HomeMy WebLinkAboutHistory of the City of College Station, Historical Marker Narrative, 2022HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLLEGE STATION
CONTEXT:
College Station, home of Texas A&M University, is 83 miles northwest of Houston and 87 miles east-northeast
of Austin in Brazos County, Texas. Located in East-Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley, the city sits on
the eastern edge of the region known as the Texas Triangle.1 Brazos county is outlined by the Brazos River to
the west, the Navasota River to the east, and the confluence of the two rivers to the south. The Old San
Antonio Road marks the northern boundary.
Anglo-American colonization of this part of Texas began in the 1820s when Stephen F. Austin brought
300 settlers to Texas. Richard Carter (1789-1863) and his family, from Morgan, Alabama, were among
the last group of Austin's colonists.2 In April 1831 Carter received a league ofland from the Mexican
government and later erected a house on Saline Creek, renamed Carter Creek, two miles east of the
present Texas A&M University. Richard Carter's land grant encompassed much of what is College
Station today, making Carter, his family and slaves the earliest residents of the city.3
Harvey Mitchell (1821-1901), born and educated in Tennessee, came by wagon train to Texas in
183 9. Mitchell boarded with the Richard Carter family and taught in the first school in the county which
was held in the Carter home.4 In 1841 Mitchell moved to the area that would become the city of Bryan
and became a philanthropist, businessman, and public-spirited citizen who would later be known as the
"Father of Brazos County."5 Mitchell's most outstanding achievement was his success in securing the
location in Brazos County of the Agricultural and Mechanical College ofTexas.6 On June 20, 1871,
Bryan citizens, Harvey Mitchell, J. Frederick Cox, and Rebecca and Nelson Rector, helped obtain the
necessary funds and deeded over 2400 acres to the proposed college in order to guarantee the location of
the state's first public institution of higher education.7
The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, an all-male military school, opened its doors
on October 4, 1876, and a U.S. Post Office was opened shortly after on February 7, 1877. Since the
Houston and Texas Central Railroad tracks ran near the post office building, it was natural that a mail
drop for the campus was established. The new mail drop was referred to as "College Station." Thus, the
lasting name of the town was born. 8
The college experienced spectacular growth from 1934-1938 and additional campus buildings
were required. It became necessary for members of the faculty and staff to move off campus to the
nearby residential areas, Boyett's Addition at Northgate, College Park and Oakwood Additions south of
the campus, and College Hills Estates east of the campus along Highway 6. African-American
employees of the college lived in some of the earliest off-campus homes,9 later known as the
McCullough Addition. It soon became evident that the growing community needed a municipal
government.10 In March 1938, citizens representing five areas of the community were elected to be an
incorporation committee, led by John H. Binney. The committee's primary function was to circulate a
petition for incorporation and then submit to the county judge the petition with at least 50 signatures
with the description and a plat map 11 of the area to be incorporated. John T. L. McNew, Jr., lifelong
resident of College Station, remembers helping his father gather the 165 signatures obtained in support
of the petition. On October 19, 1938, citizens voted 217 to 39 to incorporate the City of College Station,
a community that had existed for more than sixty years. The designated polling place, the Southern
Pacific depot, added a symbolic touch to the election since the city derived its name from that of the
railroad station. 12
The first elected city council was composed of six men, all faculty members of Texas A and M College
and very active in civic organizations. These men were among the early founders of the city of College
Station and were dedicated leaders who established the foundation for a small college-oriented town to
be transformed into a major central Texas city. College Station will celebrate its 85th anniversary in
2023.
OVERVIEW:
In the 1870s and early 1880s, immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe migrated to the
United States in large numbers and many made their way to the agricultural fields of Texas. Small
communities, populated hy native European farmers, sprang up throughout Brazos County. One such
settlement was the Shiloh Community, located just two miles from the A. and M. College. Shiloh
consisted predominantly of Czech immigrants but also included families native to Poland and
Germany. 13 Frank Stasney, one of the first Czech farmers, and other farm families such as the
Kapchinskies, Blazeks, Tureks, Boriskies, Sebestas, and Hrdlickas all lived in the college vicinity and
banded together to provide support for each other.14 Agriculture was important, as crops grown on these
farmlands provided produce for the college's dining hall as well as for the surrounding communities.
