Big Man Around Town: Notable Residents of Washington
February 18, 2012
An introduction to the Inhabitants of Old Washington

Join us on February 18, 2012 at Independence Hall
as we explore the lives of some of the many colorful and prominent inhabitants of Washington, TX.

Come hear the stories of the 1830s and 1840s town and of the men whose time here reshaped the future of Texas. Lead Interpreter Scott McMahon will guide you through the lives of Texas heroes Sam Houston, and Dr. Benjamin Goodrich, as well as local business men Andrew Robinson, John Lott and many others.

“All new states are invested, more or less, by a class of noisy, second-rate men who are always in favor of rash and extreme measures, but Texas was absolutely overrun by such men.”
      - Sam Houston

Presentations will be given at 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 3:00 PM.
The presentation will last approximately 30-45 minutes and will meet at the Visitors’ Center.
Please be sure to arrive 5-10 minutes early.
Please dress appropriately for the season as the presentation will take place in a period setting.
All Visitors are welcome but small children must be accompanied by an adult.
Ticket prices are: Adult $5.00; Student $3.00; FREE to children 6 and under.
FREE to Texas State Park annual pass holders.
Accessible for the mobility impaired.
For additional details please call the Visitors’ Center at 936.878.2214 ext. 224 Ask for Scott.

Flags of Texas Monument
Dedication Ceremony - Friday, March 2, 2012  - 2:00 pm
August Horst Municipal Park   - Navasota

The story of Texas begins along the riverbanks of both the Navasota and Brazos Rivers. The La Bahia trail saw explorers, pioneers, soldiers and statesmen make their way to the land we now call Texas. A monument tracing the heritage of the state through the flags that have flown over it will be formally dedicated Friday, March 2, 2012, on the state’s 176th birthday.

The Flags of Texas are an impressive capture of almost 500 years of Texas History.

The inspiration for the display came from the Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park Association Board of Directors. The location on the Navasota City Park demonstrates the importance of participation and support of the surrounding communities and Washington-on-the-Brazos. The contribution of a park space by the City of Navasota made the display possible.

Local businessman Pete Huddleston and wife Flora recognized the need for a permanent monument highlighting the importance of our area’s history in the saga of the Lone Star State. Featured are the six flags that have flown over Texas, set in a beautiful granite and brick pavilion. Bricks honoring the 59 signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence will be installed, and the public will be invited to purchase bricks honoring their family members.

The dedication ceremony will begin at 2:00 with a few words from Mr. Huddleston, as well as Navasota Mayor Bert Miller and Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park Association president, John Fultz. State Representative Lois Kolkhorst will also speak.

We invite you to join us for the official dedication ceremony, as we celebrate our great state on its 176th anniversary. Order forms will be available to purchase memorial bricks for the yard. Prices begin at just $40.

The monument is located along Highway 105 in August Horst City Park in Navasota.
For more information, contact Kourtney Gruner at kgruner@NavasotaTX.gov
or Ginger Moreland at info@birthplaceoftexas.com

Exhibit Opening:
A Slice of Life: Washington in the 19th Century - Friday, March 2, 2012

The Star of the Republic Museum announces its new exhibit, “A Slice of Life: Washington in the 19th Century,” which will open on March 2, 2012.

The exhibit will focus on the people, businesses and events that influenced the fledgling village of Washington during the 1830s. Marriages, divorces, lawsuits, balls, horse races—Washington had it all! Best known for the Convention of 1836 that declared Texas’ independence from Mexico, Washington was also a hub for medical practices, land offices, mercantile establishments, hotels and, of course, taverns. The exhibit will continue through December 31, 2012.

Daily museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Star of the Republic Museum, administered by Blinn College, is located in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site, off Highway 105 on F. M. 1155 between Brenham and Navasota.
For more information, call (936) 878-2461 or go to the website: www.starmuseum.org.

176th ANNIVERSARY OF TEXAS INDEPENDENCE - MARCH 2, 1836
March 3-4
Independence Hall at Washington on the Brazos

The 176th anniversary of the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence will be recognized during a free two-day festival, March 3-4 at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site.

This celebration brings the Republic of Texas era to life. The festival will be held on both Saturday and Sunday, from 10am until 5pm, with endless opportunities for family-oriented activities.

