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Texas Independence Day Celebration | Texas Independence Day

Posted on March 2, 2009

WASHINGTON-ON-THE-BRAZOS, Texas – Bob Heinonen put on the uniform – red pants, white shirt, dark jacket with brass buttons and black cavalry boots – and stepped back 173 years in time.

As Texas hero William Barret Travis, he helped thousands celebrate Texas Independence Day on Saturday. They wandered around the Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historical Site to mark the anniversary of the 1836 convention. Here on March 2 of that year, 59 delegates signed the six-page document that declared the Republic of Texas free and independent of Mexico.

“I want them not only to gain some knowledge about what really happened but also to be excited about it. If you’re excited about things, you want to learn about them,” said Heinonen, 66, a Minneapolis native whose computer job brought him to Texas 40 years ago.

In a nearly hourlong presentation, Heinonen adopts the persona of Travis, the commander of the doomed Texas forces at the Alamo. He tells Travis’ story to an audience in a theater at the park’s Star of the Republic Museum.

“I think it’s always good to know what our roots are,” he said. “Why are we where we are today? It’s almost trite these days, but the only way we have knowledge is based upon what’s happened in the past so we can avoid future mistakes.”

The convention delegates actually gathered on March 1, 1836, a month after they were elected and sent to Washington, a growing town on the Brazos River less than 100 miles northwest of what now is Houston.

The convention within weeks would adopt a constitution amid a swift series of events. While they were meeting, Travis and his men were killed at the Alamo. And just over another month later, Gen. Sam Houston’s army would defeat the Mexicans in the famous Battle of San Jacinto.

Kent Caulder, director of the Texas State Historical Association, said the declaration is significant because without it, there would have been no nation of Texas.

“I believe the date should continue to be commemorated and discussed,” he said. “The important thing is to commemorate events in order to provide opportunities to learn and appreciate the complexities and ambiguities of any historical event. Those who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence took great risks regardless of their motives.”

Michael Graczyk,

The Associated Press

Categories: Local

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