DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say, four miles west of where you're rolling right now. Camp Number Ninety-Four, United Confederate Veterans. Established 1889, out in Limestone County, in an era when Texas still looked to its Civil War veterans for state leadership.
That's the world you have to picture — one where the men who'd fought were still around, still walking, still carrying weight in the room. And the room, in this case, was out of doors. One of numerous parks on river banks or other favored sites that pulled in large, popular annual encampments.
In 1892, the camp purchased a seventy-acre tract. Sold lots to shareholders. Named the streets for Lee, Jackson, and other heroes.
Laid it all out like a little Confederate republic tucked into the Texas summer. Now — every year, during the week of the full moon in August, members arrived. Set up housekeeping in tents, shacks, or brush arbors.
Statesmen came to make speeches. Old soldiers gave orations. There were memorial programs, reviews, concerts.
And then, of course, there was the eating. Fried chicken. Barbecue.
Brunswick stew. Sweet potato pie. Watermelons.
Special trains were run for years from Fort Worth, Dallas, and Houston just to get people there. In the peak years, five thousand people assembled on those grounds. Five thousand.
Under the August moon, somewhere in Limestone County, with a Civil War cannon called Old Valverde firing dawn and dusk salutes that carried far into neighboring counties — and that went on until 1940. So for decades, folks in the surrounding countryside knew exactly what time it was by that cannon's voice. The encampments weren't only about honoring Confederate veterans, though that was at the heart of it.
They were also occasions for family reunions. Whole branches of families finding each other again in the summer heat, the way Texans do — with food and noise and shade where you can find it. After the Mexia oil boom began in 1920, Colonel A.
E. Humphreys, a leader in petroleum development, built club facilities and promoted use of the park. That's one of the more quietly remarkable details on this marker — the reunion grounds surviving long enough to get folded into the oil boom years.
The reunion grounds, the marker tells us, are still dedicated to the memory of the late Confederate veterans. And in 2003, the Limestone County Historical Commission relocated this very marker to the actual site of the Confederate Reunion Grounds — so the story could finally stand exactly where it happened. Five thousand people, a full August moon, a cannon named Old Valverde, and fried chicken on the Limestone County air.
Some reunions have a way of echoing.
What the marker says
(4 mi. west) (Camp No. 94, United Confederate Veterans) Established 1889, in era when Texas looked to Civil War veterans for state leadership. One of numerous parks on river banks or other favored sites that drew large, popular annual encampments. Statesmen came to make speeches. There were orations by old soldiers; memorial programs, reviews, concerts. In 1892 the camp purchased this 70-acre tract; sold lots to shareholders; named streets for Lee, Jackson, other heroes. During week of full moon each August, members came to encampments; set up housekeeping in tents, shacks or brush arbors; entertained, feasting on fried chicken, barbecue, Brunswick stew, sweet potato pie, watermelons. Special trains were run for years from Fort Worth, Dallas, Houston. In peak years 5,000 people assembled here. Until 1940, the dawn and dusk salutes shot by Old Valverde, Civil War cannon, were heard far into neighboring counties. Besides giving honors to Confederate veterans, the encampments were occasions for family reunions. After the Mexia oil boom began in 1920, Col. A. E. Humphreys, a leader in petroleum development, built club facilities and promoted use of the park. The reunion grounds still are dedicated to the memory of the late Confederate veterans. (1965) This marker was relocated here to the actual site of the Confederate Reunion Grounds by the Limestone County Historical Commission, 2003.