The Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau and the National Trails Intermountain Region office of the National Park Service in cooperation with Stephen F. Austin State University invite the public to the grand opening of a photographic exhibition on El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail. The event will take place on Saturday, June 4, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at The Cole Art Center @ the Old Opera House at 329 East Main St., Nacogdoches, Texas. The opening will feature guest speaker, Jeffery M. Williams, GIS Systems Administrator for SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry & Agriculture, on his involvement with the National Park Service’s National Historic Trails office.
Lucky Loop Swales, photographed in Sabine County, Texas, is one of the many photos featured in Christopher Talbots El Camino Real Photography Exhibition. (Click to make larger)
“Come join us to view and enjoy breathtaking images that offer a glimpse of the significance and beauty of the historic resources associated with El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail,” said Melissa Sanford, executive director of the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The exhibition comprises more than 30 photographs by Professor Christopher Talbot, of Stephen F. Austin State University’s School of Art. Talbot captured outstanding images of trail swales, acequias, river crossings, forts, missions, presidios, and other original remnants along the old route that will be on display at The Cole Art Center through July 23, 2011. His work is supported by Stephen F. Austin State University and the National Trails Intermountain Region’s Challenge Cost Share Program.
El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail was designated by Congress in 2004 to commemorate significant historic routes extending from the international border at the Rio Grande to the easternmost section of the Spanish province of Texas in Natchitoches Parish, La.
The trail long pre-dates the establishment of the United States. In the 1680s when the Spanish began to travel regularly into Texas and western Louisiana, they followed already existing American Indian trails. The Spanish used these paths to reach areas where they established missions and presidios. Eventually armies and immigrants followed these routes, which led to Euro-American settlements across the two states. Many of these roads continued to be used and became part of modern highway systems. In many places Spanish names for roads and landscape features have been retained. Physical remains of the trail are testimony of a rich heritage and to the significant events that occurred along the trail.
This photographic exhibition will be traveling to other locations in Texas and Louisiana through September 2011. For more information on future showings, please contact the following:
Christopher Talbot
School of Art
Stephen F. Austin State University
talbotck@sfasu.edu
936 468-2468
Susan C. Boyle
National Trails Intermountain Region
Susan_Boyle@NPS.gov
505 988-6004
Steven Gonzales
Executive Director
El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association
stevengonzales@msn.com
512 850-9073
