Hunter, TX RoadyGoat
Hunter, Texas. It’s a place you might drive through without a second thought, but beneath the quiet surface, there's a story to be told.
18.4 mi away
Everything San Augustine is known for
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near San Augustine.
Hunter, Texas. It’s a place you might drive through without a second thought, but beneath the quiet surface, there's a story to be told.
Hunter, Texas, nestled up here at 1,280 feet, has always been a place to catch your breath. The views across the Hill Country are something special, and it’s easy to see why folks first decided to put down roots. Back before the town was formally incorporated, it was the promise of cotton that drew people in. The land was good, and Hunter became a natural trading hub for the surrounding farms. You can almost picture those early days: wagons piled high, folks bartering and selling goods, the Blanco River providing water and a bit of relief from the Texas sun. It wasn't a river or railroad that made Hunter a town; it was the land itself and the people drawn to it. They say it was around 1880 when the place started being called Hunter, named after one of those early settlers, John Hunter. Of course, there are stories, too. Whispers of a stagecoach carrying gold, robbed and buried somewhere along the Blanco. Whether that’s true or not, it's part of what makes this place special.
Hunter, Texas has always been a place where the past feels close. You can almost hear the echoes of those early cotton farmers and imagine that stagecoach, heavy with gold, rattling down the dusty road towards the Blanco River. For years, the biggest excitement was usually Wimberley High's football season – hard to forget that state championship win in '21, the whole county buzzing with pride. But something shifted a few years back, something that’s still got folks talking. It wasn't a flood or a fire, though the Blanco's certainly had its moments over the years. It was the music. But during the pandemic, when everyone was looking for something real, something authentic, there was a renewed interest in his kind of music, that Texas Americana sound. Suddenly, Hunter wasn’t just a quiet ranching community with a view; it was a place where genuine stories were born. More songwriters started showing up, drawn by the peace and the history, looking for that same kind of inspiration. It’s changed the feel of the place, added a new layer to our identity. We're still Hunter, still rooted in the land, but now there's a song in the air too.
An early eastern gate to Texas, in area claimed in 1600s by both France and Spain. To back her claim, Spain in 1691 chartered from Mexico past this site El Camino Real (The King's Highway) and established nearby in 1717 Mission Dolores de los Aies. Inhabited by Ayish Indians and Spaniards until the late 1790s, when Richard Sims came and was soon followed by John Quinalty, Edmond Quirk and families of Broocks, Cullens, Cartwrights, Hortons, Hustons, Prathers and others. By 1824 the settlement had a water mill to grind corn meal; in 1826, a cotton gin. In the 1827 Battle of Ayish Bayou, Col. Prather and 69 men put down Fredonian uprising over land titles. The town was laid off in 1833 by Thomas McFarland. In 1836 it sent as delegates to sign Declaration of Independence S. W. Blount and E. O. LeGrand; fielded 3 companies to fight in the War for Independence. Its Republic of Texas statesmen included vice-president K. L. Anderson; J. A. Greer, Secretary of the Treasury; Wm. Holman, Congressman; J. Pinckney Henderson, Minister to England and France, and later the first Governor of the state. Oran M. Roberts was 16th governor. Home of the 1965 United States Ambassador to Australia Edward Clark. Many historic sites are marked. (1966)
San Augustine, one of the oldest Anglo settlements in Texas, was a hotbed of intrigue, smuggling, and feuding on the Camino Real. It earned the nickname 'Sin City of the Pines.'
San Augustine, nicknamed the Cradle of Texas, was a key waystation on the Camino Real. In 1915-1918, the Daughters of the American Revolution placed pink granite mile markers along the trail's route through East Texas after a survey by V.N. Zivley.
This burial ground originated as the private cemetery of the J. C. Anderson family, whose residence stood on a nearby lot. The oldest of the 500 to 700 graves date from the 1830s. Prominent citizens buried here include Col. Stephen William Blount (1808-1890), signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence; Dr. George L. Crocket (1861-1936), Episcopal clergyman and historian; and B. F. Benton (1827-1862), Confederate captain killed in the Civil War. Bought by the city in 1911, the cemetery is maintained by an association formed in 1921. (1977)
Kenneth Lewis Anderson, lawyer and vice president of the republic, son of Kennith and Nancy (Thompson) Anderson, was born on September 11, 1805, in Hillsborough, North Carolina. His early education consisted of self-learning, but he reportedly also attended William Bingham's school. He worked as a shoemaker at an early age. By 1824 he was living in Bedford County, Tennessee, where he became deputy sheriff in 1826 and sheriff in 1830. From 1830 to 1837, Anderson worked as a local activist and regular correspondent with James K. Polk. Anderson was a disappointed applicant to become a U.S. Marshall in 1830 and 1834, but he was elected a colonel in the militia by 1833. About 1825 Anderson married Patience Burditt; the couple had three children. Two sons, Theophiles and Malcolm became prosecutors in San Antonio, while a grandson, William, became a state district judge in San Antonio. In 1837 the family moved to San Augustine, Texas, where Mrs. Anderson's brother-in-law Joseph Rowe had lived for five years. In 1838 Anderson served successively as deputy sheriff and sheriff. It was probably after he arrived in Texas that he studied to become a lawyer. President Mirabeau B. Lamar appointed him collector of customs for the district of San Augustine, and he was confirmed on November 21, 1839. He served until he became a candidate from San Augustine County for the House of Representatives of the Sixth Congress in 1841; he won with the largest majority in the county's history at that time. As a partisan of Sam Houston , Anderson was elected speaker of the House on November 1, 1841. He immediately led an unsuccessful attempt to impeach Lamar and Vice President David G. Burnet . Anderson declined a nomination for secretary of the treasury to spend more time with his family in San Augustine, and the post went to William Henry Daingerfield . In 1842 he helped convince Houston to veto the popular but dangerous war bill, which sought to force an invasion of Mexico. After one term, and despite President Houston's pleas, Anderson retired in 1842 to practice law in San Augustine with Royal T. Wheeler ; he eventually formed a partnership with J. Pinckney Henderson and Thomas J. Rusk . In December 1842 Anderson became district attorney of the Fifth Judicial District. In 1844 Anderson was frequently mentioned as a candidate for president, but eventually he became the Houston party candidate for vice president, on a ticket headed by Anson Jones . Anderson's opponent, Patrick Jack , died before the election, and Anderson won nearly unanimously. He presided over the Senate at Washington-on-the-Brazos in June 1845, when the Texas Congress approved annexation . After adjournment he immediately left for home despite being sick. After only twenty miles, he was forced to stop at the Fanthorp Inn , where his bilious fever flared. He died of malaria on July 3, 1845, and was buried in the Fanthorp cemetery. The vice president had been considered the leading candidate to become the first governor of the state. His law partner, Pinckney Henderson, was instead elected governor in December. Anderson was a Mason. Fanthorp was renamed for him in 1846, and on March 24, 1846, Anderson County was established and named in his honor.
