The Indians of Hays and Comal Counties and the Camino Real
by R Edward Moore
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Canaquedista was the name the local Indians used for the springs that give rise to what is now know as the San Marcos River and the Comal river. It means, "where the water rises" or a spring. The Indians were attracted to these places for the same reasons generations of other peoples would be attracted to the springs, they are remarkable spots of great beauty and great resources.
People have come to Canaquedista for as long as people have been in the area. In San Marcos and New Braunfels, archeological excavations at the springs have found artifacts ranging from beer can pull tabs from the 1970s, gun parts from the 19th century, back too flint Clovis dart points dating back 11,500+ years ago. Native American artifacts are the most common artifacts found around the springs. Dig a hole in any spot within 300 yards of the springs or the river and you will find chipped flint indicating Indian activity.
When Governor Domingo Teran de los Rios arrived at the springs in San Marcos in June of 1691 he found thousands of Indians from 6 or more different tribes camped there. The region between the Guadalupe, the Balcones Escarpment and the Colorado River was common ground for Indian tribes from many distant places to come together in the summer to hunt buffalo and trade. The Jumano from far west Texas were there. Teran also found the Chalome and Chaynaya, tribes he knew from the region of Monterey Old Mexico were he had started from.
While camped with the Indians at the San Marcos River Teran gave a feast for the Indians. The Indians responded the next day by holding a parade in honor of the Spanish. Thousands of warriors in their best dress rode past the Spanish in columns of two. Chiefs in their most impressive clothes led each tribe. The Spanish priest on the expedition, Fr. Massenet, was impressed to see a banner with the Virgin of Guadalupe on it carried by one of the tribes. Another Spanish explorer a year earlier had given the banner to them.
The Spanish found other similar camps in the region. At other times there were other large Indian camps at the springs in New Braunfels, at La Grange and near Victoria. Many different tribes were found at these camps trading and hunting buffalo. While no European was sure just who the local tribes were, the local tribes along the Guadalupe and San Marcos Rivers seem to have spoken the same same language, Sanna. At these other camps Spanish explorers on the Camino Real found many other tribes including the Caddo or Tejas Indians from east Texas. The Tejas are the Hasinai Caddo Indians from whom we get the word Texas, meaning "friends" or allies. Dozens of tribes large and small came every year to this region to camp together and trade. When they came they used well known and used Indian trails -- the same Indian trails that later became the Camino Real. San Marcos and New Braunfels have been the natural crossroads of Texas for a long time.
You could say the Indians were tourists of sorts. They came to trade with each other, just like people come to the outlet mall today. They also came to see new things and meet other people, just like the tourists of today. You could say that tourism in San Marcos and New Braunfels dates back 11,000 years or more, and it does.
2-1-2005