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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 It's time to enjoy our local history It's time to n' r local h enjoy our l Y 4-2'1.09 By MARGUERITE ANTHONY also been refurbished. in the community were buried. Special to The Eagle For years, the Academic Building Visiting Richard Carter Park off at Texas A &M dominated the cam- Brazbswood Drive and the Earl Rud- ay is National Historic MPreservation Month and Col- pus; the light burning in its copper der Freeway frontage road offers the dome was visible for miles. Feeling opportunity to experience the land lege Station's Historic the need for target practice, students where Carter's homesite stood on Preservation Committee would like occasionally would shoot at it with more than 4,000 acres deeded to him to remind the community of the rifles in hopes of extinguishing what by the Mexican government in 1831. importance of preserving our local was called "Prexy's Moon." Perhaps Close your eyes to modern sights and history. It holds value for us today as these were the same rifles used to sounds. Let your mind imagine the well as for our children and grand- hunt wolves along Wolf Pen Creek. Carter family's life in their log cabin. children. When a visitor walks flights of You can hear the call of coon dogs Throughout College Station and stairs in the Academic Building, the hunting for bear in the cane breaks Bryan are a number of projects, pro- deeply worn marble reflects the near the Carter homestead as grams and activities that are of sig- grooves created by the steps of past described by Harvey Mitchell in his nificant historical interest. and present Aggies. letter titled "My First, Last and Only The American Mile History Trail Driving through the Oakwood and Bear Hunt, Christmas Day, 1841." He opens today at Veterans Park and Southside subdivisions near George just as easily could have been hunt - Athletic Complex on Harvey Road in Bush Drive in College Station pro - ing wolves, wildcats or cougars that College Station. Activities to mark vides a visual reminder of the design were prevalent in the area and a haz- the opening start at 11:30 a.m. in the variety of homes moved from the and to valued livestock. new American Pavilion. Taking a A &M campus. By 1938, when College Listen for the squeal of the well stroll on the mile -long path offers Station was incorporated, more than bucket on its pulley as water is reminders of 231 years of history 100 homes on campus housed faculty drawn or yelps of children playing important to our country, state and and staff. hide and seek in deep gullies just local area. The A &M Board of Directors — as north of the homestead. This acreage Every 20 feet are engraved bands regents were then known — felt the today houses much of College Sta- inscribed with historical events for homes inhibited expansion for tion. each year, beginning with 1776. instructional facilities and decided Another interesting and different For example, the marker for 1841 they would be sold to their inhabi- way to enjoy the history of the area reminds its reader that the 10th U.S. tants for sums varying from $200 to , is to visit Project HOLD, an acron president was John Tyler, who took office upon the death of President $800. The same homes today would for Historic Online Library Databas: William Henry Harrison. That same probably sell from $100,000 to at http: / /HOLD.cxtx.gov. This Inter - year, the Amistad mutineers were $600,000. Beginning in 1941, pur- net project allows you to enjoy the chasers were required to relocate the contents of old attics, photo albums, freed by the Supreme Court because houses from their original sites. letters, interviews and a myriad of they had been illegally enslaved, Bra memorabilia from earlier da zos County was established with Historical markers denote most of Ys• Boonville as the county seat, and them. The oldest is the home at 611 The database is provided by the Harvey Mitchell taught school at the Montclair St. city of College Station with the sup - home of Richard Carter, the first set- Local cemeteries provide a wealth port of its Historic Preservation tier in College Station. of historic information. Visiting the Committee. Donations and informa- The markers provide an excellent Boonville Cemetery in Bryan takes tion are welcomed by Ann Boykin, educational tool for school children you to the spot of the first county director of the project. and everyone who visits the park for seat, founded in 1841. The cemetery During May, Channel 19 and other its many athletic and commemora- is all that remains of the town. Read area media will highlight Moments tive events. the inscriptions at the foot of the in Local History. May is Historic Preservation marker for the Johnson family and As a community, recognition and Month, making it the perfect time to you see the names of six children appreciation of history leads to the visit the American Mile and other who died within a short time of each importance of preserving the local historical points in Brazos County, other. heritage. Maintaining areas and College Station and Bryan. Perhaps their deaths were from buildings from the past allows the Among the many local historical yellow fever, which ran rampant in use of these assets for economic, edu- sites is the Carnegie Center of Brazos the county during the 1860s, killing cational and heritage tourism pur- Valley History on Main Street in hundreds. A disease such as yellow poses. They continually feed the Bryan. Built in 1903, it reflects the fever creates a great appreciation for vitality of our unique home place. classic Greek Revival style of archi- the benefits of modern medicine. Let's keep and maintain what we tecture. It's the oldest surviving Ten miles across the county is the have in the way of the past in our Carnegie Library in Texas and hous- College Station Cemetery, which own backyard. Enjoy and remember es a comprehensive collection of incorporates Recter Chapel Ceme- it, especially during May, Historic genealogical materials. tery where early headstones are Preservation Month. Nearby, many lovely old homes written in Czech. It also encircles an • Marguerite Anthony is a member of and a variety of other buildings built early cemetery named Salem where the College Station Historic Preservation in the later 1800s remain and have many of the first African- Americans Committee.