San Augustine has been called the "Eastern Gateway into Texas" for more than three centuries. Many immigrants crossed the Sabine River and followed El Camino Real to the little settlement nestled on each side of this ancient roadway. Alamo-bound David Crockett wrote his last letter to his daughter Margaret from San Augustine on January 9, 1836. Davy's words echoed the favorable impressions expressed by new arrivals to Texas: "I am hailed with hearty welcome to this country . . . The cannon was fired here in San Augustine on my arrival. What I have seen of Texas, it is the garden spot of the world, the best land and the best prospects for health I ever saw, and I do believe it is a fortune to any man to come here." San Augustine County still retains the charm of times past through her well-preserved 19th-century homes and churches. Images of America: San Augustine County profiles these cherished landmarks and others through the vintage photographs of local historical groups, family collections, and private archives.