TEMPLE, Texas — On May 28, the City of Temple will host a site dedication to commemorate the new location of the Bird Creek Indian Battle 1936 Centennial Marker and the addition of a Texas Historical Subject Marker, announced the City.
The event will be held at 2110 W Nugent Avenue near the Willow Glenn Subdivision, said the City, and will begin at 10 a.m.
The City said the marker was recently approved by the Texas Historical Commission to "expand on the story of the battle and its participants".
According to the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), the Bird Creek Indian Fight occurred on May 26, 1839, near present-day Temple, between a force of 34 Texas Rangers and a coalition of more than 200 Caddo, Kickapoo and Comanche Native Americans.
TSHA and the City of Temple said the Texas Rangers were ultimately victorious, but both sides suffered heavy losses.
In 1936, the Bird Creek Indian Battle Marker was created by the State of Texas to highlight the battle, said the City, which described the skirmish as a "momentous historical event in Temple".
The marker was previously located near West Nugent Avenue, west of I-35 in an area with "limited public access", said the City. The City said it began a project to relocate the marker to a "more prominent" location where more people can visit the site.
In addition to the markers, the City said the site also features "a park-like design with sidewalks, limestone benches, landscaping and interpretive panels that help tell the story of the battle."
“This relocation brings the marker closer to the location where the historic battle took place,” said Kelly Trietsch Atkinson, the City of Temple’s Assistant Director of Planning. “With the improvements we are making to this new site, we hope to create a more accessible and informative historical location that honors the legacy of the Bird Creek Indian Battle.”
The City said the event is free and open to the public. Parking will reportedly be available along Merritt Road.
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