Best Wishes for a Great 2014

Members of the Executive Committee of the Brazos Heritage Society wish you all the very best for 2014.

Simply stated, may you be safe this last day of 2013 and may you find the new year to be significantly better than the old.

Winter Issue of Saving Texas History Online

The Winter 2013 Edition (Vol. 10, No. 3) of the Saving Texas History Newsletter is now available online  This publication, a product of the Texas General Land Office, highlights the 2013 Save Texas History Symposium – The Alamo: Mission and Myth.  The sold out symposium proved to be a hit with Alamo novices and scholars alike.  You’ll find the conclusion of Dr. Stephen Hardin’s presentation – more myths dispelled – as well as pictures and notes from the day.

Alamo aficionados can also check out the current Alamo exhibit “Alamo Origins: The Spanish Birth of Texas,” which highlights original Spanish documents creating the San Antonio mission system.  Read about it here, then head to San Antonio to visit – the exhibit ends December 31st!  And watch for news about the follow-up exhibit opening in February.

To access this latest newsletter, go to: http://www.glo.texas.gov/what-we-do/history-and-archives/_publications/STH-newsletter-winter-2013.pdf.

Plan to Attend the Annual Christmas Stroll

On Friday, December 20, 2013, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, the Brazos Heritage Society will host its Christmas Stroll in the Eastside Historic District and Heritage Park in Bryan.

Ticket for tours of historic homes decorated for the Christmas season may be purchased in the park from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM; tickets for adults are $6.00 and tickets for children under 12 years are $4.00.  

Hidden Oasis Carriage Company will provide horse drawn carriage rides in the neighborhood at no additional costs for those with tour tickets.  

Come see hundreds of twinkling lights in Heritage Park and listen to festive Christmas music provided by “Sweet Strings on the Brazos,” a mountain dulcimer band, in the gazebo.  Please bring a chair if you would like to sit and enjoy the music longer.

Happenings in College Station

The Brazos Heritage Society has been a supporter and donor to an effort to restore Richard Carter Park.  Because of the Society’s support, the following email was received from the leadership of the A&M Garden Club:

Again, thank you for your contributions for improving Richard Carter Park, College Station’s only park with historical significance.  The 15 historic panels in the Interpretative Center have been replaced and are being installed this week.  Other improvements coordinated by the A&M Garden Club with several groups included landscaping to replant trees, shrubs, and native plants and seeds which was done March 23 and October 26, 2013.

The Rededication Ceremony will be Friday, November 15, 11:00 AM, 1800 Brazoswood, College Station.  We hope you will attend to be introduced.

We’ve had great response and increased community appreciation of Richard Carter Park and more awareness of the history of College Station.  College Station is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.  The College Station exhibit at the Bush Library will be open on Saturday, November 16, from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

Members of the Society are encouraged to attend the Rededication Ceremony and the opening of the College Station Exhibit at the George Bush Library and Museum.

New Issue of TSHA Riding Line Available

The Fall 2013 issue of Riding Line, the newsletter of the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), is now available online.

Featured in this issue is material on the new Texas Almanac, the University of North Texas Lone Star Chair in Texas History, events supporting the Texas State Historical Association, publications, and educational programs.

To read this issue, visit:

http://www.tshaonline.org/sites/default/files/images/events/2011/fall_2013_riding_line_final_wth_links.pdf.

Additional information about the TSHA may be found at the following link: http://www.tshaonline.org.

Exploring History Lunch Lecture Series

The College Station Historic Preservation Committee and the Senior Advisory Committee have developed an outstanding Exploring History Lunch Lectures Series for 2013.  Please join them on Wednesday, November 20, 2013, at the Aldersgate Church, as they present:

A tribute to our Veterans in appreciation for their service to our country.  There will be a panel discussion with: Dr. James Boone, a WWII Veteran; Bob Pardo, retired USAF, a Vietnam Veteran; and Mike Neu, retired Army, an Iraq War Veteran.  Each will share their stories. 

The luncheon is $5.00 per person, payable at the door, and begins at 11:30 AM in the Aldersgate United Methodist Church at 2201 Earl Rudder Freeway in College Station. 

Parking is available in the main lot to the south of the building.  Enter through the main double doors, take a left, and you will be directed to the meeting room.   In case you are not familiar with this facility, it is located just north of Academy, Gander Mountain, and Dickey’s, on the frontage road between Southwest Parkway and Harvey Road. 

Reservations are required and must be made by Friday, November 15, 2013, with Marci Rodgers, Senior Services Coordinator, College Station Parks & Recreation Department, at mrodgers@cstx.gov or by calling 979-764-6351.

Also, please visit the George Bush Library and Museum in recognition of the City of College Station’s 75th anniversary on Saturday, November 16, 2013.  

New Backroads Newsletter Online

The November 2013 issue of Backroads Newsletter, a product of the Rural Texas Tourism Center, is now available online.

Found in this issue is information about a number of events that will take place in November and December in the surrounding area.

To read this informative newsletter, visit the following link: http://content.onlineagency.com/sites/77143/pdf/ruraltexasbrvol26nov2013s.pdf.

The American Soldier – A Photographic Tribute

The LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas, will host an exhibition of 116 photographs, from the Civil War to the War in Iraq, that will open Friday, November 29, 2013.   This special exhibit – The American Soldier – A Photographic Tribute – will be on view in the Library’s temporary gallery through February 3, 2014.

Persons interested in military history and photography should find this exhibit worth visiting.

Additional information about this exhibit may be found at: http://www.lbjlibrary.org/exhibits/the-american-soldier-a-photographic-tribute.

Liendo Plantation Civil War Reenactment

Join other members of the Brazos Heritage Society and attend the Liendo Plantation Civil War Reenactment on Saturday, November 23, 2013, beginning in Hempstead, Texas, for breakfast at 9:00 AM.

For additional information about the day trip to this historical event, contact Stephanie Hilliard, Events Co-Chair, by calling her at 979-777-4924 or by emailing her at stephanie.hilliard@gmail.com.

Additional information may also be gleaned by visiting the Liendo Plantation website at: http://www.liendo.org/.

  

Please RSVP by November 16, 2013.

Brazos Heritage Society Contributes to Boonville Days

On October 5, 2013, the 8th Annual Boonville Days – Living History Fair was held at the Brazos Center.  This event, orchestrated by the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History, highlighted life in historic Boonville and provided opportunities to learn about the history of Brazos County.  In addition, a number of organizations – many of which were service organizations – were present.  A number of members of the Brazos Heritage Society were also present and contributed to this learning experience.  

Nat Hilliard, Immediate Past President of the Society, showed how butter was churned, which was a big hit with attendees.  In addition, Sheila Fields, Research Chair, had an informative display about the history of Boonville.  Randy and Stephanie Hilliard, Event Co-Chairs, were present and provided information about the Society.

Dan Beto, the Society’s President, took a number of photographs during the day, many of which may be seen in the Smilebox below.

Camp Hearne Living History Event

Plan to attend the Camp Hearne Living History Event on October 19, 2013, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  Camp Hearne, a World War II Prisoner of War Camp, is located approximately three miles northwest of Hearne on FM 485. 

The Events Committee of the Brazos Heritage Society proposes that members who plan to attend this event join them at 9:00 AM at Mary’s El Alamo at 206 West 3rd Street in Hearne for breakfast prior to going to the POW Camp.  Breakfast will be provided by the Brazos Heritage Society to current members. 

For additional information, feel free to contact Randy Hilliard at trhilliard@verizon.net or Stephanie Hilliard at stephanie.hilliard@gmail.com, or call Dan Beto at 822-1273.

Additional information about Camp Hearne may be found at this link: http://camphearne.com/.

Nominating Committee Members Named

Members of the Nominating Committee have been appointed; the members of this important committee are as follows:

Beverly Myers, Chair, mycobra@suddenlink.net
Tom McDonald, tcmac1965@gmail.com
Sheila Fields, atredrobin@msn.com
Linda Roberts, lroberts1950@yahoo.com

This committee is responsible for developing a slate of officers for next year. Positions available are President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Any Society member interested in serving in one of these leadership positions should contact Beverly Myers or any other member of the committee.

It is the committee’s desire to have a slate of nominees by the end of the year for presentation at the Annual Membership Meeting in February 2014.

Exploring History Lunch Lecture Series

The College Station Historic Preservation Committee and the Senior Advisory Committee have developed an outstanding Exploring History Lunch Lectures Series for 2013.  Please join them on Wednesday, October 16, 2013, at the Aldersgate Church, as they present:

And Then There Were Maggies

Featuring Linda Harvell, Sarah Hensz, and Margaret Griffith, early women accepted at Texas A&M University.

The luncheon is $5.00 per person, payable at the door, and begins at 11:30 AM in the Aldersgate United Methodist Church at 2201 Earl Rudder Freeway South in College Station.  The speakers will begin at noon. 

Parking is available in the main lot to the south of the building.  Enter through the main double doors, take a left, and you will be directed to the meeting room.   In case you are not familiar with this facility, it is located just north of Academy, Gander Mountain, and Dickey’s, on the frontage road between Southwest Parkway and Harvey Road. 

Reservations are required and must be made with Marci Rodgers, Senior Services Coordinator, College Station Parks & Recreation Department, at mrodgers@cstx.gov or by calling 979-764-6351.

Texas Insights

The Texas State Historical Association, in cooperation with its partners, offers Texas Insights, an electronic newsletter designed to share opportunities for Texas teachers and students while promoting effective instructional practices.

The October 2013 (Vol. IV, Issue 2) edition of this electronic publication may be read by going to: http://www.teachingtexas.org/enewsletter/october2013.

To access previous issues of Texas Insights, go to the following link: http://www.teachingtexas.org/enewsletter.

For more information about the Teaching Texas program, visit: http://www.teachingtexas.org/.

New Issue of The Medallion

The Summer 2013 issue of The Medallion, the Texas Historical Commission’s official quarterly magazine containing news and advice about preservation projects, Texas’ historic sites, and heritage tourism opportunities, is now accessible online.

Featured in this issue is an article about efforts to preserve El Camino Real de los Tejas – the Royal Road.  There is also an informative article about Big Bend Ranch State Park and expansion efforts at San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site.

This latest publication of The Medallion is accessible at either of the following links: http://www.thc.state.tx.us/medallion or http://issuu.com/texashistoricalcommission/docs/medallion-summer-2013.

Events Scheduled at San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site

Scheduled over the next two months are events at the San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site in San Felipe, Texas – the Colonial Capital of Texas – that may be of interest to members of the Brazos Heritage Society.

Texas Archeology Month Programs

In support of Texas Archeology Month, San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site is hosting weekend programming throughout October related to archeology at the site. Structured programs/talks will be held at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays.  In addition to these programs, hands-on activities for all ages, such as identifying and sorting artifacts, will also be offered.  Also, at the conclusion of each program session, a brief grounds tour of the site will be offered, focusing on the layout of the commerce district.

October 5 and 6, 2013

“Telling the Story of a San Felipe Artifact: Godwin B. Cotten and the Letter K”

October 12 and 13, 2013

“The Burning of San Felipe and the Architectural Remains of the Town”

October 19 and 20, 2013

“Telling the Story of a San Felipe Artifact: Cut Money in Austin’s Colony”

October 26 and 27, 2013

“Predicting the Past: Using the Historical Record to Assess the Archeological Landscape at Colonial San Felipe de Austin”

Heritage Celebration – Father of Texas Birthday

On Saturday, November 2, 2013, there will be a celebration of Stephen F. Austin’s birthday at the San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site in San Felipe, Texas.  The community has celebrated this event for over 80 years. This event is sponsored by Friends of the San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site and the Texas Historical Commission.  While admission is free, donations are always accepted.

At this event, which will begin at 9:00 AM and conclude at 4:00 PM, there will be special activities, presentations, demonstrations, and reenactments.  Topics for this year’s Father of Texas festivities include: colonial printing history and archeology related to Godwin B. Cotten’s print shop (this will also be a topic for October); a tour of the colonial footprint of San Felipe; the residents of San Felipe (who lived here both broadly, and in terms of historical figures); Two-bits! Four-bits . . . Cut Money in Austin’s Colony; The Consultation of 1835; Spanish Texas documentary; City of Houston documentary; hand set printing demonstrations; colonial games; historic surveying and the colonial land office; Bernardo Plantation; and Meet the Old 300 (at least a dozen or so).

For groups of 10 or more, a structure itinerary based on specific interests can be customized.

In addition, the congregation of the local historic Methodist church stages a plate lunch on Saturday.  Reservations are recommended; there is a fee for the lunch.

Driving Directions

The San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site is located at 15945 FM 1458 in San Felipe, Texas.  It is 48 miles west of Houston, IH 10, exit 723, and only a few miles east of Sealy. 

If driving from the Bryan-College Station area, the best route is to take TX-6 South to just north of Hempstead.  Merge onto US-290 East/TX-6 South, and then merge onto FM-359 South toward Brookshire.  Upon arriving at Pattison, turn right onto FM-1458.  Travel on FM-1458 for about 7.7 miles.  Upon crossing the Brazos River into Austin County, the San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site will be on the right.

For additional information, feel free to contact Bryan McAuley at bryan.mcauley@thc.state.tx.us or call (979) 885-2181.

Celebrating the 1960s: An Unforgettable Decade

The Brazos Valley African American Museum will host a reception to “remember the sixties” on Friday, September 20, 2013, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the museum, located at 500 East Pruitt Street in Bryan, Texas 77803.

The decade of the sixties began with the elections of President John F. Kennedy in 1961, and it ended with a major war in Vietnam.  According to Velma Spivey, the museum’s director, “We will come together and share our stories about what happened in the mean time.  Come meet and greet and share your stories with us.”

Admission is completely free, but the museum does accept and appreciate donations. Refreshments will be served.  Come for a time of laughter, good conversation, and great memories.

Members of the Brazos Heritage Society are cordially invited to attend this interesting event.

Activities at Fanthorp Inn

The nearby Fanthorp Inn in Anderson, Texas, built in 1834 by English immigrant Henry Fanthorp as a home for his third wife, and later expanded in 1850 to serve as an inn and store, is a rich historical resource for the area.  The inn, operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, has several activities throughout the remainder of this year that members of the Brazos Heritage Society may find interesting.

  

On September 28, 2013, between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM, discover the music that inspired celebration and recreation in 19th century Texas with the program “Make Music a Celebration,” presented by the Roseville Fair Old Time String Band.

On October 12, 2013, visit the inn from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM for “Texian Days” and experience the origins of the Texas mystique.  What is the history and lore that gives Texans that special swagger and confidence?  How does being Texan somehow make us special and perhaps a bit more proud than most?  Poets, cowboys, and musicians will entertain as visitors’ tour the inn and have the unique opportunity to learn about travel and communications at one of Texas’ most authentically restored stagecoach inns.  Stepping onto the Fanthorp front porch is a passage into yesteryear as guides dressed in period clothes take visitors back to Texas in the 1850s.  It’s a special event the whole family will remember and enjoy.

On October 26, 2013, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, visit the inn for “Music for Henry’s Wake.”  The unfortunate death of Henry Fanthorp on October 31, 1867, proprietor of one of Texas’ most successful stagecoach inns, is a reminder of the fragile state of life in the 19th century.  This famous innkeeper and his wife were but a small portion of the souls who met their demise at Fanthorp’s inn.

