West Point Society Joseph Bonnell Project presentation to Austin Chapter of Daughters of the Republic of Texas on January 23, 2012

1. The West Point Society of Central Texas Joseph Bonnell Project 2010-2012 Stan Bacon Fred Bothwell WPSCT Honoring a Hero of the War for Texas Independence Presented to The Daughters of the Republic of Texas January 23, 2012

3. 1/23/2012 THE JOSEPH BONNEL PROJECT MOUNT BONNELL AT COVERT PARK MOUNT BONNELL: WHAT’S IN A NAME? Who is it named for? Who named it? What proof exists? MOUNT BONNELL: WHAT’S BEEN DONE? WPSCT adoption View restoration Clean up PARD events MOUNT BONNELL: WHAT’S PLANNED? Marker replacement plans Facilities plan Future enhancements

4. 1/23/2012 MOUNT BONNELL MARKER (1969) “… NAMED FOR GEORGE W. BONNELL , WHO CAME TO TEXAS WITH OTHERS TO FIGHT FOR TEXAS INDEPENDENCE , 1836….” “… COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS…” “ MOVED IN 1839 TO AUSTIN …” “… PUBLISHED ‘TEXAS SENTINAL ’, 1840” “… TEXAS-SANTA FE EXPEDITION,1841 …CAPTURED BUT RELEASED…” “… JOIN(ED) MIER EXPEDITION , 1842 … KILLED IN CAMP …” Texas State Historical Survey Committee

6. 1/23/2012 George Bonnell advocated extremely harsh, brutal, and vindictive policies towards tribal people, writing: “ ...It is in their power to detect the offenders, and if they fail to do it, we should demand an equal number of their people for instant execution. ... Or we might demand and retain as hostages the children of some of the principal families.”

7. 1/23/2012 “ Some sources credit George Bonnell as the namesake for Mount Bonnell on the Colorado River and that Gen. Edward Burleson may have named the mountain in 1838, but other historians have also speculated that the Travis County landmark may have been named for army officer Joseph Bonnell by Albert Sidney Johnston. ” The Handbook of Texas Online, 1/21/2011 CURRENT HANDBOOK ENTRY

9. 1/23/2012 THE JOSEPH BONNELL PROJECT – WHAT’S IN A NAME? WHAT’S IN A NAME? - A CONTROVERSY! How did Mt Bonnell get its name? Who named it? What proof exists? Considering the alternatives SEEKING A CORRECTION: 2003-2012 2003: Application submitted to THC 2004: Travis CHC recommends approval 2005: Application denied by THC 2011: WPSCT requests review of new application REQUEST FOR REVIEW DENIED WITHOUT HEARING “ Although the evidence is persuasive, we believe that it is equally possible that the mountain was named for George Bonnell….this matter is concluded….our agency can devote no more staff or commission time to this issue.” Mark Wolfe, Executive Director, August 22, 2011 SEEKING A HEARING: 2:00PM January 31, 2012, Judge Rhonda Hurley Travis County Courthouse, 1000 Guadalupe, Austin, in Room 512.

10. 1/23/2012 THE JOSEPH BONNEL PROJECT MOUNT BONNELL AT COVERT PARK MOUNT BONNELL: WHAT’S IN A NAME? Who is it named for? Who named it? What proof exists? MOUNT BONNELL: WHAT’S BEEN DONE? WPSCT adoption View restoration Clean up PARD events MOUNT BONNELL: WHAT’S PLANNED? Marker replacement plans Facilities plan Future enhancements

12. 2/09/2011 PROJECT: RESTORE FABULOUS VIEWS

13. COVERT PARK MOUNT BONNELL “ FABULOUS VIEWS” RESTORATION JANUARY 28-31, 2011 PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS REPORT Fred Bothwell West Point Society of Central Texas Friends of Mount Bonnell [email_address] (512) 635-4433

14. … .and the Contractor, and the Friends of Mount Bonnell, and the neighbors, and the Neighborhood Associations, and other AOG members…. Project Management span of control….

15. RIVER VIEWS TO NORTH AND SOUTH FROM PERGOLA (SITE 1) AND OBSERVATION PLATFORM (SITE 3) WERE OBSCURED BY VEGETATION RIVER VIEWS TO NORTH AND SOUTH FROM PERGOLA (SITE 1) AND NORTH VIEW FROM OBSERVATION PLATFORM (SITE 3) ARE NOW UNOBSTRUCTED. BEFORE AFTER

16. BEFORE: FULL AUSTIN SKYLINE WAS ONLY VISIBLE FROM SITE 2 BY STANDING ON PICNIC TABLE. SKYLINE WAS INVISIBLE FROM PICNIC TABLE AT SITE 4 AFTER: PANORAMIC AUSTIN SKYLINE FROM TEXAS TOWER TO LADYBIRD LAKE NOW VISIBLE FROM SEATED POSITION AT BOTH TABLES

17. HUNDREDS OF CUBIC YARDS* OF VIEW OBSTRUCTING VEGETATION WERE CUT AND STACKED FOR CHIPPING AND WINDROW FABRICATION *ESTIMATED STACK SIZE: 10’ H X 5’ DEEP X 20 ‘ LONG

18. BRACTED TWISTFLOWER * SCOPE OF ORIGINAL CONCEPTUAL PLAN CONSTRAINED BY PARK BOUNDARY, CONSERVATION, AND PRESERVATION CONCERNS. FINAL SCOPE OF PROJECT DEFINED IN COOPERATION WITH AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, BALCONES CANYONLANDS PRESERVE, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES, FRIENDS OF MOUNT BONNELL, AND WEST POINT SOCIETY ORIGINAL CONCEPTUAL PLAN MAY 2010 FINAL TALLY ACCOMPLISHED AS OF 2/01/2011: ~80% COVERAGE OF ORIGINAL PROPOSED SIGHTLINES INCLUDING 2 NEW PANORAMIC VIEWS OF AUSTIN SKYLINE *