Rector Chapel Cemetery was established in 1870, but soon became known as the Shiloh
Cemetery when Czech members of the "Shiloh Club" began to maintain the cemetery. This historic
burial ground was acquired by the city of College Station when land surrounding it was purchased to
create the first municipal cemetery in 1946. Though their lands have been absorbed by the city, the
heritage of the Shiloh Community has been preserved in Texas State Historical Marker #8696.15 The
152-year-old Shiloh Cemetery (aka Rector Chapel Cemetery), the 128-year-old African-American
Salem Cemetery (aka Washington Chapel Cemetery) nearby and the almost 75-year-old College Station
Cemetery have all been awarded "Texas Historic Cemetery" designations by the Texas Historical
Commission in 2021. The College Station Cemetery has also been approved for a State Historical
Marker in 2021.16
As the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas grew, it was natural that a community
would grow around it. A small commercial area began developing in the Northgate area, and "Church
Street" became the location for many church denominations.17 Still more congregations met south of the
campus, including those attending early African-American churches.
Faculty members generally lived on campus in housing provided by the college. Off-campus
housing was unknown until the 1920s, but by the 1930s, development companies began building homes
on the south and east sides of the campus.18 Realty companies such as Southside and Oakwood
attempted to provide for the needs of the residents but, within a few years it was clear that a new
community would need a local government to supply essential services. By 1938, a group of college
professors gathered together to create a government that would fulfill the needs of the community.19 On
October 19, 1938 citizens voted to incorporate the city of College Station and on June 9, 1939, the
official boundaries of the city of College Station, as shown in the incorporation petition, were recorded
in the Brazos County Courthouse, Book #100, p. 216.
The :first elected City Council of College Station was composed of six men -one mayor, :five
aldermen and one city marshal. All six council members were faculty members from Texas A. and M.
College and were recognized as outstanding men: Mayor John H. Binney (1895-1950), Letcher
Gabbard (1888-1978), Luther Jones (1894-1990), Ernest Langford (1891-1981), Alva Mitchell (1870-
1956) and George B. Wilcox (1889-1981).2° Five of the original council members are buried in the
College Station Cemetery. Not only teachers and administrators, these men contributed significantly to
their community through active participation in service organizations.21
In 1942, Ernest Langford, professor of architecture, was elected mayor and served in that
position for 24 years, the longest tenure for a mayor in city history (1942-1966). College Station moved
to council-manager city government in 1942 and proved that this system of small city government
worked well, giving citizens more voice in their governance. Often called the "Father of College
Station," Langford emphasized city services and sound planning, and supported adoption of an early
Planning and Zoning Commission. Joseph Orr (1939-1966) served on the city council for 27 years, often
as mayor pro-tempore and Ran Boswell (1952-1974) served for 22 years as city manager, assistant city
secretary or tax collector. These committed individuals exemplified the stability of city government
during those years. For the period 1940-1950, the city's population grew from 2, 184 to 7,925 residents,
a 262% increase. 22
In 1959, General James Earl Rudder (1910-1970), a highly decorated WWII hero, was named
president of Texas A.and M. College. Earl Rudder was a 1932 graduate and understood the school's
many military traditions. As Texas Land Commissioner before he came to A.and M., Rudder gained
valuable knowledge about politics and became an even more dynamic, influential leader. As a result,
Earl Rudder had a unique understanding of what was required to change the path of his college.
Rudder's appointment led to a decade of sweeping change that set A.and M. on a course to
prominence.23 In 1963, women and African-American students were allowed to enroll in the school and
the same year, its name was changed from Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College to Texas A&M
University in order to reflect A&M's changing status. Soon after, in 1965, participation in the Corps of
Cadets was no longer mandatory. In 1966, desegregation took place in A&M and in all public schools
in College Station.24 The impact of these changes on enrollment and the character of the city was
dramatic and caused demand for more student housing, new shopping centers, and added commercial
development that continues to the present day.