William Ashworth, free Black colonist and landowner, was born in South Carolina about 1793. He was the son of James Ashworth Sr. and Keziah Dyal. In 1831 he moved from what is now Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, to Lorenzo de Zavala 's colony in East Texas. William came to Texas before the Texas Revolution and settled in San Augustine. William and his brother Aaron Ashworth obtained an order of survey from George Antonio Nixon , but before they could locate their lands the revolution began and the Texas provisional government closed the land offices. During the revolution Ashworth sent a substitute, Gipson Perkins, to the Texas army. Perkins served from July 7 to September 7, 1836, in Capt. B. J. Harper's Company of Beaumont Volunteers. Opposition to the immigration of free Blacks into the area of present Jefferson and Orange counties appeared as early as 1835. The committee of public safety at Beaumont warned the General Council against admitting free Blacks into Texas, and the council passed an ordinance forbidding their immigration. The law was not enforced against William Ashworth, however, or any of the many Ashworths who followed him to the area. In 1838 Ashworth obtained a franchise from the Jefferson County board of roads and revenues to operate a ferry across Lake Sabine and up the Neches River to Beaumont. His ferry and landholdings were threatened, however, by an act of the Texas Congress passed on February 5, 1840, which ordered all free Blacks to vacate the republic within two years or be sold into slavery . White neighbors came to the aid of Ashworth and his relatives with three petitions to the Texas Congress requesting their exemption from the act. This support brought about the passage of the Ashworth Act of December 12, 1840, which exempted the Ashworths and all free Blacks residing in Texas on the day of the Texas Declaration of Independence , along with their families, from the act of February 5. In 1842 Ashworth and his relatives again faced a threat to their livelihood when a traveling land board charged with detecting fraudulent claims refused to certify the headrights given them by the Jefferson County board of land commissioners. The land board refused certification on the grounds that their jurisdiction did not cover free Blacks. The board members nevertheless joined three members of the Jefferson board, along with some seventy other citizens, in petitioning Congress to make a direct issuance of the certification patents. The suggested bill easily passed the Texas Congress and was signed by President Sam Houston . In 1850, of the sixty-three free Blacks in Jefferson County, thirty-eight were named Ashworth. William Ashworth probably had the longest residence of any Ashworth in the area at that time. He and his wife, Leide or Delaide, a native White Louisianan, had seven children listed in their household in the 1850 census, although they probably had older children who had started their own families. While other Ashworths experienced legal difficulties because of interracial marriages, William and Leide appear to have been left alone. The 1850 census describes Ashworth as a farmer with large property, including two slaves. He and many of his relatives apparently were respected in their community as wealthy and relatively autonomous free Blacks.
Most recent: 2026 1A Division 1
Broaddus High School in San Augustine, Texas, stands out in Class 1A girls' basketball. The Lady Bulldogs have established a strong record, securing back-to-back UIL 1A Division 1 State Championships. These titles were won in 2025 and 2026, marking significant achievements for the program and the community.
The town of Broaddus, nestled in East Texas, takes pride in its high school athletics. The success of the girls' basketball team brings a special kind of excitement to the area, reflecting the dedication seen within the school's sports programs. It’s a testament to consistent effort and community support.
The 2026 1A Division 1 State Championship was a highlight for Broaddus High School girls' basketball.
203 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
San Augustine, one of the oldest Anglo settlements in Texas, was a hotbed of intrigue, smuggling, and feuding on the Camino Real. It earned the nickname 'Sin City of the Pines.'
