Texas Almanac, 1964-1965 Page: 62

Landmarks of Texas

ANDERSON: On State Highway No. 7,
one mile west of Elkhart, is the Pilgrim Pre-
destinarian Regular Baptist Church, organ-
ized in Illinois in 1833 by Elder Daniel Parker.
First meeting was held in Austin's Colony,
Jan. 20, 1834. Log church was built, 1839.
Present church is fourth on the site. Continu-
ous worship since 1834. Old graveyard of pio-
neers adjoins. Replica of original structure
dedicated in 1936 and site marked. First
Christian Church was established at Palestine
in 1847 by John F. Taylor. Two miles west of
Palestine on U.S. Highway 79 is site of Fort
Houston, which later became part of the his-
toric home of John H. Reagan. It was a fort
and stockade built about 1836 on the public
square of Houston, then in Anderson County,
by order of Gen. Sam Houston. Fort was
abandoned in 1846 when Palestine made coun-
ty seat of Anderson County. Granite marker
commemorates the site of old fort and Rea-
gan home. Statue of Reagan stands in Reagan
Park and marble bust by Elisabet Ney is in
Palestine Carnegie Library. Near Elkhart site
of McLean massacre; Daniel McLean and
John Sheridan killed, 1837; held savages in
check until settlers could escape. Some note-
worthy homes in Palestine area are: Alex-
ander, Link, Hunter, Sullivan, Dilley, Camp-
bell, Colley and Anderson. On courthouse
grounds at Palestine is marker to early An-
derson County pioneers. Near Frankston is
site of Kickapoo Battlefield where Gen.
Thomas J. Rusk won battle from Indians and
their Mexican allies, Oct. 16, 1838. No trace
left of old town of Magnolia on the Trinity, 10
miles southwest of Palestine, early boat land-
ing.
ANGELINA: Old Gann home near Lufkin
is noteworthy landmark. Ten miles northeast
of Huntington is site of Marion, known as
early as 1828 as McNeill's Landing; firstacoun-
ty seat of Angelina County. Six miles south-
east Lufkin on Highway 69 is site of town of
Homer, known as Angelina, third county seat
of Angelina County, 1858-1890. Twelve miles
southeast Lufkin, U.S. Highway 69, site of
town of Jonesville, second county seat of An-
gelina County, Aug. 22, 1854, to May 19, 1858.
Thirty miles southeast of Llfkin is site of old
town of Zavalla (sic); established on land in-
cluded in grant to Lorenzo de Zavala in whose
honor town named. Early boat landing; mail
and stage station. Incorporated in 1838, it was
a post office until Civil War.
ARANSAS: Home of George W. Fulton,
fighter in the Texan Army, later cattle baron.
Old town of Fulton was named for him. First
sizable meat-packing industry in Texas was
operated here. Old port of Copano Landing
was in this county. Site of Lamar is 10 miles
north of Rockport. Established 1838, faded
after sacked by Union troops, 1864. Site of
home of James Power, is 6.5 miles north of
Rockport on State Highway 35. Along with
James Hewitson he was granted authority
Jan. 11, 1828, to settle 200 families in Texas.
Old Mathis home near Rockport also note-
worthy. Near Rockport is one of the largest
live oak trees in U.S. Other noteworthy homes
are: Bruhl, Hynes and Johnson.
ARCHER: Camp Cureton was established
March 17, 1862, abandoned 1864 when Frontier
Regiment consolidated at Fort Belknap.
ARMSTRONG: Site of the old Goodnight
Ranch (now called the JA Ranch) is marked,
also town of Goodnight, established in 1876 by
Charles Goodnight.
ATASCOSA: Pleasanton was seat of county
in 1850; county seat moved to Jourdanton
1920. Some noteworthy buildings at Rossville
are: John Ross home, L. L. Langston home
and old rock church built more than 100 years
ago now used by Baptists.
62

AUSTIN: In the southern part of the coun-
ty is San Felipe, the capital of Austin's col-
ony. Not much of the old town of San Felipe
de Austin remains. In San Felipe State Park
is the monument to Stephen Fuller Austin,
"Father of Texas." Marked is site of town
hall built about 1830, wherein were held first
and second conventions of Texas, 1832 and
1833; also provisional government met here
until March 2, 1836; building burned March
29, 1836, to prevent falling into hands of Mex-
ican army. Historic ferry across Brazos op-
erated here more than hundred years. Com-
munity Agricultural Society at Cat Spring has
been continuous since 1857. At Cat Spring is
marker in honor of pioneer German settle-
ment founded in 1831, as Industry, by Fried-
rich Ernst, who died here in 1858. At San
Felipe stood only home of Stephen F. Austin
in Texas; burned March 29, 1836, to keep it
from falling into hands of Mexican army.
Austin later lived with his sister, Mrs. James
F. Perry, at Peach Point. San Felipe Church
houses oldest Sunday school organization in
Texas, and is one of oldest Protestant
churches in the state. At San Felipe is John
Bricker monument, memorial to only Texan
killed at San Felipe, April 7, 1836. Marker
placed at site of town of New Ulm, first
known as Duff's Settlement in honor of James
C. Duff to whom land granted in 1841; settled
by Germans after 1845 and renamed in honor
of German City of Ulm. At Bellville the first
brick mercantile building erected in 1856 by
W. L. Springfield still in use.
BAILEY: Muleshoe, named for a ranch
with the muleshoe brand, as of March 1, 1963,
planned to erect a statue to the mule that
will be a tourist attraction.
BANDERA: Ten miles north of Bandera is
Bandera Pass, celebrated Indian pass known
from first Spanish settlement and used by
Texas Rangers and United States Army. Ban-
dera has homes dating from Polish colony.
Marvin Hunter Museum is here. Fort Forilla
was located in Bandera County. Camp Montel
established in March, 1862, as ranger station
for Frontier Regiment, was abandoned in 1864
with consolidation of regiment at Fort Bel-
knap.
BASTROP: In Bastrop State Park is mark-
er in honor of Felipe Enrique Neri, Baron de
Bastrop, for whom county and county seat
named. East of city is pine forest bequeathed
the city by Baron de Bastrop, now the Bastrop
State Park, known as the Lost Pines because
of isolation from main pine belt in East
Texas. At Bastrop is site of Confederate arms
factory; established 1862 for manufacture of
guns and bayonets. Site of old Bastrop Mili-
tary Institute, chartered Jan. 24, 1852, as
Bastrop Academy; rechartered under aus-
pices of Methodist Episcopal Church South
1853; 1856 became Bastrop Military Institute
and has been private residence since 1892.
Old armory building stands at 801 Govern-
ment Street. Cocheron home built by Marcelle
Triplett, 1849; Wilbarger home at 1403 Main,
built 1842 by MaJ. A. M. Brooks; Governor
Sayers home, 1703 Wilson, built 1850; Pearcy
home, 909 Pecan, built 1863. Oldest drugstore
in Texas located in Bastrop; established 1847.
Fehr home built 1850 and old Ferry Park. At
Hill's Prairie is old Hill House, built about
1850. Old Ireland house built about 1850. Near
Bastrop is site of Col. Washington Jones
home, built about 1840. Old San Antonio Road
marker erected at intersection of Highway 71
and Hill Street. Calvary Episcopal Church at
Bastrop, built in 1881, marked with historical
medallion in 1962. Bastrop Museum located in
building erected in 1850 by John Cornelson.
Two and a half miles west of Smithville on
Highway 71 is site of Gen. Edward Burleson
home, built about 1831. Three and a half miles