GOD & TEXAS: Preston Trail

When the pioneers came to Texas in the early 1800s, they found some well-worn trails to follow. Often called traces, these pathways were possibly established by migrating Native Americans or wild animals in search of food and water.

The most famous trail was the King’s Highway, also known as the Old San Antonio Road or El Camino Real. It was a diversified trail with several intersecting roads stretching from Maverick County at the Rio Grande, through Bexar and Bastrop County, across San Agustine County to the Sabine River. Moses Austin traveled this route when he sought an empresario grant to bring colonists to Mexican Texas.

Two other popular trails into Texas included the Atascosito Road that extended from Opelousas, Louisiana, through San Felipe to near Goliad. And the frequently used Trammel’s Trace, which entered Texas near Fulton, Arkansas, crossed the Red River and drifted south to Nacogdoches.

Another principal route into historic Texas was known as the Preston Trail. It was the southern end of a timeworn path that originated somewhere in Ohio, and rambled southward through Missouri to Texas and on to Mexico. Because it was used by the Shawnee tribe for generations, the Preston Trail was also known as the Shawnee Trail.

The Preston Trail crossed the Red River at the town of Preston, which is now resting under Lake Texoma. Some accounts say that the town was named after Texas Revolutionary Captain William Gilwater Preston, who administered the local fort. During the 1850s it is estimated that over 1,000 wagons crossed the river annually using a crude and dangerous ferry system.

Unfortunately, the town of Preston was known to be home to crusty river men and dangerous lawbreakers. But the same trail that brought crooks also brought pioneer families seeking a better life. Helping to mitigate the corruption with the Good News, many preachers and missionaries were known to traverse the Preston Trail.

In life, there are countless trails to follow. Each road leads somewhere. It is the choice of the traveler to choose a path, and to determine the destination. In the Old Testament, Jeremiah observed in Jeremiah 6:16 NLT, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, Godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls.’”

Some roads look hopeful but lead to great sorrow. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14 NLT, “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”

For those who seek the best pathway, Jesus promised in John 14:6 NLT, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” It is still true today.

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