DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, most counties in Texas have got one government, maybe two if things got complicated. Bexar County?
Bexar County has had nine. Nine. And if that number doesn't make you sit up straighter in that seat, just wait until you hear how fast some of those governments came and went.
The administrative government of Bexar County is not only the oldest in Texas — it is, without question, the most well-traveled in terms of who was holdin' the reins. Let's ride through it. Spanish rule came first, arrivin' in May of 1718, and it held on for a good long while.
Nearly a century, in fact. But in January of 1811, a revolutionary force known as the Casas regime took things over. Now here's where the story gets interesting — and fast.
Five weeks later. Just five weeks. The counter-revolutionary Junta of Bexar overthrew the Casas government and eventually restored Spanish rule.
Five weeks. Some governments barely have time to change the letterhead. Then in April of 1812, the Republican Army of the North deposed the provincial Spanish government and declared independence from Spain outright.
Five months after that, Spain came back. Regained control and held Texas until 1821. That's four governments in about a decade, and the land itself never moved an inch.
When Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, Bexar found itself under what was called the First Imperial Government of Mexico — that's number five. But within two years, the emperor relinquished control to army leaders, and the Republic of Mexico was established as number six. Texas gained independence from Mexico in 1836, and that brought Bexar its seventh government — the Republic of Texas.
Then in 1845, Texas became the twenty-eighth state of the United States, and for a time, it seemed like the revolving door had finally stopped. It hadn't. In 1861, the southern states seceded to form the Confederacy, and Bexar County went along with the South — that's eight.
Following the Civil War, U.S. rule returned to Bexar County in 1865, completing the full count. Nine governments. One county.
The same ground, the same river, the same sky overhead — just a whole lot of different flags flyin' underneath it.
What the marker says
The administrative government of Bexar County, besides being the oldest in Texas, is distinguished by having served under nine governments. The community served under Spanish rule from May, 1718, until January, 1811, when it was taken over by the revolutionary "Casas regime". Only five weeks later, the "counter-revoluationary Junta of Bexar" overthrew the Casas government and eventually restored Spanish rule. In April, 1812, however, the "Republican Army of the North" deposed the provincial Spanish government and declared independence from Spain. Five months later the Spanish regained control, holding Texas until 1821. The fifth regime, "First Imperial Government of Mexico" was created when Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821. The emperor relinquished control to army leaders within two years, however, and the "Republic of Mexico" was established. Texas gained independence from Mexico in 1836, thereby establishing Bexar's seventh government, the "Republic of Texas". In 1845, Texas became the twenty-eighth state of the United States and remained in the Union until 1861, when the southern states seceeded to from the Confederacy. Following the Civil War, U.S. rule returned to Bexar County in 1865. (1967)