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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBRAZOS_COUNTY_MARKERS Title Location Marker Text Black Education in Bryan Between Houston St. and Preston St. on 20th; Bryan (in park). On March 30, 1885, the City of Bryan purchased seven lots in this area as a site for a public school to provide separate but equal and impartial instruction for black children of the community, as prescribed by the Texas State Constitution of 1876. The "Bryan Public School for Colored" was the first educational institution established for blacks in Brazos County. When school opened in the fall of 1885, its principal was A.H. Colwell, who later became a prominent leader of black Republicans, and was named as a presidential elector from Texas in 1896. The original faculty included Mrs. Anne Alberson, Misses Mamie Burrows and Beatrice Calhoun, Mrs. Ada Scott Hall, and Mrs. Lenora Green, a classmate of Dr. William E.B. Dubois. The first school building of this site was a two-story frame structure, furnished with planks supported by kegs for seating. After the school burned in 1914, a brick edifice was constructed. In 1930, when the Kemp Junior-Senior High School was built across town, this facility became Washington Elementary School. After its destruction by fire in Sept. 1971, Washington Elementary was not rebuilt and the black students were integrated into the Bryan Public School System. Washington Park occupies most of the original site. Town of Boonville From the intersection of SH 6 and FM 158 (East Bryan) take FM 158 E approx. .3 mile to Boonville Cemetery. Site of the town of Boonville Established in 1841 as the county seat of Navasota County by John Millican, John H. Jones, J. ?Ferguson, E. Seale, and Mordecai Boon whose name it bears. The name of the county was changed to Brazos in 1842. Boonville flourished until 1866 when Bryan was established on the railroad Edge House 609 S. Ennis Completed in 1925 for the family of prominent Bryan merchant Eugene Edge (1879-1954) and his wife Cora Zulch (d. 1939), this two-and-one-half story brick house reflects the Georgian Revival style. Defining features include its symmetrical composition, entry portico with Doric columns, stone quoins, gabled dormers, and fanlight transom. After the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Edge, the house remained in the Edge family until 1978. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark -1991 Albert Gallatin From the intersection of SH 6 and FM 974 (north Bryan) take FM 974 approx. 8 miles to Dick Elliott Rd.; take Elliott Rd. NW approx. 2.2 miles to Bickham Cemetery Rd.; then NE on cemetery road approx. 1 mile to cemetery. Steele's Store Community From Bryan take SH 21 SW approx. 10 miles to FM 50; then N on FM 50 approx. 2.4 miles. Anglo settlement in this area can be traced to 1851. Henry B. Steele built a general merchandise store in 1855 to serve residents of the rural community, originally called Mudville because of frequent Brazos River floods. The store became the center of the community, and when a post office was established there in 1878 the settlement was renamed Steele's Store. Italian immigrants, primarily from the provinces of Trapani and Palermo, began settling here in the 1870s. Many of the families established large farms, and by the early 20th Century the Italian community here was one of the largest in the United States. A one-room schoolhouse built in 1889 was later replaced with larger structures as the population grew. The school eventually was consolidated with the Brazos County Independent School District. Predominantly Roman Catholic, the settlement was served by priests from St. Anthony's Church in Bryan until 1903, when San Salvador Catholic Church was built. The church became the focal point of the community, with traditional Sicilian celebrations held each March to honor St. Joseph. Many descendants of the area's pioneer Italian families still reside in the vicinity. Eugene Edge Home 508 E. 30th St. This Queen Anne style residence features a two-story wraparound porch with a decorative balustrade. The front porch, with its Doric columns and triangular pediment over the entryway, exhibits elements of the Colonial Revival style of architecture. The home was constructed in 1901-02 by locally prominent builder Charles Jenkins. It served as the residence of Eugene Edge, an early Bryan businessman, until 1918. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark -1985 Harvey Mitchell W side courthouse square, Bryan. Came to Texas from Tennessee in 1839, and joined "minute men" protecting north frontier from Trinity to Brazos River. Moved to Brazos County; served 1842-1853 in County offices: Deputy Clerk, County Clerk, Surveyor, Chief Justice. Taught school, had a store, farmed. Led in building churches; also Brazos County courthouses of 1846, 1853, 1878. During Civil War, was assessor of Confederate state taxes. As a member of a local committee, his determination and tact secured the location of the A. & M. College of Texas for his county. He rightly deserves title, "Father of Brazos County". Rock Prairie School and Church 105 Rock Prairie Rd. German immigrant Adam Royder (d. 1894) donated one acre of land here for school purposes in 1891. A one-room schoolhouse was constructed where area students received instruction through the seventh grade. The Rock Prairie Missionary Baptist Church was organized in the schoolhouse in 1900, and church services were subsequently held there, as well. The Rock Prairie School was discontinued in 1919 after it was consolidated with the nearby Shiloh School, but the schoolhouse continued to serve area Baptists as a house of worship. Wesa Weddington From the intersection of SH 6 and FM 158 (East Bryan) take FM 158 E approx. .5 miles to Boonville Cemetery. Granddaughter of Harvey Mitchell, a pioneer settler of Brazos County, Wesa Weddington began teaching Latin and Spanish in 1903 in Bryan public schools. She received a Masters Degree in 1918 from Columbia University and then taught while serving as Principal of Bryan High School from 1920 to 1946. A dedicated teacher who set high standards, she earned love and respect from students, many of whom became leaders in the community. El Camino Real From Bryan take SH 21 approx. 