Refugio County
Refugio, Refugio County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Organized in 1835 into the Mexican municipality of Refugio. Created a county of the same name March 17, 1836, organized 1837. Named for the Mission "Our Lady of Refuge" established in 1791 to civilize and christianize the indians. Refugio, the county seat.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Refugio takes its name from Mission Nuestra Señora del Refugio, the last Spanish mission founded in Texas, established in 1791 to draw Indigenous people of the coast into Catholic mission life. When Mexican Texas reorganized in 1835 and the revolution created new counties in 1836, Refugio became one of them, with the old mission town as its seat. The county was formally organized in 1837.
Why it matters
The marker traces a single place across three sovereignties — Spanish mission, Mexican municipality, and Texas county — a compression of the region's layered colonial history.
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Themes & tags
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