Most exciting are the future plans for the site.
Outside of the museum, you'll also find an interpretive trail with signs describing structures that once stood there. In 2018, an awesome, interactive museum was opened across the street on the expanded grounds. Happily, this site is currently expanding. School children sold buttons to raise funds for a very impressive stone marker that greets visitors today.Īlso currently at the historic site, a replica of a log home, a bronze statue of Stephen F Austin, and the historic Josey Store (Built in 1847, this was the last store built in town after the 1836 burn.). In 1928, residents of San Felipe began holding annual celebrations honoring Stephen F Austin and the early settlers of their town. However, the town never regained its momentum and the county administration relocated to Bellville in 1846. They were unable to resupply or cross the Brazos River here.įollowing Texas Independence, the town was reestablished as San Felipe and served briefly as the county seat of Austin County. When Santa Ana and his soldiers arrived in San Felipe, they found little more than a few chimneys, a brick oven, and a lot of destruction. To defend their crossing at the Brazos River and keep the town from falling into the hands of Santa Ana's army, the people of San Felipe de Austin burned their town completely to the ground while all of its residents fled in what became known as the Runaway Scrape. After the Texians were defeated at the Alamo, General Sam Houston and his men retreated through here on their way to San Jacinto. In preparation for the Revolution, the Texas Conventions of 18 met in San Felipe de Austin, and the town served as the interim capital of Texas between November 1835 and March 1836. Interestingly, the Telegraph and Texas Register was started by Gail Borden who went on to found Borden's Milk! His paper is recognized as the journal of the Texas Revolution. The printing press responsible for the first printed book in Texas was located in San Felipe de Austin, The Texas Gazette began publication here in 1829 and the Telegraph and Texas Register launched here in 1835. The roots of the publishing industry in Texas are largely here. William Barrett Travis had his law office in San Felipe de Austin. During it's heyday, San Felipe de Austin served as home to the colonial land office, cotton trading center, and as the focal point of the Texas postal service.īy 1835 the town boasted a booming population approaching 600 residents within its municipal boundaries and was the second largest commercial center (San Antonio was the largest). Located on a bluff overlooking fertile land for crops and along the Brazos River, this location was perfect to serve as the center of farming, trade, and social growth for Austin's colony.
Historians report that the locals referred to it simply as Austin. In 1823, the town was named for Stephen F Austin and Mexican government official Felipe de la Garza. When the Father of Texas, Stephen F Austin, brought the initial "Old 300" settlers to Texas to colonize under a contract with the Mexican government, he selected San Felipe de Austin as the capital of his colony. So of course, we had to stop in for a visit here during our trip to San Felipe. No trip into Texas history is complete without a visit to San Felipe de Austin. Visiting San Felipe de Austin, the Colonial Capital of Texas
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