Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park

Great historical site with awesome paved trails (cement & boardwalk), thus all is handicap-accessible. The visitor center wasn't open but the restrooms were. Free parking & free entry. Definitely worth the trip! Covering the main trails is about a 2-mile walk.

This is a great little sight if you are interested in the Mexican American War. The Ranger that was there when we went was knowledgable and helpful. The video was excellent and all of the displays did a good job of explaining the evolution of the battle and opening days of the war.

Got my History fix for this roadtrip! Nice gift shop/museum. About a 2 mile paved walk to the battlefield. Friendly Staff is added bonus!

This park exhibit had an informative and interesting movie and intelligent Park Rangers who gave the reasons behind the Mexican American Battle. It also had human interest elements like buttons that popped off soldiers uniforms and historical accounts by the soldiers and leaders on both sides. It felt very honest and real in its depictions of the motivations of both the U.S. and Mexico. If you are going to the battlefield in the hot summer months drive to the battlefields and bring lots of water and an umbrella as the sun and heat are relentless but also curiosity and imagination as you read the accounts and imagine the lives lost on both sides. There are also informative boards detailing the flora and fauna, from the chaparral to the horny toed frogs. It was an Interesting couple hours.

We loved it! So much history! Don’t forget to bring water!!! A hat and a fan neck!!! The museum with AC is very interesting and well explained

Had the opportunity to visit here today and really liked it. From the moment we checked in, we were helped and greeted professionally by staff. After watching a quick movie about the history, we made the walk out and back. It’s roughly a mile and very well paved. We were able to see a couple of Western Rattlesnakes mating and a Texas Tortoise today. Well worth the visit!

Amazing. Good for a short trip. Good historical background info on signage along trail. Visitor center has BARK Ranger tags for dogs The park ranger is very friendly! Park is very dog friendly.

Very interesting bit of history that I know I never learned in school except for maybe a passing mention. The park ranger was very knowledgeable and helpful, great guy. Gave us a great recommendation for a local taqueria.

A small National Park. Excellent movie and informative visitor center. Walking tour of a small section of the battlefield. No interactive displays to keep children's interest. Closes at 4:30

Fantastic little gem off the road. We were doing to texas tropical trail and saw the sign to stop. Brand new well keep trails picnic areas bathrooms. Informative displays. Small shop. Rangers were super! Thanks . Make sure to go see the battlefield!

Nice facility and trails. Visitor center has lots of displays and a volunteer who is knowledgeable in the stories behind the site. Well stocked gift shop and stamping station with a movie to see. Check for lizard crossing, (they are very cute) and check out the cacti. Fascinating info on the battle fought here.

Nice grounds and walking areas. Good small historical nature trails that were very realistic to what took place during the battle. Great knowledgeable friendly staff.

The Palo Alto Battlefield in Brownsville, Texas is a national historical park in the national park service. It surprised me as to what an important site this was to the expansion of the USA. Even the amount of soldiers fighting in the battle were misleading to the significance of this war. But the Palo Alto Battlefield was the home to the first fighting between the USA and Mexico. The US was led by Zachary Taylor had superior guns, canons and gun powder and they easily defeated the Mexican soldiers that outnumbered them and were led by Mariano Arista. Despite their win here, the fighting in this war continued on for two more years. However, the outcome resulted in the United States gaining the territories that would become Texas, New Mexico, California.

Battle of Palo Alto is the first major battle of the two year U.S. - Mexican war Few interesting facts about the battle: 1) It was a defensive battle by the U.S. General Zachary Taylor, to protect his 300 wagon trains of supplies 2) U.S. won the battle due to the superiority of the heavy artillery (18 pounder cannon vs Mexico's 4 and 8 pounder) the two cannons caused most of the damage, while the light artillery unit stopped the charge of Mexico "Flying Calvary" 3) During the 5 hour battle, neither army made any significant advance, there were not hand by hand combat 4) Two future U.S. presidents fought in the battle, General Zachary Taylor (12th), and Ulysses Grant(18th) It is free to enter, you can bike or walk around the field, all the path are paved, so great place if you are looking to get some exercise in during your vacation. Just make sure you bring water, even at 8:30AM, I was sweating.

Great place for leisurely walks and bike riding on a cloudy spring, fall or winter day. I wouldn't recommend it for a sunny day there is absolutely noting to save you from the sun. We visited at the best time. They have a small museum which was perfect for my kids who hate it and a mommy who loves it. It's very interactive for the kiddos, plenty of hands on and pushing of buttons to hear a narrative. Don't forget your souvenir in the gift shop.

