La Salle and the French Exploration

Something that may surprise you is that the first Europeans to settle in Victoria County were actually French explorers, led by the famed Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. Arriving in 1685, La Salle and his colonists established a settlement on the west bank of the Garcitas Creek. La Salle never gave a name to this settlement; it is known today as Fort St. Louis. Because of personal intrigue, poor relations with the Karankawa Indians, lack of fresh water and food, and various diseases, La Salle’s colony came to a tragic end in 1688.