San Jacinto Monument

The San Jacinto Monument is a high column located on the Houston Ship Channel in Harris County, Texas near the city of La Porte. The monument is topped with a 220-ton star that commemorates the site of the Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. The monument, constructed between 1936 and 1939 and dedicated on April 21, 1939, is the world's tallest monumental column and is part of the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site. By comparison, the Washington Monument is tall. The column is an octagonal shaft faced with Texas Cordova shellstone, topped with a Lone Star—the symbol of Texas. Visitors can take an elevator to the monument's observation deck for a view of Houston and the .

The San Jacinto Museum of History is located inside the base of the monument, and focuses on the history of the Battle of San Jacinto and Texas culture and heritage.

The San Jacinto Battlefield, of which the monument is a part, was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 19, 1960, and is therefore also automatically listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designated an Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1992.

History

In 1856, the Texas Veteran's Association began lobbying the state legislature to create a memorial to the men who died during the Texas Revolution. The legislature made no efforts to commemorate the final battle of the...
Read More