Fifty members of El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association (ElCat) will be in Milam County Oct. 11-12 for the annual membership meeting, which will honor Rockdale resident Joy Graham and give public tours of rarely-accessible historic sites to the public.
“This is our first time back in Milam County in five years and we want as many people to join us as possible,” said Stephen Gonzales, ElCat executive director. “We’re going to visit a lot of great, rarely-accessible sites that are not normally open to the public.”
On Friday, Oct. 11, the annual meeting kicks off with a luncheon that will begin with Gonzales’s introduction and dedication to Joy Graham, former ElCat vice president and long-time columnist who wrote “Bits of Milam County History” for The Reporter.
“We’re dedicating the meeting to Joy because of all the work she did to help get the organization started. Even after her passing (Graham passed away in March 2018) her efforts are still helping us,” Gonzales said.
He said the Graham and Dr. Lucile Estell raised $25,000 locally, which went to the installation of the signs that help put Milam County on the map and become a part of the national historical trail in October 2012.
“Before that, people in Milam County didn’t know that there was anything of historic significance here,” Gonzales said. “Beyond that, she did a lot of work behind the scenes like help guide the strategic plan and was a real force related to Milam County history.”
He said, Graham’s work continues to help the ElCat. In large part due to her efforts the organization was able to apply for a grant that allowed for the archaeological preservation of Rancheria Rio Grande and two other historical sites.
On the second day of the meeting, Saturday, Oct. 12, Gonzales said site-seers will meet at the Milam County Courthouse and take an air conditioned bus to Sugar-loaf Mountain, the Rancheria Grande and the Mission San Xavier archaeological sites.
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