The Star of the Republic Museum will open a new exhibit entitled, “A Slice of Life: Washington in the 19th Century.” The exhibit focuses on the people, businesses and events that influenced the fledgling village of Washington during the 1830s. Marriages, divorces, lawsuits, balls, horse races—Washington had it all! Best known for the Convention of 1836 that declared Texas’ independence from Mexico, Washington was also a hub for medical practices, land offices, mercantile establishments, hotels and, of course, taverns. A special sneak preview of the Asa Hoxey collection is also planned. The exhibit continues through December 31, 2012.

A special commemorative program will be held on Sunday afternoon at the Tom & Jane Bullock Amphitheater. The Aggie Wranglers, a high energy country/western dance group will perform at 1:30.
Colonel William B. Travis (Bob Heinonen) will address the crowd.
Direct descendants of the 59 declaration signers will also be recognized during a dramatic roll call of each of the signer’s names by General Sam Houston. (Jack Edmondson).

A Texas-sized birthday cake will be served to audience members to finish off the day, with legend Davy Crockett (Jeff Bearden), helping to cut the cake. Children are invited to have their picture made with this Texas Hero. The Tanner Family Minstrel group will wind things up with a rousing, family friendly performance.

Throughout the two-day celebration, the 293 acre park along the Brazos River will be transported back to the time when Texas was a sovereign nation. Re-enactors in period clothing and members of the Texas Army, along with skilled craftsmen and talented musicians, will fill the park as Texas commemorates its inception. The Houston Area Blacksmithing Association will be at Barrington Farm doing demonstrations. Statesmen of the era will be on hand to bring history to life.

Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site features three attractions that are open year round – Independence Hall, the Star of the Republic Museum, and Barrington Living History Farm.
All admission fees will be waived during the celebration weekend!
Food vendors selling a variety of festival foods will be on site.

This event is made possible through funding from Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park Association,
Exxon Mobil Corporation and Bluebonnet Electric Co-op.

Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site is located between Brenham and Navasota
off State Hwy. 105 and FM 1155, approximately one hour northwest of Houston.
Directions and schedule of events will be available prior to the event at www.starmuseum.org
Or by calling 936-878-2214.

"For a few precious moments.....I am back in Old Texas, under a high sky,
where all things are again possible and the wind blows free."
     - Larry L. King  

"Texas is still a last frontier. It is the part of the United States
where the traditional virtues are still operating. In short, a piece of living history." 
     - Author John C. B. Richmond

The Park and all tours and demonstrations will be free to the general public.
Please dress appropriately for the season as the presentation will take place in a period setting.
All Visitors are welcome but small children must be accompanied by an adult.
Accessible for the mobility impaired.
For additional details please call the Visitors’ Center at 936.878.2214 ext. 224 ssk for Scott. 

SIMPLY THE SIGNERS:
A Look at the Various Signers of The Declaration of Independence.
March 17, 2012

Join us for a special look at the courageous men who risked everything to establish Texas
as an independent republic.
Listen in as our interpreters share exciting and colorful stories from the lives of many of our Texas heroes.

"Good thing we've still got politics in Texas - finest form of free entertainment ever invented." 
     - Molly Ivins

Presentations will be given at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 3:00 pm.
The presentation will last approximately 30-45 minutes and will meet at the Visitors’ Center.
Please be sure to arrive 5-10 minutes early.
Please dress appropriately for the season as the presentation will take place in a period setting.
All Visitors are welcome but small children must be accompanied by an adult.
Ticket prices are: Adult $5.00; Student $3.00; FREE to children 6 and under.
FREE to Texas State Park annual pass holders.
Accessible for the mobility impaired.
For additional details please call the Visitors’ Center at 936-878-2214 ext. 224 Ask for Scott.

True Texas Women
March 24 & 25
Barrington Living History Farm

Come see artisans spinning, crocheting, quilting, tatting, and crafting items that pioneer women would have been proud to display in their homes. Explore the lives of these “gentle tamers and sun bonneted helpmates”.

Though separated by time from the pioneer women who settled this vast land known as Texas,
we are still connected to them through the emotions and experiences that all women share.

On March 24th and 25th, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.,
the staff of Barrington Living History Farm will present "True Texas Women" which will share the stories of the lives of these strong, determined women who often endured difficult and extreme hardships as they helped tame the Texas frontier.

Explore the lives of these “gentle tamers and sun-bonneted helpmates” - women like Mary Jones, wife of the president of a nation and Pamelia Mann, a businesswoman and sometimes criminal, who refused to live in anyone’s shadow. Explore the lives of others, such as enslaved women and those hundreds of unknown women whose days were filled with loneliness, fear, and uncertainty. Costumed interpreters, using letters and diary entries, tell these early Texas women’s stories.

