San Jacinto Battleground State Historical Park: A historical synthesis and archaeological management plan

The San Jacinto Battleground State Historical Park is located in Harris County, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of downtown Houston. The park is situated adjacent the San Jacinto River and about five miles (eight kilometers) northwest of where the river empties into Galveston Bay. The park is comprised of a little over 1,100 acres (445 hectares) that have been accumulated over the years, beginning in 1883. Management of the park has been in the hands of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department since 1965. The adoption of a new master plan and anticipated park development underscored the need to better understand the park's history and cultural resources. In early 2001, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department contracted The University of Texas at San Antonio, Center for Archaeological Research, to undertake a review and synthesis of the site's history. The work involved an archaeological resource evaluation of the park. In addition to developing a historical synthesis, this project was also designed to utilize the available historical documents, as well as interviews, to assess the probability that buried cultural resources are present throughout the park and to make recommendations as to the need for additional archaeological work, particularly prior to ground-disturbing activities.