The Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía is a National Historic Landmark located one mile south of Goliad State Historical Park on U.S. 183 one mile south of Goliad, Texas on U.S. Highway 183 (77A). Click here for the site’s National Historic Landmark file: text and photos. The fort is open 9:00am to 4:45pm daily, but closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day and Easter. For more information, visit La Bahía’s website or call 361-645-3752.

Join us for the 32nd Annual Goliad Massacre Reenactment and Living History Program on March 23-25, 2018 at Presidio La Bahia in Goliad, Texas where Reenactors and Living Historians from across Texas gather to recreate the final days of Colonel Fannin’s command. Stroll through the camps of both the Mexican and Texian armies and visit with reenactors as they go about their daily activities. The reenactors who you will see during the reenactments over the weekend set up camp within the Presidio with period tents, equipment and clothing.

Goliad Massacre Reenactment and Living History Program

The reenactors work hard to make the experience genuine for visitors. You may see a gunsmith with period guns on display, young girls instructing crowds on animal pelts, or meals cooking in large cast iron pots over open fires.
Grab a front row seat for one of the Goliad Massacre Reenactment battles that take place in front of Presidio La Bahia. Stay after the battle and immerse yourself in the turbulent times surrounding Colonel Fannin and his men with the candlelight tours Saturday evening. Be sure to come back out Sunday and witness a recreation of the final days of Fannin’s men followed by a memorial at the Fannin Monument.

Admission Fee
Admission is $4 for adults, $3.50 for seniors, $1 for children 6-11, under 6 are free. Candlelight Tour tickets are an additional $2 and must be purchased the day of the event.

Location
Presidio La Bahia
108 Park Rd 6
Goliad, TX 77963

Schedule Of Events

Saturday
9:00 Gates Open
10:00 1st Skirmish
10:30 Living History At Campsites
10:30 Cavalry Presentation At Amphitheater
11:00 Lecture In Chapel
12:00 Showing Of Video “Presidio La Bahia And Its Place In The History Of Texas Chapel
1:30 2nd Skirmish
2:00 Living History At Campsites
2:15 Lecture In Chapel
3:00 Battle Of Coleto Creek
The third and final skirmish is a reenactment of the battle in which the Texians were surrounded and captured by the Mexicans. The actual battle took place many miles away, so it’s reenacted in front of the Presidio for convenience.
3:30 Living History At Campsites
5:00 Gates Close
6:30-9:00 Candlelight Tour – Enter At South Gate

Sunday
9:00 Gates Open
9:30 Isaac Hamilton – A Prisoner By David Scott
10:00 Death March From Chapel To Actual Massacre Site

Death March From Chapel To Actual Massacre Site
Meet outside the Presidio Chapel with hundreds of others, and follow the Texian prisoners and their Mexican captors on a march to the actual massacre site. There, the Goliad Massacre is reenacted as you stand in reverent silence. Followed by Memorial Service that starts in chapel, then a pocession to the Fannin Monument for the conclusion of the memorial service.

Presidio La Bahia Candlelight Tour
A limited number of tickets are sold for the Candlelight Tour, and they typically sell out on Saturday morning. Candlelight Tours take place inside the Presidio La Bahia on Saturday night. Your tour lets you silently bear witness to historical scenes, acted out in front of you by the reenactors themselves. You see the aftermath of the battles you witnessed during the day, and you experience the conflict leading up to the Goliad Massacre, which you will see on Sunday morning.

About the Goliad Massacre
Around 6:00 a.m. on Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836, after being held captive for one week, Colonel Fannin’s men were told to gather up their things. They thought that they were going to the Port of Copano and then on to New Orleans. They were happy and singing. They knew that Colonel Fannin had returned from the Port of Copano the previous day. What they didn’t know was that at 7:00 p.m. the pervious evening, Colonel Portilla had received word directly from General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna to execute the men. About an hour after Portilla received the excution order from Santa Anna, he received another order from General Urrea to “Treat the prisoners with consideration, particularly their leader, Fannin, and to employ them in rebuilding Goliad.”

Camping
If staying for both days, camping at Goliad State Park adds to the experience of the Goliad Massacre Reenactment and Living History Program. It is a short walk and an even shorter bike ride to the Presidio. The wildflowers are beautiful this time of year. The park campground includes full hook-ups for campers, as well as tent camping areas. There are bathrooms and showers throughout the Park.

Reserve your spot early – the Goliad Massacre Reenactment and Living History Program is very popular and well-attended!

Mark your calendar today so you won’t miss the next Goliad Massacre Reenactment and Living History Program, and don’t forget that early camping reservation.

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