La Bahia Scenic Highway, FM390, scenic drive in Washington County. (original) (raw)

History in a Pecan Shell

Originally an east-west Indian trail - La Bahia extended from western Louisiana into southeast Texas. It later included the towns of Washington-on-the-Brazos , Independence and extended to Goliad - which was once known as La Bahia.

The Brazos River was crossed near the mouth of the Navasota River in (present Grimes County) and the Colorado River was crossed just north of present-day La Grange where the city of Colorado City was platted.

A portion of the trail was also known as the Opelousas Road when it served as a cattle trail to take herds of cattle to market in New Orleans (via Opelousas). Another portion of the road was known as the Atascosito Trail.

The Drive

Designated the first scenic highway in Texas, La Bahia is now marked by signs identifying it numerically as Hwy 390 from Burton, Texas to Washington. Click on towns below for travel detail: