Texas Almanac, 1954-1955 Page: 81
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LANDMARKS OF TEXAS HISTORY 81
Bonham, erected as part of the centennial pro-
gram of 1936. Fort Warren established as a pri-
vate fort in 1836. Abandoned min 1837. No trace
today.
FAYETTE: At La Grange is located shaft in
honor of the men of the Mier Expedition and Capt.
Nicholas Dawson's men. The bones of these men
are buried in the cemetery on Monument Hill,
across the river from La Grange. Also at La
Grange is the historic tree under which Capt.
Nicholas Dawson recruited his ill-fated expedition.
It still stands on a street flanking the square.
Monument was erected inm observance of Texas'
Centennial, 1936. Site of old Moore's Fort is also
marked, also the old home of Col. John H.
Moore, built min 1838. There is a marker on the
site of Rutersville College, one-half mile southeast
of Rutersville. This was the first institution of
higher education in Texas. Recommended in 1837
by Martin Ruter, chartered in 1840 as a Methodist
school.
FORT BEND: Statue of Mlrabeau Buonaparte
Lamar, commander of cavalry at San Jacinto, one
of the Presidents of the Republic and "Father of
Education in Texas," stands at Richmond, erected
as part of 1936 centennial observance. Fort Bend,
military post of Austin's Colony. No trace today.
GALVESTON: The historic city of Galveston,
dating back to the times when the privateers,
Luis Aury and Jean Lafitte, had their bases here,
has few tangible landmarks today because of the
destructive storm of 1900. Markers have been
erected to indicate the significance of many sites
in this cnty. Cochran home was built in 1850's.
Brown and Rosenberg homes also notable. Here
the Centennial Control Commission erected the
statue to Gen. Sidney Sherman, who commanded
the second regiment of volunteers at San Jacinto.
The monument to Texas heroes, erected in 1900
through a gift of $50,000 from Henry Rosenberg,
is among Texas' most noteworthy memorials. Fort
Bankhead was established as a Confederate fort.
No traces today. Fort Bolivar Point, at point of
Bolivar Peninsula across channel from Galveston,
occupied as a strategic point intermittently from
early times. Now Fort Travis. Fort Crockett es-
tablished by U.S. Army in 1897, and still in use.
Named for Davy Crockett. Fort Green, a Con-
federate post. No traces today. Fort Herbert,
Confederate post. No traces. Fort Magruder,
Galveston Island, Confederate post. No remains.
Fort San Jacinto, on east end of Galveston Island.
Present buildings constructed in 1898, but the es-
tablishment had its beginning in 1836. Named IlA
honor of the Battle of San Jacinto. Fort Travis,
on Bolivar Peninsula at the mouth of Galveston
Bay, established in 1898. Named for William B.
Travis.
GILLESPIE: The Vereins Kirche, reconstructed
from the original structure of the German colo-
nists, stands in a park in Fredericksburg. This old
German settlement is in itself a landmark. The
old Catholic church and many commercial and
residential structures have historic significance,
notably the Sunday Houses which were formerly
used by ranchmen and farmers as weekend resi-
dences in Fredericksburg. The John O. Meusebach
Memorial stands here, honoring one of the leaders
of early German immigration. -Twenty-four miles
north of Fredericksburg is Lange's Mill, estab-
lished in 1849 by Doss Brothers. William F. Lange
operated the mill, 1859-1878, and' Julius Lange
operated it from 1878 to 1888. It is one of the
last of the old burst mills in Texas, and is in a
good state of preservation. On cliffs nearby are
Indian pictographs. Fort Martin Scott, at Fred-
ericksburg, established in 1848 by U.S. Army.
Named for Major Martin Scott, Fifth United States
Infantry, who distinguished himself at the Battle
of Monterrey, Mexico. Abandoned 1866. Used, as
late as 1874 by Texas Rangers under McCulldch.
GOLIAD: Location of old mission La Bahia del
Espiritu Santo, established here in 1749. Fort
(Presidio) Bahia, at Bahia, later Goliad, estab-
lished about 1749. Also known as Fort Defiance.
It has been restored. Also site of Mission Nueltra
Senora del Rosario, established in 1754 for the
Cujane Nation. Maintained by Franciscan -mis-
sionaries until 1794. (See also account of Goliad
monument and memorial auditorium in introduc-
tory paragraphs of this article. (P. 76.)
