Historic battlefield and museum complex featuring a monumental observation tower, exhibits on the Texas Revolution, and preserved prairie landscapes.
General Information
Battleground: Daily, 9am to 6pm
Closed on select major holidays
Children (4–11): $6
Children (0–3): Free
Seniors (65+): $10
Active Military: $10
Veterans: $10
Members: Free
Spring and fall offer the most comfortable temperatures for exploring the battlefield
How to Get There
From La Porte (5 mi): Take TX-225 toward Independence Parkway, exit at Independence Parkway, and follow signs to One Monument Circle and the monument grounds.
Overview
San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site marks the ground where Sam Houston's army defeated Santa Anna in 1836, winning Texas its independence in a fight that lasted less than 20 minutes. Located off the Houston Ship Channel near La Porte, the site combines the towering San Jacinto Monument with the museum ship USS Texas, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960.
Visitors can ride an elevator to the monument's observation deck for sweeping views of the ship channel, Houston's skyline, and the battleship below, then explore the museum housed inside the monument's base.
San Jacinto Monument
Rising 567 feet above the battlefield, the San Jacinto Monument is the tallest masonry column in the world — taller even than the Washington Monument. Built between 1936 and 1939 as part of the Texas Centennial and dedicated on the battle's anniversary, the octagonal, limestone-faced shaft is topped with a 220-ton star representing the Lone Star of Texas. A 1,750-foot reflecting pool in front of the monument mirrors the entire column.
The San Jacinto Museum of History fills the monument's base, with exhibits on the Battle of San Jacinto, the Republic of Texas, and the Mayan, Spanish, and Mexican influences on Texas culture. The 160-seat Jesse H. Jones Theatre screens a short film on the battle.
USS Texas
Docked nearby along the ship channel, USS Texas (BB-35) is a decommissioned battleship turned museum ship — the first battleship to become a permanent museum and the only surviving dreadnought from World War I. Commissioned in 1914, she saw action in both World Wars, escorting Atlantic convoys and supporting landings at Normandy, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa before earning five battle stars and National Historic Landmark status. The ship is periodically closed to visitors for conservation work, so it's worth checking status before a visit.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles "San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site", "San Jacinto Monument", and "USS Texas (BB-35)", which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
