In 1824, empresario Martin De Leon recognized his dream of founding a colony in Texas. Along with his extraordinary wife, Patricia de la Garza, they bravely came to Texas and established what today is Victoria.
For decades, the descendants of Martin De Leon and Patricia de la Garza worked to see a monument to their ancestors' brave and enterprising spirits erected in the very space in Downtown Victoria that already bears their name, De Leon Plaza. With Victoria's upcoming celebration of our 200th anniversary, the Victoria City Council determined that a monument to our founders was long overdue.
In 2022, the City of Victoria contracted with artist Armando Hinojosa of Laredo, TX to create a masterpiece sculpture to honor the De Leons. Currently in the process of created, the City invites everyone to join us in De Leon Plaza on the afternoon of April 13, 2024, to dedicated the monument along with the ribbon cutting of the De Leon Plaza expansion project, which includes a beautifully-renovated Forrest Street, complete with a large performance pavilion, public restroom facilities, seating, food-truck connections, and so much more!
Mark your calendars and join us in De Leon Plaza on April 13 to honor the two lives that we thank for founding our incredible community!