~Vacation Day 4~
I slept in today, not getting out of bed until after 10 am (9 am CST). It has been a long time since I slept this late. It's another beautiful day here in Austin, cool and somewhat cloudy. As I get up and going, a John Wayne movie is on TCM, and the sounds of life hum in the background. Kaitlyn and I are planning a trip to Brenham and the Blue Bell Creamery.
So, Melanie went along as well, and we went to Washington on the Brazos, the birthplace of Texas. It is, after all, the 175th Anniversary of Texas Independence. It is a beautiful place, very serene. Standing in the shade of very old and majestic oak trees, it is easy to see why so many were willing to fight for it. Nothing of the original Washington exists save a few posts and the original Independence Hall. Most of the buildings, including the homestead of Anson Jones, were moved to their current locations after the area was designated as historically significant. The trip to Brenham is truly worth the visit to the historic area.
Barrington Living History Farm is where Jones' homestead now sits. Caretakers actually work the farm to give it the living history...........real cotton spinning and cloth making, cows, chickens and vegetable gardens. The shopkeeper told me that for each person on a farm, approx. 1/2 acre of vegetables and an acre of corn were needed to sustain life. A farm with approx 20 people would take over 40 acres of gardens, orchards and grazing property. It's mind boggling to imagine all the hard work needed for basic survival.
The small rural community of Washington, Texas on FM 1155 outside Brenham is barely a town at all. Only a few houses and a couple of dilapidated businesses still exist. I honestly felt like time had passed the whole area by. The same story repeats itself over and over...........those rare moments in the past that catch our attention, places that merit a second look, people whose names remain on courthouses..........Anson Jones was the 4th and last president of the Republic of Texas, and a small West Texas county bears his name. Jones never made it that far west, and I am very certain that most people in Anson, Texas have no idea where the name of the town originated.
I slept in today, not getting out of bed until after 10 am (9 am CST). It has been a long time since I slept this late. It's another beautiful day here in Austin, cool and somewhat cloudy. As I get up and going, a John Wayne movie is on TCM, and the sounds of life hum in the background. Kaitlyn and I are planning a trip to Brenham and the Blue Bell Creamery.
So, Melanie went along as well, and we went to Washington on the Brazos, the birthplace of Texas. It is, after all, the 175th Anniversary of Texas Independence. It is a beautiful place, very serene. Standing in the shade of very old and majestic oak trees, it is easy to see why so many were willing to fight for it. Nothing of the original Washington exists save a few posts and the original Independence Hall. Most of the buildings, including the homestead of Anson Jones, were moved to their current locations after the area was designated as historically significant. The trip to Brenham is truly worth the visit to the historic area.
Barrington Living History Farm is where Jones' homestead now sits. Caretakers actually work the farm to give it the living history...........real cotton spinning and cloth making, cows, chickens and vegetable gardens. The shopkeeper told me that for each person on a farm, approx. 1/2 acre of vegetables and an acre of corn were needed to sustain life. A farm with approx 20 people would take over 40 acres of gardens, orchards and grazing property. It's mind boggling to imagine all the hard work needed for basic survival.
The small rural community of Washington, Texas on FM 1155 outside Brenham is barely a town at all. Only a few houses and a couple of dilapidated businesses still exist. I honestly felt like time had passed the whole area by. The same story repeats itself over and over...........those rare moments in the past that catch our attention, places that merit a second look, people whose names remain on courthouses..........Anson Jones was the 4th and last president of the Republic of Texas, and a small West Texas county bears his name. Jones never made it that far west, and I am very certain that most people in Anson, Texas have no idea where the name of the town originated.
Brenham also merits a second long visit..........vineyards and museums......it is a beautiful town. Anyone wanting to visit the Creamery should purchase tickets online before heading to the door.......it sells out quickly. Historic downtown Brenham has numerous antique shops, so plan on spending some time (and money).
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