“Texas Legacy in Lights” captures the story of the opening salvos of the Texas Revolution in a 31-minute film projected on the facade of the Gonzales Memorial Museum.
On Oct. 2, 1835, a group of Gonzales residents faced off against Mexican soldiers west of town. The soldiers had come to retrieve a small cannon loaned to the settlers for defense.
Unhappy with President Santa Anna’s cancellation of the Mexican constitution, the settlers decided to keep the cannon. (It is now displayed in the Memorial Museum.)
The rebels fired the cannon to stress their point, and the Mexicans returned to San Antonio empty-handed. It became the opening shot of the Texas Revolution and created the call to arms: “Come and Take It.”
In February 1836, men from Gonzales answered Colonel William Travis’ call for reinforcements to the Alamo, including 17-year-old John E. Gaston, who was engaged to be married. They became known as the “Immortal 32.”
After the fall of the Alamo, Gonzales and other settlements were burned to deny their use by the Mexican army. The Texans suffered in the heavy rain as they retreated. The evacuation is remembered as the “Runaway Scrape.”
That’s basically the story of “Texas Legacy” with a love story thrown in for good measure. Producer and director John Franklin Rinehart and his Austin Film Crew packed a lot of history in the colorful film. The multiple-projector story can be a little confusing at times on the 36-by-96-foot wall. At other times, the split screen enhances the story. With speakers hidden around the museum’s reflecting pool, it is easy to hear the cannon’s roar or a maiden’s whisper.
“Texas Legacy in Lights” happens Tuesday through Sunday at 8:25pm and 9:15pm. The Gonzales Memorial Museum is at 414 Smith St. It closes at 5pm, so visit early and then enjoy dinner and a movie in Gonzales.
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This article appears in October 17 • 2025.