Tonkawa Tribe and locals partner to turn Sugarloaf Mountain into historic park
Private landowners, El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association (ElCaT), and the Tonkawa Tribe of Oklahoma are partnering together to turn a small mountain in Central Texas to a historic park.
The Tonkawa Tribe purchased the Texas mountain in its entirety last week, and commits to make the site accessible to the public. The partnership is the first of its kind along El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail and assures the conservation of the unique sixty-acre site and the small mountain near Gause Texas near the confluence of the Brazos and Little Rivers, that is unique in its geology and history.
Gause resident, Dave Cunningham, has wanted to see the site protected for thirty years. In 1995, after being unable to persuade Texas Parks and Wildlife officials to purchase the site, he brought in Texas landowners Leon and Kay Herzog to purchase hundreds of acres surrounding the mountain. “I knew they would respect the mountain’s history and refrain from any development or excavation of the site,” said Dave Cunningham, local broker and Sugarloaf advocate. But in recent years, the Herzog’s focus shifted to its long-term protection. They agreed with the idea of selling sixty acres of their property, including the mountain, to an organization that could preserve it in perpetuity.
Cunningham suggested they consider a non-profit called the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association (ElCaT). “The El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail is the road that led to the founding of Texas,” said Steven Gonzales, executive director of ElCaT. “It is composed of many layers of history, including Native American, Spanish, French, Mexican, Anglo, and African-American peoples, and Sugarloaf Mountain is an important historical resource along it.” ElCaT leased the property from the Herzogs with the intention of raising money to purchase it.
Enter the Tonkawa.
The Tonkawa Tribe of Oklahoma, has a long and deep history with Texas, and was considered one of the friendliest tribes in the state. Although forcibly removed to Oklahoma in the late 1800s, the tribe never forgot its Texas roots. Since 2021, an Austin-based documentary team has been partnering with the Oklahoma tribe to plan how the Tonkawa might be able to tell their unusual story. When the team heard about the efforts to preserve Sugarloaf Mountain in Texas, they asked Tonkawa tribal chief Russell Martin if the tribe might want to get involved. “Not only are we originally from the Central Texas area,” says Russell Martin, President of the Tonkawa Tribe, “this mountain we call ‘Natan Samox’ or ‘Red Mountain’ is the site of our origin story. Our entire tribe wanted to see this mountain preserved.”
The documentary team helped connect the parties together for a discussion about a possible purchase. ElCaT felt fortunate to learn that the Tonkawa were interested in buying the mountain, and communicated their deep interest in not only allowing the Tonkawa to take possession of a place they hold sacred, but to make sure the public is educated on the fuller, deeper story of the mountain.
Ultimately the tribe signed a long-term site management agreement with ElCaT. “We needed a local
partner to make this work on a day-to-day basis,” said Racheal Starr, Secretary/Treasurer of the tribe. “I’m pleased with the detailed step-by-step approach taken by ElCaT, and how they could help us manage the site.”
December 12, 2023, the last piece of the deal, the actual purchase of the mountain, was finalized. The Executive Committee of the Tribe, President Russell Martin, Vice-President Patrick Waldroup and Secretary/Treasurer Racheal Starr, signed the purchase agreements on behalf of the Tonkawa Tribe at Herzog’s home, looking out at the mountain in the distance.
In attendance was Steven Gonzales who will be working with his association to manage the site. ElCaT has multiple chapters across the trail that volunteer time towards and resources towards varied activities. After the site’s opening to the public, the local Rancheria Grande chapter will have volunteer opportunities available at the site.
A public celebration was held on Dec. 12 at the Old Sugarloaf Bridge, at the base of the mountain. Tribal members, the Herzog’s, Dave Cunningham, ElCaT, and others from the public were present.
“Today, a truly memorable moment in Texas history has occurred!” said Steven Gonzales of ElCaT. “A Texas tribe, the Tonkawa, have been able to return to their homeland and purchase the site that is sacred to them, and El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association is committed to working with them to make their vision of a public historic park a reality. A good deal of work still needs to be done prior to allowing public access to the site, but together we will work to share a lesser-known part of Texas history, and to protect the site for future generations to experience and explore!”
“We are ecstatic that the parties let us film this story all along the way,” said Bob O’Dell, a producer of the upcoming documentary. “Our Director Andrew Richey, Felipe Adams and I named our company Sugarloaf Pictures tongue-in-cheek, because it’s the settler name for this place, and avoided any appropriation. We hoped the mountain might play a role in the 2025 film, but this is turning out much better than we ever imagined.”
“Thirty years may seem like a long time to wait to see this happen,” said Sugarloaf advocate Dave Cunningham, “It was my dream and that of many others. But you have to dare to dream. Sometimes dreams do come true.”