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Palo Alto was the location of the first major battle of the Mexican-American War on May 8, 1846. Palo Alto was a coastal prairie and the National Park Service acquired the former battlefield and offer a visitors center with exhibits and tours of the former battlefield that includes historical markers and other interpretive elements.

This historical marker is one of several interpretive elements on the Palo Alto Battlefield today

This historical marker is one of several interpretive elements on the Palo Alto Battlefield today
In May of 1846, Mexican General Mariano Arista led his troops in an attempt to flank the American troops during a border dispute. The battle signaled the start of the American-Mexican War. The National Park Service has acquired about a third of the Palo Alto battlefield with the rest belonging to private landowners. 
Palo ALto Battlefield. National Park Service. . Accessed October 14, 2018. https://www.nps.gov/paal/index.htm.