Enloe Museum

04/22/2026

The final, shocking, and decisive conflict of the Texas Revolution took place on April 21, 1836. During the Battle of San Jacinto, Gen. Sam Houston and his army of nearly 950 Texian soldiers routed Gen. Santa Anna’s force of more than 1,200—in just 18 minutes.

Screened by trees and rising ground, Houston’s men formed with Edward Burleson’s regiment at center, Sidney Sherman’s on the left wing, artillery under George W. Hockley on Burleson’s right, and the infantry under Henry Millard on the right of the artillery.

Under Mirabeau B. Lamar, the cavalry took the extreme right to cut off possible flight of Mexican troops. With their four-piece band playing a popular love song, “Will You Come to the Bower,” the Texians attacked at a run, crying, “Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!”

Such was their fury that 630 of the enemy were killed and 730 captured. An enemy shot shattered Gen. Houston’s ankle, but he lost only nine men (killed or mortally wounded).

Today, San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site in La Porte preserves the ground where this‍ decisive victory secured Texas independence. The 1,200-acre site includes the San Jacinto Monument, the San Jacinto Museum, and the historic battleground itself. Completed in 1939, the 567-foot-tall San Jacinto Monument stands as a lasting tribute to those who fought and sacrificed there.

Plan your own visit: visitsanjacinto.com

04/15/2026

The Switch Track Gandy Dancers, 1920s-1940s
“Gandy dancer” was slang for railroad section crews who kept tracks aligned. The work was brutal, men-only, and done with a “gandy” – a lining bar. Except in WWII.

When the men shipped out, the railroads got desperate. In Montana, the Great Northern hired the “Switch Track Gandy Dancers” – 30 women, mostly Native wives from the Blackfeet Reservation and ranch widows. They wore men’s overalls, bandanas, and spiked boots. Their job: replace 39-foot rails in 110°F heat or -20°F blizzards.

Foreman “Big Bess” Yellow Horse, 5’2”, could drive a spike in three hits. She invented a chant to keep rhythm: “Line her up, line her down, Bess ain’t letting this train down!” They cleared derailments, laid sidings, and kept copper moving for the war. The men came home in 1945 and the women were fired that day. No pension. No photos.

In 1987, a retired engineer found Bess’s spike maul in a shed. It had 14 notches carved in the handle – one for every derailment she prevented.

04/06/2026

Happy Easter !

03/16/2026

Save the date!

03/07/2026

03/07/2026

Last flight. New record. On this day in 1990, the Museum's Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird entered our collection in style. On its final flight, it set a new speed record, flying from Los Angeles, California, to Washington, DC, in 1 hour, 4 minutes and 20 seconds, averaging 2,124 mph. After it arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport, the aircraft was turned over to the Smithsonian and is now on display at our Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia: https://s.si.edu/3iq1rVF

03/06/2026

On this day in 1836, the quiet mission of San Antonio de Valero — better known today as the Alamo — became the site of one of the most famous battles in Texas history.

After thirteen days under siege, Mexican forces led by General Antonio López de Santa Anna launched a predawn assault on the fortified compound. In a brutal battle that likely lasted around 90 minutes, the defenders of the Alamo were overwhelmed. One by one the defensive positions fell, with the chapel holding out until the very end.

When the fighting stopped, every defender inside the Alamo had been killed.
But the sacrifice did not fade into history. Instead, it ignited a movement. Just weeks later, Texian forces would rally behind a powerful cry that echoed across the revolution:

"Remember the Alamo!"

That phrase became a symbol of defiance and determination, helping inspire the Texian army on its march to victory at San Jacinto. Today, the Alamo stands not just as a historic site, but as a lasting shrine to the men who gave their lives during the fight for Texas independence.

Remember the Alamo.

10/11/2025

Come support the Enloe Community Center. The meal is by donation.