10 miles to OSR (Old San Antonio Road) E; marker is located near OSR stop sign onto SH 21. Great thoroughfare of pioneer Texas, stretching 1,000 miles from Saltillo, Mexico, to present Louisiana. The general route followed ancient Indian and buffalo trails, but the oldest marked portion, known as "Trail of the Padres", was blazed in 1691 under Domingo Teran de los Rios, first Governor of Texas. This part joined Monclova, then capital of the province, to the Spanish missions of East Texas. San Antonio, military nerve center of the region, was a major stop. Over the centuries, explorers, traders, smugglers, armed men, and civilians traversed this road. In 1820 Moses Austin traveled it to San Antonio to request a land grant from Spanish officials. The colonizing venture he started later brought thousands of Anglo-Americans over the road to help settle Texas. In 1915 the Texas Legislature appropriated $5,000 to survey and mark the route. The Daughters of the American American Revolution and other patriotic groups sponsored and endorsed the project, and V.N. Zivley was commissioned to make the survey. In 1918 the state and D.A.R. placed granite markers approximately every five miles along the Texas section of the road. Today many modern highways, particularly State 21, follow the original route of El Camino Real. Martin's Place 3403 S. College marker pending Mount Calvary Cemetery Old Kurten Rd, between SH 6 Business and SH 6 marker is pending African American Education in College Station 1000 Eleanor St. Formal education for African Americans in Brazos County began as a result of the Public School Act of 1871. Classes were held in many small community and church-related schools, and by 1923 there were 127 African American students in the A&M Consolidated School District. Buildings accommodated only elementary school students until an agreement was reached to bus pupils to the Kemp High School in Bryan. The A&M School District paid the expenses. In the 1930s the number of African American students grew steadily. Rising costs of tuition and transportation prompted the A&M District to approve and build a high school in College Station. The A&M Consolidated Negro School opened in 1941. An athletic field was added in 1946 and the name of the school changed to Lincoln School. The building was expanded in 1948. A fire in 1966 destroyed one of three classroom buildings displacing 100 students. The burned facilities were not rebuilt. The City of College Station leased the land and the remaining five buildings in the late 1960s, and restored the site in 1972. The city bought the land in 1978 and dedicated the Lincoln Center in 1980. The former school is now the home of many community activities in College Station. Alexander Methodist Chapel From the intersection of SH 6 and FM 974 (North Bryan) take FM 974 north approximately 5.3 miles to Alexander Rd., then NW on Alexander Rd. approximately .9 mile to Alexander Cemetery Rd., then on cemetery road approximately .1 mile. Organized in in 1854 by Robert Alexander, Circuit Rider. First church built of hand-hewn logs in 1856 by early settlers, George Fullerton, Hugh Henry, Jim Walker, John Walker, E.W. Thompson and others. Ten acres of church land donated by Eliz Boatwright and John Singleton was deeded to the following trustees: James Walker, William Lawrence, John B. Wallace, William Glass and Harvey Mitchell. Second church was built in 1908 -W.D. Gardner, Pastor. Third church was built in 1939 -Willard Smith, Pastor. College Station Railroad Depots On the Texas A&M campus, on Old Main Drive just E of its intersection with Welborn Rd. (FM 2154), College Station. In 1871 Texas Governor Edmund Davis appointed three Commissioners to select a site for the newly established Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (Texas A&M College). The Commissioners chose this location in large part because of the existence of a Houston and Texas Central (H&TC) Railroad line which began in Southeast Texas and extended through this area to its terminus in Bryan (5 mi. north). Although no railroad depot existed here at the time of Texas A&M's formal opening in 1876, H&TC made regular stops here for incoming and outgoing college students and faculty. H&TC railroad conductor announcements referring to to this stop as College Station gave rise to the name of the surrounding community. H&TC constructed a new depot about 1900. The H&TC depots and another built by the International & Great Northern (IGN) Railroad just east of this site in 1900 1900 were for many students who attended Texas A&M the first remembrance of their collegiate experience. Railroad depots owned by the H&TC (later Southern Pacific) and IGN (later Missouri Pacific) maintained passenger service at this location until 1959. In 1966 the last of the depot structures was razed. First National Bank of Bryan north entrance The First National Bank of Bryan traces its history to 1862 when its earliest predecessor, a private lending agency, was established by W.H. Flippen and Milton Parker in Millican. In 1867, after the Houston and Texas Central Railroad extended its line north to the new city of Bryan, Flippen bought out Parker's interest, moved to the new community, and merged his lending operation with that of Guy M. Bryan, Jr., son of the town's founder William Joel Bryan. Guy Bryan, along