Karankawa people

Uh, many, many people died through that.

And even before that, the Karankawa Native Americans were there, uh, doing their thing, and then they had Jean Lafitte the pirate show up there.

Uh, lots and lots of things.

And then of course the Civil War in 1863.

One of those cannons is here at this museum and other artifacts as well.

In our display, we have some items that LaSalle would have brought to trade with the Karankawa Indians.

The Karankawas had never seen anything such as bells or these Italian and French glass beads or pins or anything.

So he would bring these small items in bulk to trade with the Karankawas in order to use their canoes.

We know that indigenous history in Texas and Northern Mexico spans at least 14,000 years.

The Coahuiltecan, Caddo, Karankawa, Comanche, they all live here.

But then in 1837, right after the Alamo, the Texas government basically erased them with one document, the Senate Standing Committee on Indian Affairs for the Republic of Texas.

which basically stated that these people aren't a separate nation anymore.