Surprised this hasn't been mentioned here, looks like some great work and some cool additions to the site on the way

https://today.tamu.edu/2024/03/01/archaeologists-unearth-abandoned-townsite-at-washington-on-the-brazos/

Scheduled for completion by mid-2025, planned additions to the site include full-size re-creations of historic buildings, such as the tavern, a drug store, and Houston's log cabin office, which settlers originally constructed as a family home.

In addition to highlighting the town's connection to important figures like Crockett, Houston and the republic's final president, Anson Jones, Failor says the ambitious renovation will give guests a window into the lives of ordinary Texans who occupied the area from its establishment in the 1830s through its heyday in the 1850s.

Scheduled for completion by mid-2025, planned additions to the site include full-size re-creations of historic buildings, such as the tavern, a drug store, and Houston's log cabin office, which settlers originally constructed as a family home.

In addition to highlighting the town's connection to important figures like Crockett, Houston and the republic's final president, Anson Jones, Failor says the ambitious renovation will give guests a window into the lives of ordinary Texans who occupied the area from its establishment in the 1830s through its heyday in the 1850s.

Thanks for posting that. I had no idea that Washington-on-the-Brazos had been such a well-established town. I had thought that it was just a log cabin or three.

It was a well platted town and there are more than 1 witness pecan trees still there. Nice museum too.

Thanks for sharing this here! I'm surprised to see this getting the traction that it has. Really proud to be able to work on this project. The site deserves to have its history told and I'm just glad we have the support to get it done. Let me know if y'all have any questions!
Gig 'em!
Jonathan Failor '17

Bighunter43 said:

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La Grange was actually in competition with Austin to become the state capital, but lost by just one vote!

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So LaGrange became famous for a different type of prostitution

CanyonAg77 said:

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Bighunter43 said:

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La Grange was actually in competition with Austin to become the state capital, but lost by just one vote!

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So LaGrange became famous for a different type of prostitution

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La Grange probably got the better deal….and yes certainly the less corrupt institution!

I happen to be one of the architects working on the Townsite. It will indeed be an impressive, full scale, reconstruction of the original town site based on the most historically accurate information we have from 1836!

A lot of professionals; historians, archeologist, architects, and engineers are working on renovations to the Visitor's Center, Townsite, Conference Center, and Star of the Republic museum. All new exhibits are planned to connect this site with other Texas Historic Sites around the state.

Some interesting details for the Townsite:

There will be (2) historically accurate period cabins, several evocations (open framed structures), a number of wood framed structures based on period photos, written descriptions, and (2) reconstructions. One of the reconstructions will be built over an active archeological dig with a floating walkway for guest to see ruins of the original structure that have been unearthed.

In all, we plan to represent as many as 14 structures to some degree (framed, cabin, evocation, etc.). Our hope is to bring back to life a great moment in Texas History.

This is great. I loved that place so much at A&M that I would just drive out there with a picnic lunch and study under some of those pecan trees.

On an unrelated (or somewhat related) note, I was at the Texas State Historical Association annual meeting two weeks ago at A&M, and there was a great presentation on German/African-American relations in the post Civil War era, and Washington figured prominently. Seems that Washington County had a huge influx of Germans and after the war, they developed political alliances with Blacks in the short-lived Republican ascendancy during reconstruction. What was so interesting was that some blacks even learned the German language, in part because the Germans ran integrated schools, which the Anglos did not. One of the black leaders who spoke German (though he apparently learned it in Louisiana) was Matt Gaines, who was one of the folks who led the effort to establish land grand schools (A&M and Prairie View) and of course, who now has a statue on the A&M campus.

The guys have a really cool website: Afrogermantexas.info

Includes this fascinating tidbit:

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Over 860 African Americans in Texas indicated that "German" was their home language and that they were native-born to native-born parents in the 1970 census.

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I think that's supposed to be 1870.