with partners Frank Clarke and J. W. Howell, reorganized this financial enterprise as a private bank in 1873. J. W. Fowlkes joined Clarke, Bryan, and Howell in 1886, and the institution was renamed the First National Bank of Bryan after being granted the eleventh National Bank Charter issued in Texas. The bank was housed in the Fowlkes and Ticby Building in downtown Bryan until 1919, when it moved to new facilities at 108 Main Street. Throughout its history, the First National Bank has supported community development, survived the Great Depression through careful business management and supported many activities during World War II, including an air base in Bryan. The bank moved its main facility to 2807 Texas Avenue in 1976. (1996) Charlie Eric Jenkins Bryan City Cemetery -at gravesite, center of cemetery about 100 yards from entrance. English native Charlie E. Jenkins came to America in 1873 and to Bryan in 1878. One of Bryan's most prolific and talented builders of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, Jenkins' legacy of distinctive structures has been recognized by national and state organizations for their historic and architectural significance. Jenkins is known for his masterful use of natural lighting and for employing many different styles. In addition to his architectural contributions, Jenkins also was active in the city's civic affairs, having served as both Fire Chief and City Building Inspector. A&M College Consolidated Rural School 2100 block of Welsh Avenue (Welsh Avenue side of football stadium), College Station. The state of Texas granted a charter for an independent school district to encompass the Texas A&M College campus in 1909. Because there was not a sufficient number of students in the district to support a school, A&M president William Bizzell and professor Martin Hayes, head of the department of vocational teaching, persuaded the leaders of three surrounding common school districts to send their students to a new school to be located on the college campus. The new school opened in 1920 with 304 students. It was supported by A&M college with funding for buildings, teacher salaries, furniture, and equipment. It became a model for rural schools in the area, and by 1928 the surrounding school districts officially dissolved and merged with A&M College Consolidated Independent School District. By 1938 the school facilities had become overcrowded. Because the college was not able to increase its contributions to the institution, the school moved off of the A&M campus in 1940. With the move came the genesis of the College Station Independent School District. Early Texas A&M Campus Housing In park-like setting just E of the A&M football stadium and W of the Sam Houston Sanders Corps of Cadet Bldg., Texas A&M University campus, College Station. When Texas A&M University opened in 1876, it was four miles from Bryan, the nearest town, and the need for campus housing for faculty and staff arose. The first of the campus houses, five brick homes along the east side of Throckmorton Street, were built in 1876. By 1938, there were more than one hundred homes on campus. The types of houses varied, ranging from large Queen Anne style homes to small bungalows and cottages. The homes were located throughout the campus. When the City of College Station was incorporated in 1938, housing in town became available, and the decision was made to remove the faculty housing. Many residents expressed a desire to buy their homes, and the college began accepting bids in 1941. One third of the houses were soon sold, with prices ranging from $200-$800. Another third were sold and moved over the next twenty years. The rest of the original structures were burned or razed. None remain on campus. Fortyone of the original homes have been located. Thirty-eight are in College Station, two are in Bryan, and one is about two miles north of Bryan. Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Sam Houston Sanders Corps of Cadets Center, Texas A&M University, College Station. Soon after its opening in 1876, the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (Texas A&M) established the Corps of Cadets to fulfill its mandate to instruct its students (all-male until the early 1960s) in military science. A&M contributed more officers to America's WW II effort than any other institution, includin the U.S. Military Academy. Many of the Corps' traditional activities, such as the Aggie Band, Fish Drill Team, and Ross Volunteers, have gained national and international recognition. A&M's elite Corps of Cadets continues to dominate the University's unique public image. Texas A&M University Main entrance to Texas A&M Univ. off Texas Avenue, College Station. The State Legislature authorized the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas April 17, 1871, under terms of the Federal Morrill Act. Constitutionally a part of a chartered, yetunorganized state university, A&M gained its own directorate in 1875 with Governor Richard Coke as Board President. Brazos Countians provided its 2,416-acre site. Committed to "teach...branches of learning...related to agriculture and mechanic arts...to promote liberal and practical education," A&M opened Oct. 4, 1876, as the first state institution of higher learning actually operating in Texas. Thomas S. Gathright was President. Its original six students in seven academic departments grew to 28,038 students in eleven academic colleges by 1976. Initially an all-male, all-white school, it was desegregated as to color in 1963 and made fully coeducational in 1971. The Legislature recognized its diversified programs and international leadership in education and research by awarding the new name, Texas A&M University, on Aug. 23, 1963. On Sept. 17, 1971, the U.S. Congress made this one of America's first four Sea Grant Colleges. National defense has drawn from Texas A&M thousands of ROTC men, including 29 general officers for World War II. Waldrop House 615 E. 29th St. Designed by Houston architects Jones & Tabor, this home was built for Allister (1877-1936) and Nanne Waldrop in the early 1900s. Waldrop, a prominent area retail merchant, also served as President of the Bryan School Board. The Waldrop house, built in the American Four-Square style, reflects the architectural trend of the times toward simplicity of design. Interesting features include the Palladian dormer windows and the use of wood shingles on the second story. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark -1983 Allen Academy At the corner of 22nd St. and Ursuline Ave., Bryan This school originated as Madison Academy, founded in 1886 in Madisonville by John Hodges Allen (1854-1920), an educator from Mississippi. When his brother Rivers O. Allen (1865-1925) joined him in 1896, the institution became Allen Academy, a private boarding school for boys. During the summer of 1899, the Allens moved the school to Bryan. In the early years of the 20th Century, enrollment steadily increased. The campus was enlarged and new buildings erected to accommodate the students. During World War I, military training was introduced. In 1925 John Allen's son Nat Burtis Allen (1892-1946) became director of the school. During his tenure, the academy continued to grow and gained national recognition. When he died in 1946, the campus contained over 300 acres, including a farm and dairy. His son Nat Burtis Allen, Jr. (1919-1973) guided the institution until 1973 and led in establishing broader curriculum. Allen Academy is the oldest accredited, non-sectarian preparatory school for boys operating in Texas. Its graduates include leaders in government and business. Today the institution is coeducational and offers a broad range of scholastic programs for boarding and day students. (1997) Brazos River Largest river between the Red and the Rio Grande, the 840-mile Brazos rises in 3 forks: the Salt, Clear and Double Mountain forks. According to legend, this river saved Coronado's Expedition of 1540-1542 from dying of thirst, so the men thankfully named it "Los Brazos de Dios" (Arms of God). On its banks were founded historic San Felipe, capital of Stephen F. Austin's Colony, and Washington, where in 1836 Texas' Declaration of Independence was signed. Vast plantations thrived in the fertile Brazos Valley, making cotton "king" in Texas until the Civil War. Robert Henry From the intersection of SH 6 and FM 2818 (NW Bryan) take SH 6 NW approx. 2.3 miles to SH OSR; then SW on OSR approx. 2 miles to Mumford Rd.; then W on Mumford Rd. approx. 200 yards to Rye Loop Road; then S on Rye Loop approx. .6 miles to gate entrance to cemetery trail (on private property). One of victors in Battle of San Jacinto. Born in Ireland; came to America, 1820, and here to Robertson's Colony, 1832. A staunch Presbyterian, kept true to faith at risk of life. In 1836 War for Texas Independence, he served in 2nd Regt., Infantry, Texas Volunteers. Prominent in public life, he held Justice of Peace Court beneath shade trees. He married Elizabeth Downing, Londonderry, Ire.; had 13 children. Their heirs include noted Texans. Moravian (Czech) Cemetery 5911 Street (Copperfield Subdivision), Bryan Knights Bridge. Land for this cemetery was sold in 1889 by Josef Stasta (1833-1894) to Joseph Mekeska, president of Moravian Brothers Burial Ground. The deed specified the land would be used exclusively for a Moravian cemetery. The cemetery contains eleven grave markers. All but one of the stones are inscribed in Czech. The one English-language stone marks four graves. The earliest known burial is that of Marie Siptak (Jan. 19-Feb. 16, 1885). The last interment took place in 1906. Though only fifteen graves are marked, the cemetery may contain as many as forty-one burials. Cavitt House 713 E. 30th St. Attorney William R. Cavitt (1849-1924) 1924) purchased a city block here in 1875, the year he married Mary Mitchell. Cavitt became Brazos County Attorney in 1878 and about 1880 he and Mary built a brick Italianate residence here. Cavitt later served as a State Legislator and on the Board of Texas A&M University. The Cavitts modified the house in the 1920s to reflect contemporary Colonial Revival influences. The house remained in the Cavitt family until 1978. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark -1995 Astin-Porter Home 600 E. 29th St. Built for Onah (Ward) Astin (d. 1944), the wife of cotton planter James H. Astin (d. 1897), this house was designed by the Waco firm of Howard Messer and S. Wemyss Smith. Construction began in 1901 and was completed two years later. The exterior of the Classical Revival residence features a two-story gallery with Corinthian columns. Holland Porter, a planter, purchased the home in 1946, and additions were made to the structure during his ownership. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark -1980 Brazos County 300 E. 26th St., Bryan 1936 text: Created from Robertson and Washington Counties in 1841. First called Navasota, changed 1842 to Brazos after two rivers on county's boundaries. Organized in 1843, with Booneville as county seat; Bryan county seat since 1866. Area originally included in Stephen F. Austin's Second Colony, 1828. Became a part of the Washington municipality, 1837, under the Mexican government. First railroad reached Millican in 1860. A. & M. University opened, 1876. Economy based on agricultural, industrial and educational activities. Replacement text, 2000: Brazos County, part of Stephen F. Austin's colony, was created from Washington County in 1841. It was first named Navasota County, with Boonville as the county seat. In 1842 the name was changed to Brazos County. Through the