Goliad is the third oldest town in Texas and is the county seat of Goliad County, one of the original counties of Texas. The modern town of Goliad began in 1749 when the Spanish moved the Mission Espiritu Santo de Zuniga and its Presidio here from Guadalupe River at Mission Valley. Originally nicknamed “La Bahia” because of its proximity to the Matagorda Bay, the name stuck and the precursor to modern Goliad was called La Bahia until 1829. Decree #73 of the Congress of Coahuila and Texas granted to La Bahia the title of Villa and changed the name to Goliad on February 4, 1829. The name Goliad came from the Mexican Revolutionary patriot priest Hidalgo. The letters of his name were re-arranged and the silent “H” omitted..