Texas Parks and Wildlife commemorated the 100th Anniversary of World War I armistice aboard Battleship TEXAS, the last remaining U.S. battleship to have served in World War I and the largest remaining artifact from World War I in the State of Texas.
On Saturday, November 10, 2018, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., visitors participated in a number of family-friendly activities that commemorate the World War I Centennial, including special guided tours, a community “Flanders Field” poppy mural, and a presentation by University of Sheffield (England) professor Dr. Jonathan Rayner.
On Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m., in the San Jacinto Monument Theater, Texas Parks and Wildlife, First Texas Volunteers, and the University of Sheffield offered a free screening of “The Battle of the Somme.” This film is an iconic British World War I documentary and war propaganda film that captures the first day of the Somme Offensive on July 1, 1916.
In addition to Saturday’s activities, general admission to Battleship TEXAS was free on Sunday, November 11th in honor of Veterans Day and the continuing WWI Centennial Commemoration. On Sunday, the 11th Texas Parks and Wildlife Department hosted a public commemoration ceremony from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the ship’s bow that included a presentation by San Jacinto College’s Webb History Club.
Battleship TEXAS is owned and operated by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The Battleship TEXAS is permanently moored adjacent to the San Jacinto Monument, 3523 Independence Parkway, in LaPorte, Texas.