State Capitol / Confederate Monuments Tour

Explore the Capitol. Discover the Stories Behind the Monuments.

Join us Saturday for a special excursion to Austin and the historic Texas State Capitol.

Reunion attendees will travel together by chartered bus from the Reunion hotel to the Capitol, where our group will receive a private tour of one of the most impressive and historically significant buildings in Texas.

Following the Capitol tour, we will turn our attention to three monuments that commemorate Texans and Texas military units of the Civil War.

Confederate Soldiers Monument

Dedicated in 1903, the Confederate Soldiers Monument stands on the south grounds of the Capitol and commemorates Texans who served the Confederacy. We will examine the monument, its symbolism, the circumstances surrounding its creation, and the Texans whose service it was intended to remember.

Terry’s Texas Rangers Monument

The monument to the 8th Texas Cavalry—better known as Terry’s Texas Rangers—honors one of Texas's most celebrated Confederate cavalry regiments. We will learn about the unit's formation, wartime service, and the veterans and organizations responsible for creating its memorial at the Capitol. Along the way, we’ll discover why the Rangers earned a reputation as one of the most effective cavalry commands in the Western Theater and why Texans worked to preserve their story in stone.

Hood’s Texas Brigade Monument

Our tour will also visit the monument honoring Hood’s Texas Brigade, whose Texas regiments served in some of the most consequential campaigns of the Eastern Theater. We will explore the history of the brigade, the veterans it commemorates, and the story behind the monument itself. We’ll also learn how the brigade earned its legendary reputation on battlefields from Virginia to Pennsylvania and how its surviving veterans ensured that the sacrifices of their comrades would be remembered by future generations of Texans.

History Where It Happened

This will be more than a walk around the Capitol grounds. At each monument, we'll discuss what it represents, the Texans it commemorates, when and why it was erected, and how these memorials became part of the historic landscape of the Texas Capitol. With transportation provided from the Reunion hotel, this Signature Experience offers an opportunity to spend part of Saturday exploring Texas history together at the seat of state government.

Space will be limited. Advance registration will be required.