La Salle's colonization expedition left France on July 24 1684 and soon lost one of its supply ships to Spanish privateers a combination of inaccurate maps La Salle's previous miscalculation of the latitude of the mouth of the Mississippi River and overcorrecting for the Gulf currents led the ships to be unable to find the Mississippi. Instead they landed at Matagorda Bay in early 1685 400 miles (644 km) west of the Mississippi in February the colonists constructed Fort Saint Louis. .
The Frenchman guided the Spanish to the French fort in late April 1689 the fort and the five crude houses surrounding it were in ruins. Several months before the Karankawa had become angry that the French had taken their canoes without payment and had attacked the settlement sparing only four children. Historically the East Texas economy has been led by lumber cotton cattle and oil Prior to the discovery of the East Texas Oil Field cotton lumber and cattle were the predominant source of economic gains and stability Needs of local farmers contributed greatly to the establishment of local towns and trading posts As with many parts of the nation the chosen paths of railroads often determined the continuation of many towns At the beginning of the 20th century the oil fields were discovered and oil became accessible which changed the future of the region.
Behavioral Health Response