Pretty neat to see a piece of history where the Mexican and American War took place. Sadly I'm afraid of snakes and saw a sign warning about them so I didn't walk far. I later learned snakes weren't in season so I didn't have to worry much but oh well

Why this National Park Museum isn't better advertised by our city is beyond me! We knew it was out there but the significance used to escape us. This park is well worth the visit!!! It's free of charge (Donations appreciated). Do yourself a favor and watch the fifteen minute movie in the theatre as you arrive. It'll thrust you into the era of 1845 to better get you ready for the rest of the exhibit! Palo Alto, the Battle that would mark the beginning of the Mexican-American War Campaign. A war that was ignited during the annexation of Texas because of a border dispute. Mexico "placed the boundary of Texas on the Nueces River and viewed U.S. claims to the Rio Grande as an attempt to seize more territory."--quote illustrated at Palo Alto National Historic Park (please reference submitted photo titled "Exhibit:A") [American] EXPANSIONIST AMBITIONS: "Determined to expand his country, James K. Polk dismissed Mexican claims that they still owned Texas and moved to annex the young [Mexican] republic. He also insisted that Texas stretched to the Rio Grande, far beyond the boundaries recognized by Mexico." --quote illustrated at Palo Alto National Historic Park (please reference submitted photo titled "Exhibit:B") "The limits of Texas are certain and recognized; never have they extended beyond the Nueces river." --Mexican General, Francisco Mejia, March 18, 1846 "MANY AMERICANS ACCUSED POLK of creating a boundary conflict by sending troops into the disputed territory."--quote illustrated at Palo Alto National Historic Park (please reference submitted photo titled "Exhibit:C") This accusation would later be confirmed by Ulysses S. Grant as he recalled "We were sent to provoke a fight, but it was essential that Mexico should commence it..."-- Ulysses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs (reference submitted photo titled "Exhibit:D") In further study, we see this issue come up again when ABRAHAM LINCOLN questions and investigates president Polk's actions in congress. Congressman Abraham Lincoln, speaking in a session of congress says "...the president unnecessarily and Unconstitutionally commenced a war with Mexico....The marching an army into the midst of a peaceful Mexican settlement, frightening the inhabitants away, leaving their growing crops and other property to destruction, to you may appear a perfectly amiable, peaceful, un- provoking procedure; but it does not appear so to us." --Abraham Lincoln: Speech against Seizing Mexican Territory, Congressional Speech, January 12, 1848, Later as a result of that war America would acquire a third of our modern days national land. All the land from Texas to as far north as Colorado and parts of Wyoming, and westward on to California. In the process Mexico would lose half her size to this acquisition. ITS INTERESTING TO NOTE, at the time there were American supporters of the war named: "All-Mexico" supporters [who] wished to absorb the entire [Mexican] country. In Mexico, many war-weary citizens were willing to surrender land to halt the fighting, while others wished to battle on to preserve [their] territory." "The treaty was a compromise. Mexico's negotiators surrendered northern territories but refused to cede additional lands. U.S. President Polk wanted more territory, but ultimately accepted the treaty produced by his representative, Nicholas Trist." --quote illustrated at Palo Alto National Historic Park (please reference submitted photo titled "Exhibit:E") FIND OUT HOW... the Mexican-American War led to the American Civil War. "The Southern Rebellion was largely the outgrowth of the Mexican War. Nations, like individuals, are punished for their transgressions. We got our punishment in the most sanguinary and expensive war of modern time [the Civil War]." --Ulysses S. Grant, referring to the U.S. Civil War (reference "Exhibit:F") Arguably one of the best inside looks to what happened is in Grant's famous memoirs as he was dying in 1885 from cancer. "To this day [I] regard the war, which resulted, as one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation. It was an instance of a republic following the bad example of European monarchies, in not considering justice in their desire to acquire additional territory. Texas was originally a state belonging to the republic of Mexico... An empire in territory, it had but a very sparse population, until settled by Americans who had received authority from Mexico to colonize. These [American] colonists paid very little attention to the supreme government, and introduced slavery into the state almost from the start, though the constitution of Mexico did not, nor does it now, sanction that institution... The occupation, separation and annexation were, from the inception of the movement to its final consummation, a conspiracy to acquire territory out of which slave states might be formed for the American Union."--Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant, General of US Army/18th President, 1885.

Fantastic site, and they have a reenactment troop! If you've never seen or heard a 6lb cannon go off you need to check their schedule and go see/feel this!

I drove quite a distance to experience a few minutes at this historic battle field and although this 3400 acre National Park is well preserved don't set your expectations to high. This vast coastal prairie visually remains intact much as it was in the spring of 1846 with its low lying grasses, flowers, and prickly cactus but the silence and solitude you experience today is far removed from the cries of battle that still haunts this wind swept ocean of grass that staged the first battle between the United States and Mexico. The clumps of razor sharp cord grass that is scattered across the landscape inflicted its own challenges as both sides struggled to tread the pathless terrain across this desolate plain dragging weapons and supplies, it's remote location evoked rumors of war that lagged far behind the screams of the soldiers mortally wounded praying to die over accepting the practical solutions offered by the medieval medical practices of the day, these sounds are the echoes you can still hear today when you turn to face the stiff breeze that rolls across this sacred ground. How different our lives may be if the tides of war ebbed against this great nation.