History:  The First Capital of Texas in Louisiana, Sabine, & Natchitoches Parish
Source:  Sabine Index, Many, La., Feb. 28 1996
Submitted by: Carl Dilbeck
              carlrad@earthlink.net 

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(EDITOR'S NOTE: The following was written by Aida Mumford Calhoun. The
late Ms. Calhoun was the aunt of the late Virginia Godfrey of Many.)

YOU HAVE TO GO TO LOUISIANA...
By
Alda Mumford Calhoun

   ... to see the FIRST capital of Texas. No foolin'. And I can tell
you how to get there because you'll have to be told. Something else --
better have good springs on that old jalopy and a fresh grease job as
you'll be going into some of the most beautiful wilderness you will
ever see. And you will make some of the trip off the paved highway.
Perhaps you know your Texas history so well you're cognizant of the
fact that Austin, Texas wasn't down there legislating from the
beginning. I didn't study Texas history and for a long time didn't
know The Big States' first capitol was less than a morning's drive
from where I was born and "reared up" in Louisiana, and that for 52
years, 13 royal governors ruled the Province of Texas there for the
King of Spain. Where -- from 1721 to 1773 -- was the civil and military
capital of Texas.
   Briefly told, the story of how this happened goes that one
Juchereau de St. Dennis, a Frenchman, an explorer and a writer and
said to be the great "traveling salesman" of his time, as well as the
greatest lover of that day, came paddling up the Red River with a
cargo of French merchandise. Still further up, he built a storehouse
on Cane River, near where the town of Natchitoches ' now is.
   In time, he pushed on further westward into Texas, then a Spanish
Province. But here, and in short order, he found he was strictly
de trop. His presence, being a Frenchman, was bad enough, but selling
French goods on Spanish territory was little less than a crime. So the
gay chevalier was arrested and thrown in prison.
   All this took place and was a result of France and Spain being at
daggers' point over the boundary line of this long disputed territory
between the Red and Sabine Rivers.
   But St. Dennis wasn't one to be deterred by the fact that his own
country and Spain were at each other's throats. He promptly fell
head-over-heels in love with the daughter of the Spanish Commandant,
married the senorita, and on top of that, lead a Spanish expedition
back into the Territory of Louisiana.
   It was in 1717 when he finally arrived with his garrison to the
spot in the wilderness that was destined to become the first capital
of Texas. It was only 15 miles from France's westernmost outpost and
he named this chosen spot Los Adaes.
   Later, Los Adaes was abandoned, but not for long. On August 29,
1721, 100 soldiers, 100 colonists and a band of Spanish Priests,
herds of livestock and six small cannons from Zelaya, Mexico, worn
and weary, trudged and wee hauled into Los Adaes. It had taken eight
months for the journey through the wilderness. But this time they came
with a purpose and to stay, of and here the capitol of The Province of
Texas remained for 52 years -- that's a long time.
   In the course of centuries, Los Adaes or Spanish Town, has
accumulated such a variety of true history, tradition and legends that
the writing of it has the flavor of potpourri. France, Spain and
England all three left some of their customs, language and culture
as there along with the more rugged of Mexican with his pack train
and of course the early American, and Indian.
   History records that there was a stockade of tall cypress posts,
sharpened at one end and planted firmly in the ground that completely
surrounded the First Capital of Texas. There was an old stone Fort
where soldiers were garrisoned. An Inn or tavern, built of peeled pine
poles, spread out with any number of rooms and sharp-roofed additions
jammed closed together until the collection resembled a huge
chicken-coop.
   Here, behind the protective a wall of cypress posts, in the Spanish
Capital of Texas, they came to drink and fight, to love and die - still
pioneers, still adventurous and unconquered.
   Louisiana hasn't allowed the first capital of Texas to go back into
the ever encroaching wilderness of Natchitoches Parish. The site has
been made a beautiful state park, and the Texas and a Louisiana
Daughters of the American Revolution have put a market there.
   Adaes is approximately 60 miles below Shreveport, with a paved
highway to Haygood from there it's only a short distance by dirt road.
Natchitoches, on Cane River and famous for its numerous art colonies
up and down the river, also for Roark Bradford (writer) is only 15
miles away. Black Lake, admittedly the best fishing spot in the nation,
is near, and. "Grandicore" (Grand Echo) important in the history of the
Yattessee Indians near and on a by-way of the Old Spanish Trail.
   After the Adaesans made that disastrous trip to the Brazos in 1778,
led by General Gonzales who died en route, the few who returned stopped
on Cane River where they found the permanent City of Natchitoches. And
thus ends the story of how the great Province of Texas was ruled for more
than half a century from a capital "deep in the heart of Louisiana."