On November 30, 2013, Fanthorp Inn celebrates the holiday season with a journey back to the 1850s in the evening from 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM.  The old stagecoach inn will be open for a special “Twilight Firelight” holiday event.  Visitors will enjoy the ambiance of the candle lit inn, period music, stagecoach rides, chuck wagon cooking, carol singing and a host of living history characters.

Information about this historic inn may be found at the following links: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/fanthorp-inn and http://www.birthplaceoftexas.com/FanthorpInn.htm.

And for information about the planned events, visit the following link: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/fanthorp-inn/park_events.

Feel free to call Tom Skaggs at (936) 878-2214 should additional information be desired.

New Issue of TSHA Riding Line Available

The Summer 2013 issue of Riding Line, the newsletter of the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), is now available online.

Featured in this issue is material on the Handbook of African-American Texas, events supporting the Texas State Historical Association, publications, and educational programs.

To read this latest issue of Riding Line, visit the following link: http://www.tshaonline.org/sites/default/files/images/events/2011/riding_line_summer_2013_final.pdf.

Additional information about the TSHA may be found at the following link: http://www.tshaonline.org.

Texas Insights

The Texas State Historical Association, in cooperation with its partners, offers Texas Insights, an electronic newsletter designed to share opportunities for Texas teachers and students while promoting effective instructional practices.

The August 2013 (Vol. IV, Issue 1) edition of this electronic publication may be read by going to: http://www.teachingtexas.org/enewsletter/august2013.

To access previous issues of Texas Insights, go to the following link: http://www.teachingtexas.org/enewsletter.

For more information about the Teaching Texas program, visit this link: http://www.teachingtexas.org/.

Floyd M. Jones, Rest in Peace

We were saddened to learn that Floyd M. Jones passed away earlier this week.  Dr. Jones was a member of the Brazos Heritage Society and served as the organization's President from February 1996 to February 1997. 

Found on the website of Callaway-Jones Funeral Home, which is handling funeral arrangements, is Dr. Jones’ obituary, which reads as follows:

Floyd M. “Doc” Jones, 84, of Bryan, Texas, met his Heavenly Father on Tuesday, August 13, 2013, at St. Joseph Regional Health Center in Bryan, Texas, surrounded by his children.  A celebration of the life of Doc will be held at Central Baptist Church, College Station, Texas, on Saturday, August 17, 2013, beginning at 11:00 AM.

Doc was born in the Harvey Community, Brazos County, Texas, on October 21, 1928, to Charles Nunn Jones and Lula Mary Floyd.  He worked as a cowboy and a dairyman prior to his service as a soldier in the United States Army from 1950-1953 and an active Army Reserve Captain from 1953 to 1961.  Doc worked as an electrician while attending Texas A&M University and graduated in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science degree and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.

After ten years of private veterinary practice in Burleson and Brazos Counties, Doc received a Rockefeller Foundation grant to study and conduct research in Colombia which culminated in his award of one of the first two Masters of Science degrees in Tropical Animal Diseases from Texas A&M University, in 1972.  Doc then served as a USDA meat inspection veterinary supervisor and trainer, Assistant Director of the Texas Animal Health Commission, and as a USDA Field Epidemiologist.

After serving for 11 years in Latin America, Doc retired from U.S. Government service in 1989 as a Supervisory Veterinary Medical Officer and Veterinary Attache’ for the U.S. Foreign Service in Central and South America.  He was an avid militaria, weapons, and Western artifacts collector and historian.

In retirement, Doc continued to serve his community and fellow man as a volunteer with VIPS, a trustee for the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History, and as the Latin America Representative for Christian Veterinary Mission.  Doc was a member of the Central Baptist Church Uplifters class, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and American Legion Earl Graham Post 0159.  Doc met the love of his life while stationed at Ft. Chaffee, near Ft. Smith, Arkansas, and was married for 47 years to Dolores “DJ” Murray Jones, who, as did his parents, proceeded him in death.

