EL LEGADO DE NUESTRA JORNADA — THE LEGACY OF OUR JOURNEY

This public mural, commissioned by The Historic Outdoor Art Museum in New Braunfels, is a timeline of Hispanic heritage dating from the 1680’s to 1845. Designed by MOSAIC Artist-in-Residence Alex Rubio, the 12 ft. by 60 ft. mural was completed by lead  MOSAIC Student Artists Laura Gonzalez, Rachel Kamata, Zöe Reyes, and Elizabeth Samuel.

The mural is a timeline depiction of Hispanic Heritage dating from the 1680’s to 1845. The legacy begins with the Spanish Expeditions along the Camino Real (King’s Highway) and the various Spanish explorers like General Alonso de Leon, the Conquistador of Texas, who named the Guadalupe River in his “entrada” into Texas. For more than 100 years before the founding of New Braunfels, the Camino Real, present-day Nacogdoches Road, served as a major artery for trade, commerce, and settlement. The Comal Springs’ first recorded name was Las Fontanas, meaning The Fountains, which also served as a campsite to the Tonkawa and Lipan Indians. In 1756 – 1759, Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe Mission was established nearby and was inspired by the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe… La Patrona de las Americas. After the Spanish introduced cattle and horses to the New World, the Mexican vaqueros’ (cowboys) ranch culture was brought to South Texas with chaperras (chaps), rodear (rodeo), silver mounted spade bits, spurs, and branding. In 1825, Juan Martin Del Carmen Veramendi was awarded five leagues of land by Commissioner Jose Antonio Navarro. Two leagues of the grant contained the land on which New Braunfels was founded. In 1845, Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels purchased 1,265 acres from Juan Veramendi’s heirs, Rafael Garza and Mario Antonio de Veramendi Garza. This passionate beginning set the stage for the Hispanic people to enter into the founding years of New Braunfels from 1845 to present day – forever preserving and honoring Hispanic Heritage in this community.