San Augustine, nestled in the heart of East Texas, began as a flicker of settlement along the old El Camino Real. This historic trail, snaking its way from Mexico, brought Spanish missionaries and explorers through the…
San Augustine, nicknamed the Cradle of Texas, was a key waystation on the Camino Real. In 1915-1918, the Daughters of the American Revolution placed pink granite mile markers along the trail's route through East Texas…
This burial ground originated as the private cemetery of the J. C. Anderson family, whose residence stood on a nearby lot. The oldest of the 500 to 700 graves date from the 1830s. Prominent citizens buried here include…
You're driving past the site of the San Augustine University, one of Texas's earliest institutions of higher learning. Incorporated in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1837</say-as>, it opened its doors in <say-as…
Kenneth Lewis Anderson, lawyer and vice president of the republic, son of Kennith and Nancy (Thompson) Anderson, was born on September 11, 1805, in Hillsborough, North Carolina. His early education consisted of…
William Ashworth, free Black colonist and landowner, was born in South Carolina about 1793. He was the son of James Ashworth Sr. and Keziah Dyal. In 1831 he moved from what is now Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, to Lorenzo…
You're driving through East Texas, near the town of San Augustine, a place that owes its existence to pioneers like Henry William Augustine. He arrived in Texas in 1827, and by 1832, he was helping choose the very spot…
You're driving through San Augustine, and right here is where Stephen William Blount made his mark on Texas history. He was a delegate to the Convention of 1836, and he signed the Texas Declaration of Independence.…
You're driving through East Texas, near San Augustine, and right here is the final resting place of John M. Bradley. He arrived in Texas in 1832, a widower with four children, and quickly became a captain in the Texas…
You're driving through East Texas, a region that owes a lot to the pioneering spirit of Littleton Fowler. In 1837, Fowler arrived in the Republic of Texas as a missionary, tasked with spreading Methodism. Right here, in…
You're driving through San Augustine, a town with roots stretching back to Native American tribes and Spanish missions. But when settlers decided to make it permanent in 1832, they chose a central spot on Ayish Bayou. A…
You're driving through East Texas, not far from where Jesse Fletcher Burditt and his sons made history. In <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1836</say-as>, Jesse, along with his sons William, Giles, Newell, and…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here, you're crossing paths with history on the Alabama Trace. This wasn't just any trail; it was a vital Indian path, a route mapped by Stephen F. Austin himself in 1827. It…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here, Bailey Anderson, Jr. was a key player in the Texas Revolution. In 1832, he commanded San Augustine volunteers at the Battle of Nacogdoches. Then, in December of 1835,…
You're driving through San Augustine County, Texas, where Benjamin Franklin Benton lived and served. A journalist and elected official, Benton answered the call to arms at the start of the Civil War. He organized a…
You're driving through East Texas, near San Augustine, where John Henry Broocks lived. He was a Confederate officer who fought across the South. But his story takes a dark turn in April of 1864. His cavalry detachment…
You're driving through San Augustine, and right here is where a man earned the nickname "General" without firing a shot. Travis Greene Broocks arrived in 1838, setting up shop and quickly becoming a civic leader. But…
You're driving through what was once the Ayish Bayou district, now San Augustine County. Right here, in the early 1800s, settled James Whitis Bullock. He was a veteran of Andrew Jackson's campaigns and fought in the…
You're driving through what is now San Augustine County, and right here, John Cartwright might have built the very first cotton gin in Texas. He was a pioneer, an ironsmith, and a carpenter who settled in this area as…
You're driving through East Texas, near San Augustine, where Matthew Cartwright built an empire. Arriving here as a teenager in the 1820s, he partnered with his family to run a cotton gin, mill, and general store,…
You're driving through East Texas, heading toward the Louisiana border. Back in 1719, this was Spanish territory, and it was about to experience the 'Chicken War.' A French lieutenant, trying to raid a Spanish mission…
Right here in San Augustine, Texas, you're driving past the hometown of Edward Aubrey Clark, a man who was so influential in Texas politics, he advised three generations of leaders, including LBJ himself. In 1948, Clark…
You're driving through East Texas, near San Augustine, where a foundational piece of the state's future was laid. Back in 1838, a legislator named Ezekiel Wimberly Cullen sponsored a groundbreaking law. It wasn't about…
You're driving through what was once the wild frontier of Mexican Texas, and right here, in what is now Shelby County, you're passing through the territory of George English. He was the very first sheriff of the Ayish…
You're driving through what was once the wild frontier of Mexican Texas, and right here, in the area of San Augustine, lived William English. He arrived in 1818, swearing allegiance to Spain just a few years later.…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here is where a true Texas patriot, Wyatt Hanks, helped shape our early republic. He arrived in the Ayish Bayou settlement in 1826, bringing with him the first water-powered…
You're driving through Harrison County, named for a man who lived a life of dramatic change. Jonas Harrison was a successful lawyer in New York, even building what was said to be the finest house in Buffalo. But after a…
You're driving through East Texas, not far from San Augustine, where Alexander Horton lived a life steeped in the early days of the Republic. Horton arrived in Texas as a teenager in 1824, crossing the Sabine River with…
You're driving through East Texas, not far from where Almanzon Huston faced one of the toughest jobs during the Texas Revolution. As Quartermaster General, he was tasked with supplying the entire Texas army. Imagine…
You're driving through East Texas, near San Augustine, and right here is the story of Robert Boyd Irvine. He came to Texas with his family in 1830, settling first near Milam and later moving to Ayish Bayou. Irvine was…
You're driving through East Texas, near San Augustine. Right here, Achilles Johnson was a key figure in the early days. He helped choose the site for San Augustine back in 1832, and it was built just two years later.…
Right here in what is now San Augustine County, you're driving past the final resting place of Edwin Oswald LeGrand. He was a delegate to the Convention of 1836, and you can thank him for being one of the men who signed…
