Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle
Indianola, Calhoun County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Born in Rouen, France, November 22, 1643. Came to Canada in 1666. Founded a first settlement near Montreal. Led several expeditions on the Great Lakes and the Ohio exploration of the Mississippi, 1682. On July 24, 1684 La Salle sailed from France to establish a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi. Landed at Matagorda Bay, February 15, 1685. There established Fort St. Louis. While on his way to Canada he was murdered near the Trinity River, March 19, 1687. La Salle's colony on Matagorda Bay gave the United States its first claim to Texas as a part of the Louisiana Purchase. A gentleman but not a courtier, a proud independent yet timid nature, and explorer of bold vision and untiring energy. "America owes him an enduring memory, for, in this masculine figure, she sees the pioneer who guided her to the possession of her richest heritage."
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, spent decades pushing into the North American interior, and in 1682 traveled the Mississippi to its mouth. In 1684 he sailed from France to plant a colony there, but overshot and landed at Matagorda Bay in early 1685, where he established Fort St. Louis. His venture unraveled, and in 1687 he was murdered by his own men while trekking toward Canada near the Trinity River.
Why it matters
La Salle's ill-fated colony gave the United States its first claim to Texas through the Louisiana Purchase, a fleeting French foothold that echoed across the continent's later history.
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Related people
- · René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle
Related events
- · Founding of Fort St. Louis (1685)
Themes & tags
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