GONZALES: There are many interesting build-
ings in this old town laid out during the Spanish
era. Here the first battle of the Texas Revolution.
was fought. (See p. 55.) In 1936, the GonzalesMuseum and Amphitheater was built. An interior
plaque is inscribed with the names of the "Old
Eighteen" wnose courage held the Mexican forces
at bay until aid could be mustered. A granite
monument, also erected as part of the centennial
program, commemorates and carries the names of
"the Immortal Thirty-Two" who went from Gon-
zales to the aid of those in the Alamo. (See p. 56.)
GRAYSON: Fort Preston, on Red River north-
west of Denison, established in 1840 by Capt.
William G. Preston as trading post and as protec-
tion against Indians. Later became known as
Preston Bend community; was submerged during
1944 by the rising waters of Lake Texoma. About
1850 it was most important town in North Texas,
terminus of old Preston Road and division point
on stage route to California.
GRIMES: Twelve miles south of Navasota on
State Highway 6 is the site of home of Jared E.
Groce, built in 1833. Known as "Groce's Retreat."
He died here Nov. 20, 1836. Retreat was con-
tinued as a post office and town two miles east of
here after the house was torn down. On the main
thoroughfare of Navasota is the striking monu-
ment to La Salle, who, according to generally ac-
cepted history, was killed and buried near this
city. On Main Street in Anderson is Fanthrop
Inn, built in 1834 by Henry Fanthrop as a home
for his bride, Rachel Kennard. Enlarged for use
as a hotel. Other notable homes are H. F. Foster
home (originally Gibbs home) built in 1859 at
Navasota; Margaret Mcintyre house, built in 1838,
near Anderson. First mercantile establishment and
first post office (1835). Kenneth Lewis Anderson,
Vice-President of the Republic, died here July 3,
1845. Stage lines from Houston to old Springfield
and from Nacogdoches to Austin crossed here.
GUADALUPE: Five miles east of Seguin on
U.S. Highway 90 is marker on Battleground
Prairie, site of battle where .Gen. Edward Burleson
and his men defeated Vicente Cordova, March 29,
1839, ending the Cordova Rebellion. The LeL Gette
home built by Col. Joshua Wright Young, in
Seguin, is one of the most beautiful homes in
Texas. Some interesting old homes in this county.
HALE: At Plainview is statue of Gen. Ranald
Slidel Mackenzie, United States Cavalry officer,
who blazed the Mackenzie Trail in 1871, in quest
of warring bands of Indians. (See p. 63.) Erected
in observance of Texas centennial
HA RIS: Near San Jacinto State Park is site
of hoe of Lorenzo de Zavala, signer of Texas
Declaration of Independence, Vice-President of the
Texas Republic. Old Longcope home built in
1848. There are many sites of historic events
in Houston, though the city's rapid growth has
caused destruction of most old buildings. The
Sam Houston statue in Hermann Park is note-
worthy. Exact site of the "Twin Sisters" cannon
of Texas Revolution not known. Markers placed
in San Jacinto Park. The historic Battleship Texas
is permanently berthed in a short canal leading
into San Jacinto Battlefield Park from the nearby
Houston Ship Channel. It is open to the public.
The famous battleship came to rest here on April
21, 1948. It was decommissioned by the U.S. Navy
after Se er a 34-year service, including 121,000 miles of
travel and active service in World Wars I and II.
(See also account of San Jacinto Battlefield and
monument in Introductory paragraphs of this
article. P. 76).
HARRISON: At Marshall Is Wyalucing, built
in 1850 by Beverly Lafayette Holcomb, one of the
first brick homes in Marshall. Purchased for
Bishop College in 1880. In Marshall were the old
dwellings used in the early 1860's as "capitol" and
"Governor's Mansion" of Missouri where Gov.
Claiborne F. Jackson and staff, Civil War refugees
from their own state, set up headquarters and
conducted affairs of state. As a result, Marshall,
Texas, has the distinction of having once been the
capital of Missouri. Governor's mansion torn down
in 1950. After Governor Jackson's death in 1862,
Lieut. Gov. Thomas C. Reynolds established him-
self as Governor. Trinity Episcopal Church, one of
oldest Episcopal churches in Texas, founded Dec.
25, 1850, at Marshall. At Leigh is home of J. J.
Webster, built in 1845, first home In Texas In
which concrete was used; at Scottsville Is home
built by Col. William Thomas Scott In 1834.
HAYS: San Marcos Springs was early watering
place. Some interesting early ranch homes In Hill
Country. At Driftwood are stone buildings of
Johnson's Institute, early educational institution.
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Texas Almanac, 1954-1955, book, 1953; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117168/m1/83/?q=waco+tornado: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.