On the afternoon of April 21, 1836, Sam Houston's outnumbered army of settlers, Tejanos and volunteers charged across this coastal prairie shouting "Remember the Alamo!" The fight lasted about 18 minutes. Santa Anna was captured the next day, and Texas independence followed. A century later, the state raised the San Jacinto Monument, dedicated on April 21, 1939: a tapering eight-sided column 567 feet tall, faced in creamy, fossil-flecked Texas Cordova shellstone and topped by a 34-foot Lone Star. It stands a little taller than the Washington Monument. Inside the base, the San Jacinto Museum walks you through the Texas Revolution, and an elevator carries you to an observation deck about 489 feet up, looking over the Houston Ship Channel and the battlefield. Outside, a reflecting pool 1,750 feet long mirrors the shaft. Battleship Texas, moored here for decades, is now under repair in Galveston.
What to expect
- Nothing is sold on site and no food goes in the monument, so pack a picnic.
- Restrooms are in the monument and at the picnic areas, including a covered pavilion.
- It is coastal marsh: bring bug spray, water and sunscreen for time outdoors.
- Leashed dogs are welcome on the grounds; only service animals go inside.
- The monument and museum are wheelchair accessible; the battlefield terrain is rougher.
What to do
- Ride the elevator to the observation deck near the top of the 567-foot monument
- Tour the San Jacinto Museum galleries and watch the film Texas Forever!
- Join the free (with admission) Battleground Van Tour, or drive and walk the battlefield on your own
- April 21, 1836, about 18 minutesBattle
- 567.31 ftMonument height
- 34 ft tall, 220 tonsStar
- April 21, 1939Dedicated