Gulf Coast & South Texas - Texas - page 547

COASTAL PLAINS
Goliad is worth a detour from the coastal bend; it's a charming small town steeped in his-
tory. You might consider a circle route that takes in the coast one way and the plains the
other.
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Victoria
POP 62,600
Victoria has some 100 historic buildings near its downtown. Many have been restored by
owners drawn to deeply shaded, oak-lined streets. The Victoria Convention and Visitors Bureau (
361-485-3116; www.visitvictoriatexas.com ; 700 Main St; 8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri) has tour information.
The granite and limestone Old Victoria County Courthouse (101 N Bridge St) dates from 1892,
when towns took pride in such places. It fronts the picturesque DeLeon Plaza . Note, however,
that much of the city is just urban sprawl, so you can easily take in the historic charms and
then be on your way.
Like a side of good food to go with your history? Reputedly the oldest deli in Texas,
Fossati's Delicatessen ( 361-576-3354; 302 S Main St; mains from $5; 9am-5pm Mon-Sat) is a good ac-
companiment to a historic tour of Victoria. Make friends at the bar.
Victoria is at the junction of US 77 and US 59, 125 miles south of Houston and 85 miles
north of Corpus Christi. It is a good base for exploring the historical parks in Goliad, 25
miles to the south on US 59. Chain motels for every budget are found along the highways.
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Goliad
POP 2000
'Remember the Alamo!' is the verbal icon of the Texas revolution, but it should also be
'Remember Goliad!' Here, on Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836, Mexican general Antonio
López de Santa Anna ordered 350 Texan prisoners shot. The Texan death toll was double
that at the Alamo and helped inspire the Texans to victory over Santa Anna at San Jacinto
the following month.