Civil War, Millican, located at the end of the railroad from Houston, was a major town. When the railroad was continued through the county, Bryan became the county seat in 1866. The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (Texas A&M) opened in 1876 and College Station grew around it, incorporating in 1938. Bryan, William Joel N side of courthouse square; Bryan. Native of Missouri. Member of prominent family who were Texas statesmen, planters, developers. Grandson of Moses Austin, who obtained from Mexico charter for American Colony in Texas, but died before making settlement. Nephew of Stephen F. Austin, "Father of Texas", who actually established the colony. Came to Texas with his mother, Emily Austin Bryan Perry, in 1831. During Texas Revolution, fought in Battle of Bexar, 1835. For 71 years was a planter on land near Peach Point, where the bachelor Stephen F. Austin had a room reserved for him in Perry Home. As eldest nephew, inherited family leadership when Stephen F. Austin died in 1836. Backed his brothers' careers, especially in the case of Guy M. Bryan, U.S. Congressman 1858-1860, and for many years a leader in Texas government. During the Civil War, cared for business interests of his 4 sons in the Confederate Army. At his own expense fed Confederate troops stationed near his plantation to defend the Texas coast. Backed construction of Deep Water Harbor at mouth of the Brazos. During building of Houston & Texas Central Railroad, donated site for Bryan, which in 1866 became county seat of Brazos County. First Methodist Church of Bryan On Houston Avenue between 27th and 28th Streets, Bryan. Among the circuit riders who preached to early Methodists in this area were The Rev. Robert Alexander, presiding elder of the district, and The Rev. H.V. Philpott, who conducted services in a hall above a saloon. The Rev. H.G. Horton organized this congregation in 1868 and soon raised $500 to build a church on this site, deeded by the Houston & Texas Central Railroad. A brick church, erected in 1902, burned in 1906 and was rebuilt in 1908. During the 1920s, an adjacent residence was bought and remodeled for classrooms and the fellowship hall. A new sanctuary was completed in 1951. McMichael-Wilson House 712 E. 30th 30th St. Constructed in 1904 for lumberman and Brazos County clerk George Washington McMichael (1854-1904), this Queen Anne style home was purchased in 1912 by prominent planter Alfred Flournoy Wilson. It remained in the Wilson family for nearly 60 years. Outstanding features of the Bryan landmark are its corner turret, wraparound porch, pedimented entrance, and corner pavilion with conical roof. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark -1985 Wilkerson House 614 E. 29th St. Built in 1912 by noted Bryan architect and contractor Charlie Jenkins, this home is located in a neighborhood where many of the town's business leaders lived during the 1910s and 1920s. Owned by banker A.W. Wilkerson until 1919, it then was acquired by prominent businessman John Parker. The home, a variation on the American Four-Square style, features a hipped roof, eave brackets, and a wraparound porch. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark -1983 William Templeton Millican 3 mi. NW of Millican on FM 2154, then 1 mi. W on High Prairie Rd. William Templeton Millican Old Three Hundred Colonist William T. Millican was born in South Carolina about 1780 and came to Texas with his parents and siblings in 1821. They joined Stephen F. Austin's first colony and were granted land in this area on which to make their home. The community that grew up around their land became known as Millican. W. T. Millican's property was granted in 1824, and in the 1826 census he was listed as a farmer and stock raiser. Just prior to the outbreak of the Texas Revolution, he served as a delegate to the consultation at San Felipe in 1835, which endorsed the establishment of a provisional government for the colonists. The Millican family fled their home in 1836 as part of the Runaway Scrape, as news spread of Sam Houston's retreat eastward from Mexican general Santa Anna. Millican's father, Robert Hemphill Millican, died during the flight. By the time the rest of the family reached Liberty, victory had been won at San Jacinto and they returned to their home. From April until July 1836, W. T. Millican served in the Republic Of Texas army to guard the frontier and posthumously was awarded land at this site from Sam Houston for his service. During the years of the Republic, Millican served as a public official in several capacities, including Justice of the Peace and a member of the committee appointed to select a county seat for Brazos County (first called Navasota County) upon its establishment in 1841. He died two two years later and was buried in the Weaver Cemetery in Millican. Early Play-By-Play Radio Broadcast of a College Football Game College Station, West side of Kyle Field, Wellborn Road (FM 2154), on TAMU campus marker is pending Site of Villa Maria Ursuline Academy 2400 Osborn Ln marker is pending Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church 217 W. 26th St. This parish traces its origin to Episcopal services held in nearby Millican in 1864. A yellow fever epidemic in the Millican area prompted the relocation of the Saint Andrew's Mission to Bryan in 1867. A parish was formed that year and led by The Rev. Robert Jope. The original church structure, located near this site, was consecrated by Bishop Alexander Gregg in 1868. The Rev. Randolph Ray held the first service in a new church building at this location in 1914. In 1992 Saint Andrew's celebrated 125 years of service and participation in a variety of community programs and activities. First Public School in Bryan 30th Street and Baker Street intersection, Bryan. At the polls on Oct. 29, 