INDEPENDENCE TRAIL REGION
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Washington, the site of Independence Hall and thus the birthplace of the Republic of Texas, is located on La Bahia Road where it crossed the Brazos River. The town was laid out in 1833. Its location on the Brazos, which was navigable to that point, and on the La Bahia roadway provided prom- ise of a bright future. At the time of the convention the population of Washington was about 100. Delegates met in the only building large enough for this purpose, an unfinished structure owned by Noah T. Byars. For a number of years steps were put in place to encourage growth and prosperity until the fateful decision in 1858 to not pay the fee to the Houston and Texas Central Railroad for a link to the town. As with many other Texas towns in and across the country, the advantages of the location on a major highway and waterway were trumped by the lack of connection to the railroad. Being bypassed by the railroad was ultimately the death knell to the town. On the other hand, the railroad connection encouraged the growth of the nearby towns of Brenham and Navasota. Although none of the original buildings remain from the settlement, Independence Hall has been reconstructed, and the outline of the town and descriptions of its components are brought to life by interpretive labels and regularly scheduled guided tours. Guests can experience the story of Texas’ independence firsthand through exhibits in the Visitor Services Center and nearby trails that were once the town’s main streets. Reenactors fre- quently greet visitors, telling various aspects of the frontier Texas story.
IT IS STILL POSSIBLE to walk in the footsteps of those who wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the Republic of Texas. Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site encompasses the site where the Convention of 1836 met and adopted the Declaration on March 2, 1836. March 2 remains a day of celebration throughout Texas. By March 17 of that year, just two weeks later, the delegates had written a constitution and elected ad interim government officials. Their need for haste is eas- ily explained as they feared the approach of the Mexican Army.
At most significant historic sites in Texas,
you have to squint and use your imagination to remove all the new streets and buildings that have been constructed in the intervening years. It takes quite an imagination to picture the Alamo as the main or even a central structure in San Antonio. And the river in central San Antonio is little reminiscent of the source of water for the early Spanish missions in and around San Antonio. The situation in Washington is just the opposite. Only one building stands, and the streets more resemble hiking trails than busy thoroughfares. However, the assets that made the Washington town site desirable are plainly visible.
Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site
The Visitor Center/Gift Shop is an excellent place to begin a tour of Washington-on-the-Brazos. This location provides restrooms, a gift shop, a comprehensive display explaining the various park sites and their historical significance, as well as the opportunity to buy tickets to any and all of the park’s three sites. The gift shop offers a wide range of Texas-themed items and keepsakes. No fee is required to enter the visitor center. The visi- tor center and gift shop are open daily 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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