Palo Alto Battlefield: Where US-Mexico War History Lives
Visiting the Palo Alto Battlefield was a very interesting stop on our tour of National Parks this year. The battle at Palo Alto took place in May 1846, early on in the two year war between the US and Mexico over land in the territory of Texas (western portion of Texas today and parts of OK and NM).
Mexico had only just gained its independence from Spain in 1821, and now they found themselves at war with a nation that was trying to annex not just the territory in dispute, but land west of there that makes up California, Arizona, Nevada, and parts of Utah.
Learning more about the war and the battle that was fought in this part of Texas was really neat. The rangers at this park were particularly interested in the history of the battle, which made it that much more fun to learn about.
The museum has a small collection of artifacts and interactive displays. What’s most impressive was the map showing how territories changed hands over time (2 of 3 included here). We really enjoyed our time at this beautiful park.
The paths throughout the battlefield are spotted with cannons and flags showing the battle lines. Looking out across the open marsh and fields and thinking that probably not much has changed there since the battle was a bit sobering.