1877, the City of Bryan voted to establish a free public graded school--a very progressive step in an era of private schools. Interested citizens immediately bought and donated this block for the site. Financial help came from the George Peabody Foundation, a philanthropic agency devoted to education in the post-Civil War South. Cornerstone was laid in 1879. The first session opened in the fall of 1880 with noted East Texas educator Percy V. Pennybacker (1860-99) as principal. There were five other teachers and seven grades. Top floor of the 3-story brick building was the auditorium, used for chapel, calisthenics, and other programs. Dormer windows were set into the roof. Classrooms were on first and second floors; heating was by wood-burning stoves throughout the building. The schoolyard had a boys' and a girls' side. On each side there was an arbor with benches and tables where pupils ate lunches brought from home. A cistern with tin cups chained to its rim provided water. Outmoded by 1919, the old "graded" (or "east side") school became an adjunct to a new structure built that year, and housed gymnasium, cafeteria, and shop department. It was razed in 1949. Alexander Cemetery From the intersection of SH 6 and FM 974 (North Bryan) take FM 974 north approximately 5.3 miles to Alexander Rd.; then NW on Alexander Rd. approximately .9 mile to Alexander Cemetery Rd., then on Cemetery Road approximately .1 mile to cemetery. There was a schoolhouse near this site in 1854 when, according to tradition, the first interment was made here. That early grave, for a child by the name of Whitley, had no marker and has been lost. This land was part of a one-league headright grant made on Oct. 15, 1832, by Mexico to George W. Singleton, who had come to Texas with the "Old 300" settlers of Stephen F. Austin. Two of Singleton's heirs, living in Washington County, on Oct. 2, 1856, deeded ten acres from the grant for the use and benefit of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. The Alexander Church building was then erected near the school, and burials were continued in the area. The earliest identifiable grave is that of one of the original trustees of the property, James Walker (1817-74). William Lawrence, another of the first trustees, was also buried here, in 1879. The Alexander Cemetery Association was formed in 1941, with A.J. McCallum as President and L.T. Wilson, Secretary-Treasurer. Joe B. Walker, Wilson's successor, has served the association for 27 years. The association installed the chain link fence and water supply system. There are about 300 marked graves, and the cemetery is still open to burials. First Baptist Church, Bryan, Texas On Washington Avenue between 27th and 28th Streets, Bryan. "Bryan Station, Brazos County, Nov. 21, 1866...I hope a better day is dawning, for last Sabbath a Baptist church was organized here and 16 members united with it," wrote Mrs. Sara Dodson. One block west of this site stood first house of worship, a two-story frame building that once was a tenpin alley and saloon; the first pews were planks laid on kegs. Rev. W.B. Eaves was the first pastor. The present church sanctuary, erected 1927, is seventh house of worship since its founding and third to be erected on this site since 1883. E. J. Jenkins House 607 E. 27th St. This house was constructed in 1893 by prominent Bryan builder Charlie Jenkins for his brother Edwin James Jenkins (1867-1959). A native of England, E.J. Jenkins came to Bryan in 1878. He operated a drugstore in downtown Bryan for over 50 years and served as Mayor and a City Councilman. The classic Queen Anne style home, which features a domed tower and wraparound veranda, remained in the Jenkins family until the property was sold in 1971. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark -1982 Millican, C.S.A. From College Station take FM 2154 SE approx. 14 miles to the intersection of FM 2154 and FM 159. Millican was Texas' northernmost railroad terminus when the war between the states began in 1861. It became a vital Confederate shipping point for the area extending to the Red River on the north and to be frontier settlements in the west. The products of that region moved over the rails of the Houston and Texas Central Railroads from Millican to Houston, Beaumont, Galveston and Alleyton. Confederate troops came by rail to nearby Camp Speight, a training and rendezvous point. Many marched overland from here for duty in Arkansas and Louisiana. Other entrained here for Houston and Beaumont where they borded ships for Neblett's Landing on the Sabine and other devarkation points. During the war cotton from North Texas and the Brazos Valley went to market through Millican to Alleyton, the state's southernmost railroad terminus, where it was transported over the cotton road by wagons and carts to Brownsville and Matamoros, Mexico. Returning wagons and carts brought military supplies and merchandise which eventually reached Millican by rail for wide distribution. Millican, which had been born with the coming of the railroad in 1859, flourished with the railroad, and declined with the northward extension of the railroad that began in 1866. Wixon Cemetery From the intersection of SH 6 and U.S. Hwy. 190 go NE on U.S. Hwy. 190 approx. 