Mission Dolores State Historic Site
Forest Trail Region
In the decades following the Civil War, African American troops known as Buffalo Soldiers served across the American frontier, including East Texas. These soldiers often traveled along historic routes such as El Camino Real de los Tejas and the Old Spanish Trail. Passing through the Pineywoods on their way to posts or communities, they may have come near present-day Mission Dolores, connecting their journeys to the deep and layered history of the region.