You're driving through what was once the wild Texas frontier, and right here in this area, Gilbert Harvey Love carved out a life. He arrived in Texas in January 1836, just as the Revolution was heating up, settling in…
You're driving through East Texas, near where William McFarland arrived in the Ayish Bayou District back in May of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1830</say-as>. He wasn't just any settler; McFarland was a…
You're driving through what is now San Augustine County, Texas, and right here, Stephen Prather made a name for himself. Back in December of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1826</say-as>, during the Fredonian…
You're driving through East Texas, near the town of San Augustine. Right here, in 1822, a man named Elisha Roberts arrived chasing a runaway slave. But he found more than he bargained for. He was so taken with the land…
You're driving through Texas, perhaps near the Gulf Coast, and you're passing through history made by Captain John Eautaw Ross. In March of 1836, during the Texas Revolution, Ross was captain of the steamboat Yellow…
You're driving through San Augustine County, a place with a history stretching back centuries. Long before Texas was a state, Caddoan people called this land home. Then, in 1717, Spanish missionaries arrived, attempting…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe near San Augustine, where William Scurlock lived. He was a participant in the Texas Revolution, fighting in engagements like the Grass Fight and the Siege of Bexar. But here's…
You're driving through East Texas, near San Augustine, where Philip Sublett once farmed and fought. In 1832, he fought in the Battle of Nacogdoches, and by 1835, he was a key figure, pushing for Sam Houston to lead the…
You're driving through San Augustine, Texas, the birthplace of Stephen Seymour Thomas. Born in 1868, Thomas became a renowned painter, studying in New York and Paris under famous artists like William Merritt Chase. His…
You're driving through East Texas, a region that saw its share of Civil War action. Right here, in San Augustine, you're near the hometown of Richard Waterhouse. He started in the mercantile business, but when the Civil…
You're driving through Washington County, near where Royal T. Wheeler, a prominent Texas judge, took his own life. Wheeler was a respected figure, serving as chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court and even a professor…
You're driving through Grimes County, and right here, you're passing through the land of William Physick Zuber. He was just fifteen when the Texas Revolution broke out, but he served in the Texas army, even standing…
You're driving through East Texas, likely near San Augustine, where a determined preacher named John May Becton arrived in the fall of 1840. He wasn't just here to lead a congregation; Becton was a builder of…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe near San Augustine, and you're passing through a place that was once the heart of commerce and culture. John G. Berry arrived here in the 1830s, a merchant and trader. He even…
You're driving through San Augustine, the hometown of Thomas William Blount. Born in 1839, Blount's father signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. Young Thomas graduated from the Kentucky Military Institute and…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe near San Augustine, and you might be passing the legacy of James Burke, the "Sunday School Man." He arrived here in 1837, leaving a successful business in Mississippi to bring…
You're driving through what was once Spanish Texas, and right here, you're passing through the area where Thomas Notley Cartwright decided to put down roots. A veteran of the War of 1812, Cartwright was one of Stephen…
You're driving through East Texas, likely near San Augustine, where George Louis Crocket was born back in 1861. He wasn't just a minister for Christ Church in Nacogdoches and San Augustine for decades, he was also a…
You're driving through San Augustine County, a place that was once the wild frontier. Samuel S. Davis arrived here in 1831, a young man from Georgia. He fought in the Texas Revolution, served in the Republic's Congress,…
You're driving through San Augustine, a town that was home to William Holman, a man who arrived in Texas back in 1834, before it was even a republic. Holman served as a soldier in the siege of Bexar and was a…
You're driving through East Texas, near San Augustine. Right here, in what was once the Zavala colony, Nathaniel Hunt arrived from Tennessee in 1829. He and his family settled on Ayish Bayou, and by 1834, Hunt received…
You're driving through East Texas, near San Augustine. Right here, Benjamin Lindsey Sr. settled in the 1820s, calling his community the Tennessee Colony. He was a key figure in early Texas, one of Stephen F. Austin's…
You're driving through San Augustine County, the heart of Texas' early days. Right here, John Gilbert Love was a key figure in shaping this community. Arriving in Texas in 1825, Love quickly became involved in local…
You're driving through East Texas, near San Augustine. Right here is where Donald McDonald, a man who fought in the War of 1812 for the British army, set up shop around 1826. He partnered with Wyatt Hanks to build a…
You're driving through East Texas, perhaps near San Augustine, where you might have passed a historical marker honoring Thomas Stuart McFarland. He arrived in Texas from Indiana back in 1830, ready to make his mark.…
You're driving through what was once the Republic of Texas, and right here in San Augustine County, a prominent figure named Joseph Rowe was making his mark. He arrived in Texas in 1833, quickly becoming a planter and a…
You're driving through San Augustine County, where Franklin Barlow Sexton made his home. He wasn't just any Texas legislator; Sexton was a key player in the Confederacy's Congress. Elected to represent Texas in both…
You're driving through what was once the vast Montgomery Circuit, and right here, in what is now San Augustine County, you're passing near the very spot where Joseph Sneed helped ignite a famous revival in 1834. Sneed…
You're driving through the heart of Texas history, and right here, in what is now Fort Bend County, George Washington Teel was one of Stephen F. Austin's original colonists. He arrived in 1824, securing Spanish land…
You're driving through San Augustine, and right here was the site of Wesleyan College. Established in 1842 by the Methodist Church and named for founder John Wesley, this was a successful school for a short time. In…
You're driving through San Augustine County, the heart of East Texas. Right here, Samuel Benton, Sr. settled in January of 1836, just months before Texas declared its independence. He came from Missouri with his wife,…
You're driving through San Augustine, and right here, you're passing near the site of a grand plantation home. Built by the labor of 132 enslaved people, William Garrett's home was completed in 1864. Garrett himself was…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe near San Augustine or Beckville, and right here is the story of Bertha Kirkley. She was a dedicated teacher who spent her career at Sam Houston Normal Institute, earning credits…