5 miles to FM 2776; then NW on FM 2776 approximately .6 miles to cemetery gate. The rural farming community of Wixon was settled in the late 1860s by former residents of several war-torn southern states. The Wixon School and Wixon Cumberland Presbyterian Church were established in the 1870s on land adjacent to this cemetery. The earliest recorded burial here was that of Nancy Summers in 1871. Both the church and school closed in the 1930s and in 1968 the school property was deeded to the cemetery association. Buried here are many of the area's early settlers and their descendants and at least 17 Confederate Civil War veterans. La Salle Hotel 120 S. Main St. La Salle Hotel Occupying a prominent corner in the southern end of Bryan's central business district, the La Salle hotel is an architectural landmark representative of the city's early 20th-century commercial development. At that time, Bryan was a major railroad stop between Houston and Dallas, and its depot on the Houston and Texas Central rail line (now demolished) once stood across Main Street from the La Salle. Completed in 1928 for leading businessman Robert Wistar Howell (1877-1960), the La Salle Hotel was the tallest building in downtown Bryan at the time of its construction. Austin architect George Louis walling designed the seven-story building with Classical details and a distinctly vertical emphasis. The first floor included the dining room and coffee shop, while the convention hall and ballroom were located on the second floor. Roughly 100 guest rooms occupied the top five floors. The La Salle accommodated visitors to Bryan and nearby College Station, including families, politicians, society figures, business travelers and military personnel. The building served as a nursing home from 1959 until 1975 and was closed for the last two decades of the 20th century. Following a rehabilitation project, the La Salle returned to its historic use as a downtown hotel in 2000. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark -2001 Wellborn Cemetery 2 blocks east of FM 2154 on Greensprairie Rd. The town of Wellborn was founded in 1867 along the Houston and Texas Central railroad line. By 1874, with the first documented burial --that of two-year-old Newton Farquhar --a cemetery was in existence to serve the community. A reflection of Wellborn's history, the burial ground contains the graves of community leaders, including brothers and business partners Thomas Harvey Royder and John Horace Royder; veterans from armed conflicts dating back to the Civil War; Brazos County pioneers; and members of fraternal organizations, identified by the distinctive symbols on their tombstones. (2001) Brazos County Confederate Commissioners Court W side county courthouse, Bryan. Furnished horses, equipment and clothing for county men in the Civil War. Levied war taxes on property, exempting lands or estates of Confederate soldiers. After surveying to determine needs of the families of Brazos soldiers, appropriated funds to care for them. Gave credits for contributions made by citizens to soldiers' dependents. Issued county warriors for 25 (cents), 50 (cents), $1, $2, $3 and $5 that passed as legal tender. Obtained for resale to the citizens scarce powder, lead, gun caps, medicines, shoes, cotton cards cloth, shoe makers' tools. Bryan City Cemetery 1111 N. Texas Ave. Established on June 13, 1868, three years after the townsite of Bryan was dedicated. Land for the graveyard--20 acres then on the northern edge of Bryan--was sold to the city for $100 by landowner J.C. Hubert. The first addition of land was made June 15, 1915; the area is now 48 acres. Many prominent early citizens are buried here. The City Cemetery Advisory Board and the Bryan Cemetery Association (organized November 30, 1920) serve in an advisory capacity in the operation of the cemetery. Carter, Richard, Homesite Brazos Wood Dr. at the entrance to Richard Carter Park; College Station. In 1831, Richard Carter (1789-1863), Virginia native and War of 1812 veteran, came from Alabama and received a grant of land within the Stephen F. Austin Colony at the site of what is now the City of College Station. He became one of the area's wealthiest land and slave owners, raising cattle, corn, and cotton during the years before the Civil War. Carter was appointed to the first Board of Commissioners after Brazos County was created in 1841 and helped survey Boonville, its first county seat. Evidence of the Carter home and the family cemetery has been found in this area. First Presbyterian Church Corner of Carter Creek Pkwy. and Gordon St., Bryan. Organized Nov. 21, 1867, in the Presbytery of Brazos by The Rev. J.H. Hutchinson, this apparently was the second denominational group in Bryan. In 1871, members themselves built their first sanctuary at Washington and 29th Streets. This effort was praised by Synod Synod as "the way to build a church". A new brick structure was erected at the old site in 1906. At present site, first services were held in educational wing, June 1958. Present sanctuary was completed in 1966. In its first century, congregation was served by seventeen ministers. James Wilson From the intersection of SH 6 and SH 21 (NE Bryan) go NE on SH 21 approx. 14.5 miles to FM 974; then NW on FM 974 approx. 6 miles to Macey Rd.; then N on Macey Rd. approx. .8 miles to new church cemetery road, then NW on church approx. .4 miles to cemetery. (1821-1904) Ireland native James Wilson immigrated to the United States in 1842. He graduated in 1847 from Lafayette College in Boston, and from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1850, the year he was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. Wilson was sent to Texas in 1856 as a missionary in Brazos County. During his 53 year ministry, he served as a circuit preacher and organizer of many Brazos Valley Presbyterian congregations, including those at Wheelock, Bryan and Centerville. He married Laura Barnes, a published poet, in 1866. They are buried near the site of a church he founded. (1997) The Woman's Club 1200 Carter Creek Pkwy. Founded in October 1895 as the Mutual Improvement Circle, this organization began with twenty members. Initially gathering in individual homes, the club met as a study group to improve members' minds, serve the community, and promote the cause of women's rights. Its program for the first year was a study of Greece. Among