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Always the Center for Travel and Commerce in the Yesterdays — About the Old. Spanish Trail.
The dedication of the zero milestone of the Old Spanish Trail on March 27 and the decision to place the stone by San Fernando Cathedral, thus perpetuating the center for all roads and surveys since the beginning of Spanish history, make data respecting the old routes of interest.
The above map is a tracing from old records. It will be observed only a crude idea of geographical relations existed back in the period of this map. The old stage coach route from San Antonio to San Diego did not develop until a later period. .
Old Spanish Trail headquarters is building up historical records from all possible sources. Soon it is expected a map can be prepared from an accumulation of records which will show all the ancient routes.
El Camino Real, from the City of Mexico to •San Antonio and on to Nacogdoches and Louisiana or the North was marked across Texas by the State of Texas and the D. A. R. in 19IS. The plaza around San Fer-
nando Cathedral was the center of all travel in ancient days. San Antonio was the crossroads or clearing house for travel and freight between the United States and Mexico, or from Atlantic points to the Pacific, and between the French possessions of the Southwest. It is now destined to be the crossroads of the continent through all time. The railroads,-and the Old Spanish Trail and tributary trunklines, are now taking the place of the trails of old. When air routes develop San Antonio will as naturally be the crossroads of that development.
In 1S5G the stage conch was the “rapid transit’’ from Atlantic points to the Pacific. Passengers came down
the Old San Antonio Road to San Antonio, or by boat to Indianola (Port Lavaca) and by ox team from there to San Antonio, thence by stage through Brackettvillc, then up the Pecos River and over to Fort Stock-ton, Fort Davis and westward very much as the Old Spanish Trail runs today. It cost $200 from San Antonio !o Sah Diego. One - hundred miles across the Arizona-California desert was rardc on mule back. Armed guards escorted all stages. It ( was the earliest and best transcontinental route. Today the Old Spanish : Trail has si ncsirly completed highway for the automobile traveler throw/* the El Paso - Tucson - Phoenix -Diego country—over 1,000 milcq; #.> improved road.