Come see artisans spinning, crocheting, quilting, tatting, and crafting items that pioneer women would have been proud to display in their homes. Try your hand at crafting items necessary for day-to-day 19th century living. Visit the garden and check the progress of the spring vegetables. Scrub clothes on a washboard and visit the kitchen for a peek at what tasty 19th century foods may be cooking on the open hearth. Learn about the important aspects of pioneer women’s lives including cosmetics, 19th century fashions, jewelry, courting, marriage, childbirth, herbal remedies, and mourning the loss of a loved one.

Barrington Living History Farm is located in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historical Park
off Highway 105 between Navasota and Brenham on FM 1155.

Hours of operation are from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm daily.
Accessible for the mobility impaired.
Farm admission fees are $5 for adults and $3 for students; children six and under and State Park Pass holders are admitted free of charge. Discounted multi-site passes including Independence Hall and the Star of the Republic Museum are available.
For additional details call (936) 878-2214 ext 246.

PAINTERS IN THE PARK
Local Artists painting scenery from Washington - April 21, 2012

Join us this spring at Washington on the Brazos, the perfect time to take advantage of our beautiful scenery with an afternoon of painting or sketching. Painters, sketch artists and photographers alike are encouraged to visit the park and create their own piece representing Texas’ rich and diverse cultural and natural heritage. If you’re not an artist come out and watch as local artists create from the heart.

“Landscapes have a language of their own, expressing the soul of the things,
lofty or humble, which constitute them, from the mighty peaks to the smallest of the
tiny flowers hidden in the meadow's grass.”
             - Alexandria David-Neel

Please dress appropriately for the season as this is an outdoor event.
All Visitors are welcome but small children must be accompanied by an adult.
Accessible for the mobility impaired.
For additional details please call the Visitors’ Center at 936.878.2214 ext. 224 Ask for Scott.

Lesson in Leeching - April 28 & 29, 2012

The names yellow fever, malaria, and cholera struck fear in the hearts of those
living in 19th century Texas as medical doctors were simply helpless to save the unfortunate souls
who contracted these diseases.
Giving birth might mean the death of both mother and child.
An uncontrolled infection might cost someone their life or limb.
Common problems which attack the body as it ages would often be misdiagnosed or have no fitting remedies for the symptoms.

Nineteenth century physicians often turned to leeches, blood-letting, purging, sweating, amputation, and mercury or arsenic based potions as they worked to cure what ailed their patients. Those things sound rather barbaric compared to what we experience today, but physicians in the 1850s had no clue such things as germs and bacteria existed or how to successfully treat the many maladies and injuries frontier folks suffered from.

On Saturday and Sunday, April 28th & 29th, from 10:00 am until 4:30 pm,
Barrington Living History Farm will explore the seemingly backwards and sometimes unusual ways to treat “desperate diseases” which required “desperate measures” as doctors practiced medicine in Texas in the 1850s. Visitors will get a sample of what it might have been like had they sought the help of a doctor or what they thought might be a doctor.

Barrington Living History Farm is located in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historical Park off Highway 105 between Navasota and Brenham on FM 1155.
Hours of operation are from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm daily.
Accessible for the mobility impaired.
Farm admission fees are $5 for adults and $3 for students; children six and under
and State Park Pass holders are admitted free of charge.
Discounted multi-site passes including Independence Hall and the Star of the Republic Museum are available.
For additional details call (936) 878-2214 ext 246.

Saving History Thru Art - For the Love of Texas

This coffee table style book, a generous 12” x 18” size, contains a series of spectacular spring landscapes photographed in Washington County, Texas, by noted Smithsonian photographer Timothy Wolcott. Each photograph is accompanied by a personal comment from one of 36 Texas celebrities stating his or her love for the state. Books may be purchased at the Washington County Visitor Center, 115 West Main Street, in Brenham, or ordered online at www.loveoftexas175.com  This is a project to honor the 59 individuals who put their lives on hold to declare independence and form the Republic of Texas in March 1836. Proceeds benefit the Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park Association.

We offer prints of some of these incredible landscape photographs. The prints available will be hand-signed by famous Texans, including Presidents and First Ladies, Governors, sports heroes, authors and other famous Texans. Watch this space for future book signings and other special events highlighting both the book and autographed oversize images reproduced on museum paper or canvas.

Visit our monthly Event Calendar to see a graphic calendar of our events.

To read about some of our events you may have missed, see Past Events.