You're driving through what was once San Augustine County, the home of John Polk, Jr. He was a businessman and farmer, and a descendant of President James K. Polk. He served as a representative for San Augustine County…
You're driving through San Augustine, the hometown of Ben Ramsey. Born here in 1903, Ramsey had a career that touched nearly every level of Texas government. He served as a state representative, state senator, secretary…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe near San Augustine or Nacogdoches. Right here, in the mid-1800s, a rising legal star named Richard S. Walker set up shop. He arrived in Texas in February of <say-as…
You're driving through East Texas, near San Augustine. Back around 1840, Phanuel Warriner arrived, representing the American Home Missionary Society. He soon became the regular pastor of the Presbyterian church here.…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here in San Augustine is where Samuel A. Willson began his journey. Born in 1835, he was admitted to the bar before he was twenty-one! But when the Civil War broke out,…
You're driving through what is now Lee County, but back in the 1850s, this was frontier country. Hugh Wilson, a Presbyterian minister, moved here after a long career as a missionary to the Chickasaw and serving churches…
You're driving through San Augustine, heading past the site of the home of James Pinckney Henderson. He lived here from 1840 to 1856. Henderson was a pivotal figure in Texas history, serving as the very first governor…
You're driving past the site of a World War II Prisoner of War camp, right here in San Augustine. In March of 1944, this branch camp, part of the larger Camp Fannin, was ready for its first German prisoners, many from…
You're driving through San Augustine, and look to your right to see Hillcrest, a grand home built in 1872 by William R. Leonard. Imagine those hand-hewn timbers and local heart pine floors being laid down. Just six…
You're driving through San Augustine County, where Texas's first million-dollar industry, lumber, got its start. Back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1819</say-as>, two sawmills opened, one right here and…
An early eastern gate to Texas, in area claimed in 1600s by both France and Spain. To back her claim, Spain in 1691 chartered from Mexico past this site El Camino Real (The King's Highway) and established nearby in 1717…
You're cruising through San Augustine, and right here is the Gatling House, built in 1890. Now, this isn't just any old house; it was built for George E. Gatling, who happened to be a first cousin to the inventor of…
You're driving past the site of Mission Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de los Ais. Established in 1716 by Padre Fray Antonio Margil de Jesus, this was one of the earliest Spanish missions in Texas. Franciscans worked…
You're driving past the Alexander Horton Cemetery, a final resting place tied to a key figure in Texas history. Horton arrived in Texas way back in 1824, and later served as an aide-de-camp to General Sam Houston…
You're driving through San Augustine, and just ahead is the site of the first Anglo-American rebellion in East Texas. In 1826, colonist Hayden Edwards defied Mexican orders and founded the Republic of Fredonia, flying a…
You're driving past the William Garrett house, built right here in San Augustine. Garrett arrived in Texas back in 1830 and bought this land soon after. By 1861, he'd constructed this impressive two-story home using…
You're driving through San Augustine, and right here is the resting place of Reverend Samuel A. Williams. Born in Tennessee around 1804, Williams was a dedicated Methodist minister who answered the call to Texas. In…
You're driving past the site of Roberts Baptist Church, founded in 1872 by the Rev. John Patton. The congregation erected their first building on land donated by Elisha Roberts, and later bought their current site in…
You're driving through San Augustine, and right here is the home of Elisha Roberts, a man who lived a life full of action. Born in 1785, Roberts was an important figure in the Fredonian Rebellion, a bold, though…
You're driving through San Augustine, and right here is the site of Antioch Church of Christ. Its story begins in 1836 with William P. Defee, a medical doctor who also started preaching in local homes. He organized this…
You're driving past the McRae Cemetery, a resting place that's seen burials for decades before the church even got its name. The land was officially deeded for a church and cemetery in 1884, but the oldest marked grave…
You're driving through San Augustine, a county that owes a lot to the Thompson family. Dr. Samuel Thompson and his wife arrived early, but it was their sons who really made their mark. Burrell Thompson came with Stephen…
You're driving past Chapel Hill Cemetery, a resting place with roots stretching back to the very beginnings of Texas. The first recorded burial here was Able Allison Lewis in 1838, a veteran of the American Revolution.…
You're driving past the former home of Thomas S. McFarland, a true Texas pioneer who lived from 1810 to 1880. McFarland wasn't just a surveyor; he was a soldier and statesman. He served as aide-de-camp in the battle of…
You're driving through Sabine County, and you're passing the site of McMahan's Chapel. This isn't just any old church; it's the oldest Methodist church in Texas with a continuous existence! It all started way back in…
You're driving past the resting place of Edward Oswald LeGrand, a true Texas hero. Born in North Carolina in 1801, LeGrand came to Texas and became a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. But he didn't just…
You're driving through San Augustine County, passing the site of the Macune Cemetery. This burial ground started as the Hunt Cemetery around <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1845</say-as>, with the first burial…
You're driving through Geneva, heading past the site of McMahan's Chapel, the oldest Methodist church with a continuous existence in Texas. It all started in 1833, organized as a religious society at the home of Colonel…
You're driving past the site of County Line Baptist Church. The congregation started after the Civil War in a community called Weeks Quarters, holding early meetings in homes. They built their first sanctuary in 1868,…
You're driving through the old Patroon community, settled by pioneers in the 1830s. Look for the Patroon Cemetery, established by A.M. Nethery on his own land. The first burial here wasn't even an adult: their infant…
You're driving past Straddle Fork, a historic log home in Broaddus. Look for the distinctive dog-trot layout. This home was rebuilt in 1875 by Jacob Herring, a significant figure in early Texas. He used wood salvaged…
You're driving past Dickerson Cemetery, established in 1858 by William and Lucinda Dickerson after the death of their son, Levi. They'd settled here in 1839 after coming from Florida. This burial ground soon opened to…
