understanding that he would settle 400 families in Texas.[2] The DeWitt Colony was centered around its capitol, Gonzales, which DeWitt established at the confluence of the San Marcos and Guadalupe Rivers.[3]
From its inception, the colony was a favorite raiding target of local Karankawa, Tonkawa, and Comanche tribes. An Indian raid in July 1826 left the town in ruins, and residents sought temporary refuge in a neighboring colony. The following year, DeWitt negotiated peace treaties with the Karankawa and Tonkawa, and residents returned to rebuild their community. The empresario had been unable to reach terms with the Comanche, who staged periodic raids of the settlement over the next few years.[4] Although unable to spare military troops to protect the town, in 1831 the political chief at San Antonio de Bexar sent the settlers of Gonzales a six-pound cannon.[5] Historian Timothy Todish described the cannon as "a small bored gun, good for little more than starting horse races".[6]
Within Mexico, there was much tension between federalists and those who advocated a more centralized government. In 1835, several interior Mexican states, angry at the increasingly dictatorial policies of Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna, took up arms against the Mexican government.[7] In Texas, a small group took advantage of the unrest to revolt against customs duties in June, in an incident known as the Anahuac Disturbances.[8] Wary of the potential backlash, colonists began forming militias, ostensibly to protect themselves from the native tribes.[9]
The settlers of the DeWitt Colony remained loyal to the Mexican government throughout the summer of 1835. Sentiments changed on September 10 when a Mexican soldier bludgeoned a local man. Outraged residents were convinced the soldier had no justification for his actions.[10] Given the recent unrest, Mexican authorities felt it unwise to leave the settlers with a weapon.[11] Colonel Domingo de Ugartechea, commander of the largest garrison in Texas, at the Alamo in San Antonio de Bexar, sent a corporal and five enlisted men to retrieve the cannon that had been previously given to the colonists.[10][11] According to historian Stephen Hardin, "the cannon became a point of honor and an unlikely rallying symbol. Gonzales citizens had no intention of handing over the weapon at a time of growing tension."[10] The few soldiers Ugartechea had sent were soon escorted from town, without the cannon.[10]"

[TexasNick]

Originally Posted by Mr. Solis

I think it was more like, the ones who were given the cannons, didnt have enough cannon balls, or couldnt shoot straight.

Quote of the day.

[Mr. Solis]

Yea, so the mexican government did supply cannons to settlements in what we now call Texas.

Gonzales was probably a little too far from Mexico City, for them to cry over a "small bored gun, good for little more than starting horse races."

Am I supposed to bask in the glory of white settlements who chose to overthrow the brown skinned poeple who invited them to help settle the area?

Bottom line is, the border is now the Rio Grande River. However, where I live in Texas, it is 95% mexican ancestry people. Its almost comical now to visit historical sites in south texas these days. Even though the population is predominantly mexican, the white historians seem to want to relish in how the white troops back in the 1800's were so dang accomplished?

Bitter am I? hahaaha
Its funny how we recite historical events with such accuracy, when none of us really have no idea what really really went on. I mean if you consider that probably 1 out of 500 events were even recorded, and those that were recorded probably were about half accurate.

funny little cannon anyways, better to have a gun and a horse, or at least a machete