Visit 1686 La Salle Shipwreck!

Andrew and Rebecca Hall (tigone@phoenix.net)
Fri, 20 Sep 1996 18:09:42 -0700

Dear All:

The La Salle Shipwreck Project WWW site has been updated with
links to media accounts of the project, ranging from the first
newspaper reports from July 1995 to CNN Interactive's story on
the project last week. The URL is:

http://www.thc.state.tx.us/belle/index.htm

Below is the official Trip Guide for the La Salle Shipwreck Project.
I have posted this elsewhere, and this may be a duplicate posting to
this list. If so, my apologies.

Archaeologists and others with a professional interest in the project
should contact the Texas Historical Commission well in advance of
their intended visit, so that any special accommodations may be made.

Please don't write me to tell me the mileages listed below are off.
I fought that battle already, and lost.

-----------> Andy Hall
______________________________________________

La Salle Shipwreck Project Trip Guide

Visit a 300-year-old shipwreck! The is excavating the Belle,
a ship once belonging to French explorer Rene Robert Cavalier,
Sieur de La salle, in Matagorda Bay. This information will help
you plan your trip to this historic site.

Where is the shipwreck?
The La Salle Shipwreck is in Matagorda Bay near Palacios and
Port O'Connor, Texas. Palacios and Port O'Connor are located
along the Gulf Coast approximately halfway between Corpus
Christi and Houston.

----- Distances to Palacios from. . . -----
Austin 165 miles
Corpus Christi 110 miles
Dallas 318 miles
Galveston 113 miles
Houston 107 miles
San Antonio 166 miles

--- Distances to Port O'Connor from. . . --
Austin 187 miles
Corpus Christi 120 miles
Dallas 360 miles
Galveston 172 miles
Houston 163 miles
San Antonio 177 miles

How do I reach the shipwreck site?
To reach the shipwreck site, we recommend taking a tour with
a company offering daily trips to the site. Tours will be
available once excavation begins (adults and children 10 and
older only, please).

For more information on companies offering tours to the
shipwreck site, please contact the Palacios or Port O'Connor
Chambers of Commerce (please see numbers listed below).

What else can I do in the Matagorda Bay area?
Due to the unique ecosystem created by the barrier island that buffers
the Texas Coast from the Gulf of Mexico, both communities are renowned
for their fishing and bird watching.

Many of the companies providing tours to the shipwreck site also offer
fishing and birding excursions in the Matagorda Bay area. Please
contact the local Chambers of Commerce (listed below) for a complete
list of fishing and birding guides in the area.

Where can I stay?*

Palacios

Luther Hotel
(512) 972-2312
Fountain Terrace Motel
(512) 972-2547
Moonlight Bay Bed & Breakfast
(512) 972-2232
The Main Bed & Breakfast
(512) 972-3408
Serendipity Resort & RV Park
(512) 972-5454

Port O'Connor

The Cottage Bed & Breakfast
(512) 983-2227
Port Motel
(512) 983-2724
Tarpon Motel
(512) 983-2606

Bay City

Econolodge
(409) 245-5115
Matagorda Hotel & Conference Center
(409) 244-5400

Port Lavaca

Day's Inn
(512) 552-4511

* For additional listings, please contact the local
Chambers of Commerce

Where can I eat?*
Palacios

Dairy Queen
(512) 972-2554
Palacios Mexican Restaurant
(512) 972-2766
Petersen's Restaurant
(512) 972-2413
Shimek's Restaurant
(512) 972-3821
Subway
(512) 972-2273
Yangchow Restaurant
(512) 972-2724

Port O'Connor

Clark's Seafood
(512) 983-4388
Josie's Mexican Food
(512) 983-4720
The Spot
(512) 983-2775

Bay City

K-2 Steakhouse
(409) 245-6936
Whataburger
(409) 244-4959

Port Lavaca

El Patio
(512) 552-6316
Gordon's Bayside Grill & Club
(512) 552-1000

* For additional listings, please contact the local
Chambers of Commerce

For more information. . . .
Palacios

Palacios Chamber of Commerce
1 (800) 611-4567
Palacios Beacon (newspaper)
(512) 972-3009

Port O'Connor

Port O'Connor Chamber of Commerce
(512) 983-2898
Port O'Connor Dolphin Talk (newspaper)
(512) 983-4617

Bay City

Bay City Chamber of Commerce
(409) 245-8333
Bay City Daily Tribune (newspaper)
(409) 245-5555

Port Lavaca

Port Lavaca Chamber of Commerce
1 (800) 556-PORT
Port Lavaca Wave
(512) 552-9788

Texas Historical Commission
The , the state agency for historic preservation, was
established in 1953 by the state legislature. The agency
administers a variety of programs to preserve the archeological,
historical and cultural resources of Texas.

The agency employs close to 100 people who work in fields
including architecture, archeology, economic development,
heritage tourism, urban planning and public administration.

The staff of the Texas Historical Commission is available to
answer questions and provide preservation assistance. For
information on any of the agency's programs or for a copy of
the our publications list, please direct inquiries to:

The Texas Historical Commission
P. O. Box 12276
Austin, Texas 78711-2276
phone: (512) 463-6100
fax: (512) 475-4872

The Texas Historical Commission has provided this information
for your convenience. We are not responsible for, nor do we
endorse, the services provided by any of the businesses listed.

Information for this guide was provided by area Chambers of Commerce
Return to the .