You're driving through East Texas, near Melrose, and right here is where Texas struck oil for the very first time! <break time="400ms"/> It was September 12, 1866, when Lyne T. Barret's Melrose Petroleum Oil Company…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe near San Augustine, and right here is a story from the Texas Revolution. Joel Burditt Crain arrived in Texas in 1834, settling in what is now San Augustine County. By 1836, he…
You're driving through what is now San Augustine County, a land that saw action during the Texas Revolution. Henry Teal, a captain in the Texas army, was commissioned by the Convention of 1836 and joined Sam Houston. He…
You're driving through what was once Hadley's Prairie, a frontier settlement founded by Joshua Hadley. He arrived from Tennessee in 1830, settling in what is now San Augustine County. By 1831, he'd built a two-story…
You're driving through what is now San Augustine County, Texas, a place that was once the center of a presidential love triangle. In 1833, a young Anna Raguet arrived in Texas and caught the eye of none other than Sam…
You're driving through what was once San Augustine County, a place that saw some serious Republic of Texas action. George Whitfield Terrell was a big deal here, serving as district attorney and later district judge. But…
You're driving through what was once the wild frontier of Texas, and right here, you might have been near Joseph Tumlinson. Born in 1811, he was just a boy of twelve when he helped track down his father's murderers.…
You're driving through East Texas, near San Augustine, where a whole community sprang up around the Norwood family. In the 1840s, William Coleson Norwood and his wife Eliza, along with their nine kids and a bunch of…
You're driving through what is now San Augustine County, Texas, and right here, Joseph L. Bays faced a tough choice back in 1827. He was a Baptist minister, but Mexican authorities in Texas only allowed the Catholic…
You're driving through what was once the Republic of Texas, and right here in San Augustine County, a soldier of that republic once called home. Calloway Deen arrived in Texas in 1835, just in time to enlist and fight…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here, in places like Fastrill, life was tough but self-sufficient during the Great Depression. Rosa Miranda Ramirez grew up in logging camps, and she remembered how her…
You're driving through what is now San Augustine County, Texas, a place that was the frontier when Blassingame W. Harvey arrived in 1826. He came from Louisiana with his family, and over the years, he and his third…
You're driving through San Augustine County, near the Angelina River. Right here, under the waters of Sam Rayburn Reservoir, lies the Jonas Short site. Between A.D. 100 and 500, people built a unique conical mound here.…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here is the Turkey Hill Wilderness Area, a special place protected by the East Texas Wilderness Act of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1984</say-as>. This 5,400-acre…
You're driving through Sabine County, near Geneva. Keep an eye out for the Gasby Cemetery. This burial ground was established in 1870, when a former slave named William Gasby donated four acres of his land. Gasby, a…
You're driving through Geneva, and just ahead is the Jones-Sweet House. Built before his marriage in 1892 by C.A. Jones, he used lumber from his own land for the original two rooms. Jones, who ran a general store and…
You're driving through East Texas, near Geneva, where you can find El Lobanillo. This historic Spanish rancho was a refuge for Gil Ybarbo and his people in 1773, when they evacuated from Louisiana and East Texas. It was…
You're driving past the historic Dennis Cemetery, a burial ground established even before Texas independence, before <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1836</say-as>. This land, later donated by Isaiah Hamilton,…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe not far from Chireno. Back in 1836, Samuel Martin Flournoy, a prosperous settler from Mississippi, sent 100 slaves to build a home here. When they went astray, he came to Texas…
You're driving through Chireno, a community with roots stretching back to Spanish pioneers in 1790. But the town really took shape around 1837 when John Newton Fall, an immigrant from Georgia, became the first Anglo…
You're driving through East Texas, not far from Chireno, where Daniel Ferguson was born in 1891. After serving in the army air corps and earning his law degree, Ferguson spent forty years as an attorney for the Magnolia…
You're driving through East Texas, somewhere near Nacogdoches County, the birthplace of Ed Franklin. Born in 1921, Franklin left his mark not on the lumber industry where his father worked, but with a pen. After serving…
You're driving past the Chireno Lower Cemetery, a historic burial ground with roots stretching back to the days of El Camino Real. Land for this community space, including the cemetery, was donated in 1844 by Daniel H.…
You're driving past the Gingerbread House, a Victorian masterpiece built around 1895 in Chireno. Take a look at the intricate details – the heart pine and fine materials, the brass hardware, and all those porches. It's…
You're driving past the site of Camp Chireno, a World War II Prisoner of War camp. In May of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1944</say-as>, this 30-acre compound began receiving German POWs. They weren't fighting…
You're driving past the site of the Halfway Inn, a busy stop on the El Camino Real around 1840. Built by Samuel Flournoy, this two-story log house wasn't just a home for his family; it was a crucial stagecoach stop…
You're driving through Sabine County, where the Gellatly family established a legacy. Robert and Nancy Agnes Gellatly came from Scotland in the 1830s, and Robert served the Republic of Texas. This family cemetery was…
You're driving past the site of New Hope-Bethel Baptist Church, a congregation with roots stretching back to around 1818. Elder William Cook, who emigrated from North Carolina, began preaching here, with services held…
You're driving through Shelby County, where a bloody feud once tore the land apart. From 1841 to 1844, the Regulators and Moderators waged a brutal war against each other, causing heavy losses of life and property. The…
You're driving through Shelby County, and right here is Shelbyville. Originally called Nashville, this community was renamed in 1837 by the Republic of Texas Congress. Why? To honor Isaac Shelby, a hero of the American…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here in Shelby County, you're passing through the area where George Vance Lusk settled in 1834. He was already a seasoned pioneer, having lived in Kentucky, Illinois, and…
You're driving past Shelbyville, a town that started out as Nashville before 1825. This spot holds the distinction of being the very first county seat for Shelby County. Imagine this: it wasn't just a seat of…
