Caddo Grass House and El Camino Real Festival (October 2016)

Caddo Grass House and the El Camino Real Festival

By Deborah Burkett

In an April 2015 story, I heralded the exciting news that a Caddo Grass House would rise again along Highway 21 southwest of Alto. This exciting archeological adventure was planned by the Caddo Mounds Friends Group led by President Jeff Williams, with guidance from Site Manager, Anthony Souter and Educator/Interpreter, Rachel Galan.

Early on in the process as chairman of the Cherokee County Historical Commission (CCHC), I was thrilled when CCHC members voted unanimously to help fund the project as well as volunteer to roll up our sleeves for each phase of the grass house.

As the accompanying photos illustrate, we thoroughly enjoyed this once in a lifetime experience.

This month, in conjunction with the El Camino Real Festival and the 180th Celebration Year of Texas Independence, the Cherokee County Historical Commission is sponsoring Sunrise - Sunset activities. Join us for refreshments and history displays as we watch the sun come up and also set on Saturday Oct 22nd. This activity will provide a great photo op-especially at sunset. Take photos of the Caddo Grass House with the sun setting in the background.

Caddo Mounds, known to archeologists as the George C. Davis Site was a regional center of the Caddo for almost 500 years. Then, for reasons unknown, the site was basically abandoned about A.D. 1300.

The first scientific excavations were conducted from 1939 to 1941 by H. Perry Newell, a University of Texas archeologist with the Work Projects Administration (WPA). Further excavations in the 1960s and early 1970s by Dee Ann Story pinpointed the timeline of the Caddo site. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department established a historic park in 1974 and in 2008 the Texas Legislature transferred operational control of the property to the Texas Historical Commission.

We're fortunate to have such an historic site in Cherokee County and it behooves all of us to support it. See you Oct 22 for the 3rd Annual El Camino real de los Tejas Festival. The event is free, but donations will be accepted by the Friends of Caddo Mounds. The bulk of the "doings" will be from 10 am to 3 pm--travel back in time at Caddo Mounds. Enjoy food, fun, pioneer skills, presentations, crafts, music, native plant hikes, archeology month activities, and more.