Doc is survived by a daughter, Liz Jones Lindley of Bryan, Texas; a son and daughter-in law, Colonel (Retired) Stephen M. and Laurie Walker Jones, of Garden Ridge, Texas; grandchildren Luke Walker Jones of College Station, Texas; and Micah Murray Jones of Laramie, Wyoming; brothers C.B. “Buddy” Jones and E.E. “Skeeter” Jones of Bryan, Texas; numerous nieces and nephews; special friends Greg and Linda Gomez of Bryan, Texas; and friends too numerous to count.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorials be sent to the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History; Christian Veterinary Mission, Seattle, Washington; Central Baptist Church, College Station; or a monetary or blood donation to the American Red Cross.

Dr. Jones attended the most recent Annual Membership Meeting of the Brazos Heritage Society in February of this year.

Pictured above are, from left to right: Floyd M. Jones, Mervin Peters, and Dan Beto, at the social following the Annual Membership Meeting

Our deepest sympathies are extended to the family of Dr. Jones.

                                                                   Dan Beto, President

President’s Message

In the fall of this year the Executive Committee will be appointing a Nominating Committee, the members of which will be responsible for developing a slate of candidates to stand for election for the offices of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Brazos Heritage Society.  The election will take place at the Annual Membership Meeting, which will be held in February 2014.

All current members of the Society are eligible to serve on this important committee.  If you are interested in being appointed to the Nominating Committee, please feel free to send me an email at dan.beto@gmail.com or give me a call at 822-1273.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we need members to serve in leadership positions.  If you are willing to serve as an officer in the Society – be it President, Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer – please let me know.

It is not too soon to begin thinking about seeking elective office in the Society.

I would like to see more members involved in the governance of our organization.  I look forward to hearing from you.

On another matter, the Society has a newly designed webpage, thanks to Vice President Isabel McPartlin and her husband, Todd.  This new website has the same address as the old one, www.brazosheritage.org.

If you have not done so, please visit the website, which is still a work in progress.  Suggestions are welcomed and may be sent to the following email address: brazos.heritage@gmail.com.

For the foreseeable future, until a sufficient number of people have been trained to input information on the new website, the Society will continue to use our electronic newsletter – Heritage Brazos – to convey information to the membership in a timely manner.  The web address for Heritage Brazos continues to be: http://heritagebrazos.blogspot.com.  

May the remainder of your summer be enjoyable.

                                                                        Dan Beto, President  

Treasurer’s Report

The following is an overview of the financial condition of the Brazos Heritage Society as of August 1, 2013.

At Prosperity Bank we have a certificate of deposit valued at $8,389.71 and our checking account at the bank has a balance of $3,501.93, for a total of $11,891.64.

For more detailed information about the Society’s financial condition, please do not hesitate to contact me at 979-229-9414 or by email at this address: mycobra@suddenlink.net.

                                                                                    Beverly Myers, Treasurer

The Astin Clothes Have a New Home

Heard-Craig Center for the Arts

For many years the Brazos Heritage Society has been in possession of clothing that once belonged to the Astin family, some of which were recently part of an exhibit at the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History.  Unfortunately, many of the items were deteriorating and others required restoration.  Efforts to secure grant funding to restore the clothing items were unsuccessful, and the Society’s treasury lacked sufficient financial resources to pay for the restoration.

After months of review options, the society has entered into a long term loan agreement with the Heard-Craig Center for the Arts in McKinney, Texas.  This appears to be a good place for the clothing, as the Center has a number of items that once belonged to Nina Heard Astin, who was born in McKinney.  The Center plans to secure grants to restore the items and then exhibit them.

Additional information about the Heard-Craig Center for the Arts may be found at the following website: http://heardcraig.org.