You're cruising through Shelbyville, and you might be passing the old stomping grounds of Moses Fisk Roberts, better known as 'Dog' Roberts. Born in Tennessee, he came to Texas in 1836 and fought in the Texas…
You're driving past the site of Las Boregas Camp, a place that witnessed the very beginnings of Texas. This creek formed the boundary of the oldest Spanish land grant in Sabine County, dating back to 1794. It was also a…
You're driving through Milam, and you just passed the resting place of Francis Marcus Weatherred. He arrived in Texas way back in 1835, a year before the revolution kicked off. Weatherred fought not only in the Texas…
You're driving past the site of a home that's seen a lot of history. The original J. M. Crawford home stood here, built in 1850, but it was lost to fire in 1885. That same year, Frederick Lee Bickham, a prominent local…
You're driving past Milam, and the earliest history of this area is laid out before you. Long before Texas was even a thought, Spanish explorers camped right here on Las Boregas Creek, way back in <say-as…
You're driving past the site of C.A. Nethery & Sons General Merchandise, a business that's been serving Sabine County since 1880. Imagine a time when this was the place for everything you needed. The original store…
You're driving past the Meador Cemetery in Sabine County. This family burial ground started as a private garden in 1850 when the Meador's young child died, and there was no public cemetery. It grew to include other…
You're driving through Milam, Texas, where John C. Hale lived before heading off to fight for Texas independence. Born in Virginia in 1806, Hale moved his family to Sabine County in 1835. He joined the fight against…
You're driving through Milam, a town with roots stretching back to 1828, when it was first known as Red Mound. It was renamed in 1835 for Benjamin Rush Milam, a hero of the Texas Revolution. This place served as the…
You're driving through Milam, Texas, a town with roots stretching back to Stephen F. Austin himself. In 1821, Austin camped right here, noting it in his diary as he traveled El Camino Real de los Tejas. Because of its…
Milby, Texas, sits comfortably in the shadow of Houston, a small community with a name that whispers of its agricultural past. It wasn't named for a grand figure or a pivotal battle, but for a man who understood the lay…
You're driving through Milam, Sabine County, where a Masonic lodge played a big role in early East Texas education. By 1845, Republic of Texas leaders and Masons were settling here, supporting schools like the Midway…
You're driving through Pineland, heading past what's left of the Centerview community, which sprang up in the 1840s. This cemetery holds the stories of Sabine County's early settlers, a farming community that once…
You're driving through East Texas, near Center, where a bizarre conflict known as the Regulator-Moderator War raged from 1841 to 1844. It wasn't exactly a war between nations, but more like a violent feud between two…
You're driving through Hemphill, the county seat of Sabine County. Back in 1858, folks voted to move the county offices from Milam to this more central spot. They named the new town Hemphill, after a Texas Supreme Court…
You're driving past the old Sabine County Jail in Hemphill. This two-story Victorian beauty was built in 1904, using bricks from a local kiln. Back then, it even had a special area for hangings! Imagine that. In 1925,…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe near Shelby County, and you're passing through a land that's seen some serious trouble. Back in the late 1830s and early 1840s, this area was the hotbed of the…
You're driving through East Texas, right in the heart of the Regulator-Moderator War. This wasn't your typical Texas feud; it was a brutal, five-year conflict that raged from 1839 to 1844, primarily in Shelby and…
You're driving through what is now Shelby County, Texas, but back in 1836, this was the heart of the Texas Revolution. Right here, you might have encountered the legendary Red Rovers, led by Captain Jack Shackelford.…
You're driving through East Hamilton in Shelby County. This place might have been named for the famous Alexander Hamilton, but its real claim to fame is its early Texas roots. The first burial in the local cemetery is…
You're driving through Haslam, Texas, a community that sprang to life thanks to the power of lumber. In 1913, the Pickering Lumber Company built this entire town around its massive sawmill. Will Haslam himself, the…
You're driving through East Texas, not far from where Alvey R. Johnson built his life and legacy. He arrived in Texas in 1830, settling north of the Sabine River. By 1838, he was a Texas Ranger, fighting in the Córdova…
You're driving through East Texas, the land of Moses Fisk Roberts. He arrived in Texas in 1836, just in time to miss the main battle of San Jacinto. But don't feel too sorry for him – family tradition says he lost his…
You're driving through Shelby County, just south of Center. Right here, you're passing through the area that was once the community of Short. It all started in 1870 when Elkanah Hughes homesteaded this land. By 1885,…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe near Shelbyville, and you're passing through the territory served by Francis A. Wilson. He was a Methodist circuit rider, a preacher who traveled vast distances to serve…
You're driving through Shelby County, not far from where Ashton used to be. This community sprung up on the banks of the Sabine River, a vital transportation hub for small boats. By the mid-1800s, Ashton boasted a…
You're driving through what's left of Neuville, a community that started in the 1840s when the Stephen de Neuville family settled here. By the early 1900s, it was a bustling place with a post office, a hotel, stores,…
You're driving through East Texas, near Timpson, where a railroad dream was born. Back on September 14, 1904, the Texas and Gulf Railway Company was chartered. The plan was ambitious: connect Timpson, in Shelby County,…
You're driving through Milam, and just ahead is Cedar Grove Baptist Church. Though its exact founding date is lost to history, records suggest this African American church began around 1890. In 1904, the congregation…
You're driving through what was once Cooks Point, Texas, a place that Andrew Sidney Broaddus helped shape. In 1854, he led a wagon train of 200 people, including 120 enslaved people, all the way from Virginia. Once…
You're driving through East Texas, near Broaddus, the birthplace of Paul Beeman Beard. Born in 1933, Beard overcame the challenges of polio to build a remarkable career. He spent sixty-nine years with Sabine Universal…
You're driving past Fairview Cemetery, established in 1901 right here in Center. It was founded to expand burial space for the town's first cemetery, which belonged to the Methodist church. The Fairview Cemetery…
Hunter, Texas. It’s a place you might drive through without a second thought, but beneath the quiet surface, there's a story to be told.
