Welcome to the Kings Highway, Camino Real, Old San Antonio Road DAR Marker Information Site!

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The DAR Markers pictured here were located using Surveyor  V. N. Zivley's field notes and hand drawn maps made between 1915 and 1916 when he selected each marker site. He marked each site with an oak post. In 1918 the granite markers were put in place at the selected sites. The numbers used by Mr. Zivley are the ones used to identify each marker.  V. N. Zivley's route started at the Louisiana border on the Sabine River and followed the Kings Highway through 20 counties to the Rio Grande at the border with Mexico.   Many of the Markers would have been difficult if not impossible to find had it not been for the copy of Mr. Zivley's original survey and field notes which are in the collection of the Center for American History at the University of Texas in Austin. As was to be expected, the landscape has changed dramatically since 1915.   These photos and the accompanying narrative were made 1995-2001.

 Mrs. William Leroy (Virginia Hollifield) Stegall, Centennial State Regent, 1994-1997, had as a special centennial administration project the locating, documenting, photographing and rededication of these markers placed along the Old San Antonio Road by the Texas Society DAR and the State of Texas in 1918. Mrs. Stegall continues to serve as state chairman for this project. Mrs. David (Lisa L. Ward) Lee of James Tull Chapter in Humble was responsible for photographing many of the markers from the Louisiana border to central Texas. Numerous Texas Daughters and their family members worked to locate, clean, repair and landscape around the base of the markers across the state along the route. Mrs. Travis T. (Ella E. Lee) Sheffield of Lost Pines Chapter in Smithville has continued to serve as Mrs. Stegall's vice-chairman and was instrumental in the effort in the central part of the state assisted by chapter members from New Braunfels and points West through Atascosa County. HODAR Robert Harris undertook the most difficult part of the "Road" as it left Atascosa County toward the Rio Grand River as much of this area is private land used for working ranches and almost all traces of the "Road" have disappeared. HODAR Dan Heinen gave very valuable assistance in this part of the state. So much gratitude for so much effort is due to people too numerous to list individually. Mr. Al McGraw, archeologist for the TX Department of Transportation was most generous with his assistance as were many of the various County officials and local historians as well as the ranch owners and the ranch foremen who assisted in locating the markers on private ranches in South Texas.

It must also be noted that Mrs. Stegall thanked the private property owners who allowed Mr. Harris and Mr. Heinen to photograph the Markers on their land. Each land owner was presented a portfolio containing Mrs. Stegall's letter of appreciation and a photograph of the Marker(s) along with a brief history of the Old San Antonio Road itself as well as the TSDAR history concerning the original survey and placement of the Markers.

As of July 2001, this is an ongoing project and information, as it is accumulated, will be added to the record being compiled at this time. In addition to photographing, the Global Positioning System coordinates are being taken for as many Markers as possible with emphasis being placed on those Markers that are on private property or have been difficult to find.

[note: Mr. Zivley's field notes have been abstracted and included with the descriptions of the markers. These are phrases only as that is what appears on his hand written field notes--which were just that--his "notes" to himself as he surveyed the land--not a "finished" document with correct sentence structure and proper punctuation. This is Mr. Zivley's working notebook, carried across Texas in 1915 and 1916 and is in fragile condition.  ed. ]

[note: Likewise, the transcription of the Franciscan Missionary Morfi's diary is reproduced here exactly as it was transcribed. Every effort was made to see that this version matches the transcription. There may be errors in the transcription--either in translating or typing. Padre Morfi's diary dates from 1777. There is no date on the transcription but since Mr. Zivley mentions it, he must have had a transcription, if not the one reproduced here. Again, this document is not in good condition either. ed. ]