In 1782, local Spanish official Antonio Gil Y'Barbo granted a league of land "at the place named El Atascoso for a ranch and cultivation" to Nacogdoches citizen Miguel de Cordova. Named for a creek that ran through the site, "El Atascoso" was typical of early Spanish Texas ranchos. El Camino Real, an important road that ran from the Mexican border to Natchitoches, Louisiana, crossed the creek on the ranch, and the site saw many travelers. The ranch was also a significant site for both the legal and illegal trade of goods among the area settlers and travelers. Although the rancho declined in importance during 1820s, a small settlement at the site became known as Atascoso and thrived through the early days of the Texas Republic. (1973, 2010)