the club's early civic projects were the establishment of the city's Carnegie Library in 1903, downtown beautification efforts, and landscaping of the courthouse grounds. Club members planted a row of live oak trees along the College Avenue approach to the Texas A&M University campus. In 1909 the name of the organization was changed to The Woman's Club. Meetings were held in the Carnegie Library building until 1929, when the first clubhouse was built. Due to increases in membership, the club met in a number of different locations before the present facility was constructed in 1972. The white rose serves as the organization's symbol and appears on club publications and awards. The Woman's Club continues to be active in the civic affairs of Bryan and College Station. Bryan & College Interurban Railway 400 block of College Avenue, near the intersection of Spruce and College Main; College Station. Bryan mayor J.T. Maloney and the city's Retail Merchants Association incorporated the Bryan & College Interurban Railway Company in 1909. The company was created to establish an interurban railway service between Bryan, a town of about 4,000 people, and the Texas Agricultural & Mechanical College (Texas A&M), with a student and faculty population of about 750. Daily service consisting of ten 30-minute trips began in 1910 with passenger trolleys and gasoline-powered rail cars. Along the route landowners built residential subdivisions and small farms, and to provide an attraction the city created Dellwood Park. Freight service began in 1918 to help bolster an operation beset with labor problems and the loss of passengers to automobile ridership. In 1922 the Bryan & College Interurban Railway went into receivership and in 1923 its assets were sold at auction to the S.S. Hunter Estate. The last recorded trip of the Interurban took place on April 13, 1923. During its 15 years of operation the Interurban Railway greatly influenced the course of Bryan's and College Station's urban development. Today the two cities merge indistinguishably at a point on the former Bryan & College Interurban Railway route. Odd Fellows University and Orphans Home Corner of William J. Bryan Blvd. and Preston; Bryan. Founded 1870 by Odd Fellows Lodge. Housed in a 2-story frame building. Taught drawing, English, French, German, Greek, Latin, music, philosophy, geometry, trigonometry, science, surveying, penmanship. Had primary to young adult students, attracted here from an 80-mile area. Records do not show planned orphanage ever operated. Funds came chiefly from tuition fees. During 5-year career, school taught future Texas leaders. The building was sold (1875) to W.W. and B.L. James and Mrs. V.D. Eaton, for Bryan Academy. It housed St. Joseph's Church 1876 to 1903. St. Joseph Catholic Church Corner of Preston and 26th Streets, Bryan. Although Catholic worship services were celebrated in Bryan by 1869, this church traces its history to the early 1870s. The first church building was erected about 1871 for a small active parish. The Reverend John Moore is considered to be the first full-time pastor of St. Joseph Church of Bryan. Fire destroyed the church structure in 1876. The congregation held worship services in temporary quarters in a local store building until a new location was established. In 1883 the Masonic schoolhouse was purchased for $500 and converted into a church at a cost of about $1,200. In 1904 a new frame edifice replaced the converted schoolhouse. Another structure was built at East 26th and Preston Streets as the congregation grew. A new church building was dedicated here in 1960. Programs have been provided for church members and the community for decades, including traditional spiritual activites and social outreach support. St. Joseph Church has grown from a frontier mission with a few members members to a large urban parish with more than 1600 family members. The church continues to have a strong presence in Bryan as it has for more than a century. (1997) St. Joseph School On Preston St. between 26th and William J. Bryan Blvd., Bryan. The Rev. Joseph Pelnar of Bryan's St. Joseph Catholic Church erected a parish school building here in the early 1890s. The children of East European immigrant families dominated student enrollment at St. Joseph's until about the 1930s. Teachers included M. Elizabeth Carr (1890s), Nuns of the Ursuline Order (1901-1930), and Nuns of the Incarnate Word (1930-1981). Facilities were constructed or acquired at various times to meet increased enrollment which reached its highest level in 1957 with 498 students. The school continues to offer local students general and Catholic educational classes. Shiloh Community 2604 Texas Avenue at College Station Cemetery, College Station. Settled in the 1860s by Czech, German, and Polish immigrants, the Shiloh community was an area of large family farms. In addition to homes and farms, the settlement at one time boasted a community center, a two-room school, a vineyard, a mill, and a blacksmith shop. The families of Shiloh community maintained a cooperative relationship, often helping each other with planting, harvesting, barn building, and other activities. In 1883, to coordinate assistance efforts and group purchases of farm supplies, they formed the Slavonic Agricultural and Benevolent Society, which still exists in reorganized form as the Shiloh Club. The community later was completely encompassed by the City of College Station. Mrs. William G. Rector deeded land at this site to the local Methodist Church in 1870 for use as a community cemetery. The property later was acquired by the City of College Station, which established a larger city cemetery around the original Shiloh Graveyard. Although little remains of the Shiloh community, this cemetery serves as a reminder of a once-thriving settlement.