19. 2/09/2011 WEST AUSTIN NEWS PROVIDES CONTINUING COVERAGE “ I’ve never seen this view before…”

20. 1/23/2012 THE JOSEPH BONNEL PROJECT MOUNT BONNELL AT COVERT PARK MOUNT BONNELL: WHAT’S IN A NAME? Who is it named for? Who named it? What proof exists? MOUNT BONNELL: WHAT’S BEEN DONE? WPSCT adoption View restoration Clean up PARD events MOUNT BONNELL: WHAT’S PLANNED? Marker replacement plans Facilities plan Future enhancements

21. 1938 2010 Marker is no longer vertical 2008 2010 Marker is disintegrating 1/10/2011 MARKER CONDITION:1938-2011 Original Marker Reaches End of Life

24. 10/19/2011 PROPOSED GRANITE REPLACEMENT MARKER

25. The original historic artifact may be placed in a protected location…. … .AND A REPLICA INSTALLED AT THE ORIGINAL SITE 12/3/2011 THE STONE OF SCONE (1249 A.D.?) Original Stone in Westminster Abby REPLICA STONE OF SCONE at original site at Moot Hill, Scotland REPLICA ROSETTA STONE at original site at Rosetta (el-Rashid) Egypt

26. 1/10/2011 PROPOSED RELOCATION OF RESTORED MARKER

30. TOTAL PROJECT VALUE: $115,000+ PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS Project Costs PHASE ONE Expected Cost Remove existing broken limestone Covert Park dedication marker PARD Old marker base demolition and removal, PARD New marker base installation 7,000 Replacement marker and delivery to site and placement 21,000 PHASE ONE COST $28,000 PHASE TWO New limestone flatwork: 350 sf @ $50 17,500 (2) Decorative stars @ $500 1,000 Limestone steps: 160 lf @ $80 12,800 Limestone benches: 30 lf @ $80 2,400 Handrails: 2 @ $500 1,000 (4) Granite benches @ $500 2,000 Landscaping, native plants, xeriscape 2,000 PHASE TWO COST $38,700 PLANNED COSTS $66,700 CONTINGENCIES (10%) $6,670 TOTAL COST* $73,370 *PLUS $44,000+ in professional services and labor donated by O’Connell Robinson, KC Construction, and others

34. 2Q 2010: WPSCT “adopts” Mount Bonnell at Covert Park 3Q 2010: Begin discussion with Covert family re marker replacement, other improvements 4Q 2010: O’Connell Robertson marker and improvement plan review and approval Obtain APF grant for view restoration 1Q 2011: Submit PARD application for marker replacement Accomplish view restoration 3Q 2011: Request $50K APF/ACL grant for marker replacement and improvements Total value, $100+K Endorsed by HPWBANA and WANG 4Q 2011: Partial Grant approved by APF Historic Landmark Appropriateness Committee finds plan unacceptable PARD withdraws support for improvements Jan 2012: Mayor Leffingwell directs PARD and HLC to reconsider, enable improvements PARD Director Hensley says marker is "contingent on design revisions.." and "...proposed landscape improvements (are) incompatible with the site, accessibility and maintenance considerations..." MOUNT BONNELL PROJECT TIMELINE

35. 1/23/2012 BONNELL PROJECT SUPPORT Please help sustain the memory of his service to Texas and his recognition as a Hero of the War for Texas Independence Donate a “Joseph Bonnell Story” DVD to your local Middle School Extend our offer to speak to other DRT Chapters Join our email list to stay informed of future Bonnell project progress Attend the hearing next week in support of our request that the Texas Historical Commission give proper consideration to our application for a corrected marker on Mount Bonnell Support our efforts to improve Mount Bonnell facilities. Thank You Fred Bothwell Stan Bacon WPSCT

36. 1/10/2011

39. 12/3/2011 ENDANGERED? From 42 seeds to 72,251… IN A BEE CAVE BATHROOM! The Bracted twistflower November 29, 2011 **** ****

40. THE UNTIMELY RETREAT OF GEORGE WASHINGTON BONNELL How George Bonnell’s bad judgment, poor timing, ignoring the advice of an experienced subordinate, and failure to execute a mission led to the deaths of innocent settlers in the Morgan Massacre January 1, 1839 Excerpted from the book “ Savage Frontier, Volume II” By Stephen L. Moore http://tinyurl.com/26qwtqu

41. Excerpted from the book “Savage Frontier, Volume II” by Stephen L. Moore THE UNTIMELY RETREAT OF GEORGE WASHINGTON BONNELL In November, 1839, George Bonnell is named commander of a Militia battalion of two companies of volunteers. One of them, the “Milam Guards” is formed in Houston and led by Captain Joseph Daniels, an experienced officer. Page 92 ************* *************

42. THE UNTIMELY RETREAT OF GEORGE WASHINGTON BONNELL Excerpted from the book “Savage Frontier, Volume II” by Stephen L. Moore Unsuccessful in his attempt to locate the enemy in the first few weeks of December, Daniels is ordered by Bonnell to stop his search for hostile Indians and return to Houston Upon Daniels’ withdrawal from the field, settlers are attacked and massacred Page 96 ************* Pages 135 -136

43. Page 137-138 THE UNTIMELY RETREAT OF GEORGE WASHINGTON BONNELL Excerpted from the book “Savage Frontier, Volume II” by Stephen L. Moore Joseph Daniels blames George Bonnell’s “retreat” for the Morgan Massacre