                                                                                    Nat Hilliard, Past President

Boonville Days Living History Fair 2013

Join the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History for the 8th Annual Boonville Days Living History Fair on Saturday, October 5, 2013 at the Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive, in Bryan, Texas, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  This year also marks the 5th Annual Buffalo Stampede Half Marathon and 5K Race, which starts at 7:30 AM at the Brazos Center.  

As in the previous years, the Brazos Heritage Society will have an exhibit at this annual event.

In addition, there will be a Chuck Wagon Cook-Off on the afternoon of Friday, October 4, and continuing until noon on Saturday, October 5, 2013.

Come join in the race fun, and afterwards bring the entire family to celebrate the history of the Brazos Valley at Brazos County’s only living history fair!

For additional information about this enjoyable and informative event, visit the website for the Brazos Valley Museum for Natural History and look for the “Latest News and Upcoming Events” section; the web address for the museum is: http://www.brazosvalleymuseum.org/.

Richard Carter Park Project

A project adopted by the A&M Garden Club, which the Brazos Heritage Society supports, is to enhance Richard Carter Park in College Station, Texas, the city’s only historically significant park.  The park, acquired by the city in 1983, is the site of the Richard Carter homestead.

According to the Texas Historical Commission marker found at the park’s entrance:

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.

Additional information about this early settler may be found at the Texas State Historical Association’s Handbook of Texas Online at the following link:

http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fcaaq.

The park, consisting of 7.14 acres, is located at 1800 Brazoswood off Earl Rudder Freeway.  Developments in the park include an Interpretive Center with displays about Richard Carter and the reconstructed original water well.  In addition, according to the City of College Station website:

There is an open play area, a discovery garden area featuring decks, seating, indigenous plants, a historical marker, and a bronze statue by Albert Pedulla.  The sculpture was installed in 1986 and symbolizes the staking of the claim by Richard Carter, which resulted in the settlement of College Station and the Brazos Valley.  The development of this park was an officially sanctioned Texas Sesquicentennial Project.  In 1991, the graves of Richard Carter, his wife, and family members were moved from an adjacent site to the park itself.  Additional lights were added in 1998.

The A&M Garden Club has received grants for the Richard Carter Park project from Texas Garden Club Projects-Arbor Day and Seeds for Life.  In addition, some donations for trees and native plants to go into the park have been received.  Other supporters of this project include the College Station Parks and Recreation Department and Keep Brazos Beautiful.

In March during Texas A&M University’s Big Event, the A&M Garden Club added verbena and muhly grass in restored beds around the Interpretive Center as this year’s Phase One.  

A fall planting will occur to coincide with the College Station 75th Anniversary celebration.  There is also the goal of replacing the signs in the Interpretive Center, which have become weathered, faded, and cracked.

Additional funds are needed to accomplish the Club’s vision.  Donations from individuals and groups will be gratefully accepted.  Checks made payable to the A&M Garden Club may be mailed to P. O. Box 443, Wellborn, Texas 77881.  The A&M Garden Club Treasurer is Mary Staffel.  Please include on the check’s memo line that this contribution is “for the Carter Park restoration.”

Additional information about this worthy project will be forthcoming.

Photographs of the Richard Carter Park may be viewed on the Smilebox below.

Newsletter from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

The August 2013 issue of the Wildflower Wire, the newsletter of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas, is now available online.

To view this electronic newsletter, which includes upcoming events, Center news, and membership opportunities and services, visit the following link: http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/225122/1d5339f57b/606000257/549c00d3f0/.

Texas Ranger Hall of Fame Newsletter

The August 2013 electronic edition of the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame Newsletter is now available.  Found in this issue is a recap of past activities and several news items.

 

Click here to read this latest issue of the newsletter.

The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Waco, Texas, and may be a site considered for a day trip by the Brazos Heritage Society’s Events Committee next year.

For more information about this excellent Museum about the history of law enforcement in Texas, visit: http://www.texasranger.org/.