San Jacinto Monument & Museum - La Porte, Texas

The Dining Companion mentioned that he would like to visit the San Jacinto Monument. (There is an observation deck there that offers a wonderful view of the area.) Sounded good to me. Not knowing anything about the monument or why it stood where it did, I did a little research.

The battleground that surrounds the monument was the sight of a very important battle for what was to become a large part of the US. This was where, on April 21st 1836, General Sam Houston's troops dealt a deadly blow for the Republic of Texas.

...the United States would gain not only Texas but also New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, California, Utah and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming.
As a result of the Battle of San Jacinto, almost a third of what is now the United States of America changed ownership. It is one of the most decisive and consequential battles in the history of the United States and indeed the Western world.

San Jacinto Battleground

San Jacinto Battleground

 

After walking around the lobby of the museum and checking out some of the exhibits, we took the elevator to the observation deck. 

I love dioramas.

 

 

 

The ride to the observation floor just about 500 feet above goes very quickly.

We tried to pick as clear a day as possible to take the best advantage of the views. As you can see from the pictures below there was haze at the horizon. The view of the city of Houston was obscured but we were still able to see for miles in all directions. 

 

The ship in this picture is the Battleship Texas another nearby attraction

 

Reflecting Pool

 

The city of Houston is barely visible through the haze on the horizon

The San Jacinto Monument and Museum not only makes history exciting, with the help of video presentations and maps, it helps it to come alive. It's interesting to see the current landscape compared side by side with the terrain of the past. If you find yourself in the Houston area with some time to kill this is a side trip will worth your time.

Happy travels!

Note to Flat Penny collectors: There are two Press-A-Penny (Flat Penny) machines on the observation deck at the San Jacinto Monument.