SIGNIFICANCE:
The phenomenal growth of Texas A&M affected the city of College Station as only the railroad
boom of the 1800s could match in historical significance. 25 As the city has grown through its ties with
the university and through its positive appeal to new business, College Station has attracted high-tech
manufacturing industries and has become a major medical and scientific research center. According to
the Texas Almanac, the population of College Station grew exponentially from 11,396 in 1960 to 67,890
in 2000, increasing almost sixfold in forty years. Additionally, College Station has almost doubled its
population over the two most recent decades, from 2000 to 2020. 26
From the end of WWII to present day, the city of College Station has welcomed and supported
veterans who have served their country. In coordination with the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial
Board, the College Station Parks & Recreation Department maintains the Brazos Valley Veterans
Memorial, a uniquel2-acre park with interpretive panels beside many life-size bronze statues. These
represent the history of wars and of memorial sites which honor soldiers and heroes who have fought to
preserve the freedom of all Americans. A large granite "Wall of Honor" pays tribute to over 6,000
veterans through an educational venue where future generations can learn that freedom comes with a
heavy price. 27
Selection of Texas A&M University and the city of College Station as the site for the George
Bush Presidential Library and Museum, opened on November 7, 1997, brought prestige and drew
national attention. The Bush School of Government and Public Service is becoming one of the leading
public and international affairs graduate schools in the nation and hosts visitors from around the world.28
Today, the City of College Station has a diverse population, beautiful parks and historic homes
built in the 1920s -1950s. This multicultural city in the heart of Brazos County has been made possible
by the early vision of dedicated Texas A&M professors and many other leading College Station citizens.
Their commitment to community helped a small town, just a "whistle-stop," near a small unknown
college in 1938, develop by 2022 into a large city of over 123,000 residents near a large, nationally
recognized university with an enrollment of over 73,000 students.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1 "College Station, Texas," Wikipedia.com
2 Joseph Milton Nance, The Early History of Bryan, Hoods Brigade -Bryan Centennial Committee, Bryan, Texas,
1962
3 Glenna Fourman Brundidge, Brazos County History, Rich Past-Bright Future, (Family History Foundation, Bryan,
Texas 1986), p.200
4 E. G. Marshall, The History of Brazos County, (Masters Thesis, Department of History, The University of Texas
1937); p. 75, Interview with Mrs. R. L. Weddington, daughter of Harvey Mitchell, July 10, 1932
5 Marshall, p.18, Harvey Mitchell, Memoirs, MS
6 Mary Edna Dorsey, Those Were The Days -Bryan Brazos County 1821-1921, (Bryan Independent School
District, 1976)
7 "History of Bryan Given to Rotarians," Bryan Daily Eagle, April 26, 1928, p.2
8 Deborah Lynn Balliew, College Station, Texas 193811988, (lntagio Press, College Station, Texas, 1978), p,13
9 Interview with William Page, Brazos County historian, April 2022
10 Balliew, College Station, Texas 193811988, p.19-20
11 Ibid, p.76
12 Ibid, pp.22-23
13 Ibid, p.15
14 "Stasneys,Kreneks, Boriskies Start Second Century in Brazos County," The Bryan Daily Eagle, June 20, 1971,
p.1C
15 Balliew, pp.14-16
16 Interview with Sherry Frisk, Cemetery Project chair, College Station Historic Preservation Committee, May 2022
17 "Welcome to Your Campus Church," The Battalion, August 25, 1955, p.18
18 Robert Borden, Historic Brazos County, An Illustrated History, 181 ed. (Historical Publishing Network, A Division
of Lammert Inc., San Antonio, Texas, 2005) p.71
19 Balliew, College Station, Texas 1838-1988, pp.19-20
20 Ibid, p.23
21 Interview with Sherry Frisk, May 2022
22 "College Station Demographic Report, 2002," Project Hold, City of College Station website: www.cstx.gov
23 Robert Borden, Historic Brazos County, An Illustrated History, p.55
24 Henry C. Dehtloff, "A Centennial History of Texas A&M University," 2 vols. (College Station, Texas: Texas A&M
University, 1975) II pp. 561, 568, 573-74
25 Glenna Fourman Brundidge, Brazos County History, Rich Past-Bright Future, p438
26 U.S. Census Bureau, Quick Facts, April 1, 2020
27 Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial at Veterans Park, College Station, Texas, website: www.bvvm.org
28 "Looking Back on 1997," by Colleen Kavanagh, The Battalion, December 12, 1997, p,1
\.
"The first map of the City of College Station (1939) shows residential
areas south of the Texas A. and M. College campus along Jersey and the
Welborn Road, "Boyett's Addition," near Northgate, and College Hills
estates east of the campus along Highway 6."
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College Station City Limits
Current as of January 2022