You're driving through Hemphill, Texas, near where Matthew Arnold Parker first settled in 1822. Born in Georgia, Parker came here from Louisiana and staked his claim on land that would later become part of his headright…
Before Texas had a feud tradition, Shelby County invented one. The Regulator-Moderator War started in 1839 over forged land certificates in the piney woods of deep East Texas. A man named Charles Jackson organized the…
You're driving through Center, Texas, a town that owes its existence to a bit of a heist! Back in 1866, Center and the nearby community of Shelbyville were fighting over who would be the county seat. An election was…
You're driving through Shelby County, an area with a history as wild as its dense East Texas forests. Back in the 1840s, this region was the stage for the infamous Regulator-Moderator War. Disputes over land titles and…
You're driving through East Texas, near Center, where Daniel McDowell Short lived out his final years. But before that, this lawyer and legislator was a soldier. He fought under Zachary Taylor in the Mexican War, and…
You're driving through northern Smith County, not far from Camp Fannin. Right here is the site of Center, a community that grew up around a Methodist church built in the 1880s. That church was the heart of this place,…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe near Center, where Jesse Martin Combs was born in 1889. He was orphaned young, raised by his grandparents, and became a teacher before becoming a lawyer and judge. He served on…
You're driving through Center, Texas, where the Sardis School once stood. Students here attended the Hughes School until 1917, when the W.R. Pickering Lumber Company donated land for Sardis School No. 37. This four-room…
You're driving through Melrose, and if you look closely, you might just feel the echoes of the Texas Revolution. This is the resting place of John Balch, a veteran who saw action in some of the most pivotal moments.…
Center has been a launchpad for individuals who have made their mark across various fields.
You're driving through Center, and right here stands the Shelby County Courthouse, a grand building that looks like it belongs in Ireland! And that's no accident. Architect J. J. E. Gibson, who designed it between 1883…
You're driving through Center, Texas, where a significant Civil War event was honored right here on April 4th, 1864. This was the Texas Muster, C.S.A., held to remember Texans who fought in the Red River Campaign. This…
You're driving through the Sardis community, which organized its first church congregation back in 1872. Neighbors built a log structure, and in 1894, a new sanctuary was constructed. The church remained active until…
You're driving through Sabine County, near where the town of East Mayfield once thrived. It all started in 1912, built around a massive lumber mill owned by the Knox Lumber Company. This wasn't just a mill; it was the…
Center (Center, TX) placed on the 4A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Easton Wulf (3 HR).
You're driving through what used to be Milam, a key stop on the Old San Antonio Road. Originally an Indian watering place called Las Borregas, it was settled around 1828 and first known as Red Mound. It was renamed…
You're driving through Sabine County, the heart of William M. Gellatly's life. Born in New York in 1834, his family came to Texas before the Revolution, his father even fighting for Texas independence and earning land…
You're driving through Sabine County, Texas, and right here is where Alfred Davenport Oliphint made his home. He arrived in Texas around 1839, settling near Milam. Oliphint was a judge and a prominent Mason, but he's…
You're driving through Sabine County, right near Geneva, and you're passing through what's considered the oldest continuously occupied spot in East Texas. Back in the mid-1700s, Spanish governor Antonio Gil Ibarvo set…
You're driving near Hemphill, Texas, in Sabine County, the heart of where Nathaniel Jackson Caraway built his life. He was a prosperous farmer and slaveholder, but when the Civil War broke out in 1861, Caraway answered…
You're driving through what was once Sabine Municipality, a place that played a crucial role in Texas history. Right here, in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1836</say-as>, William Clark, Jr., a wealthy merchant…
You're driving through Sabine County, and right here, about 1812, James Gaines built a house that served as the very first Texas home for countless early settlers. Coming in from Louisiana, this two-story log structure,…
You're driving down State Highway 21, just east of Milam in Sabine County, and you're passing one of the oldest log homes still standing in Texas. James Gaines built this house starting around 1830 on land he acquired…
Right here in Sabine County, Francis Gerald Irby was born in 1917. You might know him better as Jerry Irby, a Texas country musician who left his mark on the genre. After joining the Bar X Cowboys in Houston in the late…
You're driving through Sabine County, not far from the Sabine River. Right here was Sabinetown, established in 1839. It quickly became a vital shipping point for East Texas, especially with nearby cotton plantations.…
You're driving through Sabine County, heading into what was once called the 'dark corner.' Right here, in 1841, Bethel Baptist Church was founded. It was part of a major split in early Texas Baptist life. Daniel Parker,…
You're driving through Hemphill, the county seat of Sabine County. This town owes its existence to a bit of a political shuffle back in 1858. The original county seat, Milam, was way up north, and folks decided they…
You're driving through Sabine County, and right here is where the Lufkin, Hemphill and Gulf Railway once ran. Chartered in 1912, this short line was built to serve the Knox Lumber Company's sawmill in Hemphill.…
You're driving through what is now Sabine County, Texas, a place that saw a pioneer named John Payne settle before 1835. Originally from North Carolina, Payne brought his family and became a judge, serving as the first…
You're driving through Sabine County, and right here is where Daniel Long Richardson settled his family around 1833. He arrived from Georgia and built a massive plantation, working dozens of slaves. Richardson also…
You're driving through Sabine County, an original Texas county named for the river that borders it. This area was first home to the Ais tribe of the Caddo Indians. By the late 1700s, Spanish and Mexican land grants were…
You're driving through Bronson, a town that owes its existence to the booming timber industry of East Texas. In the spring of 1902, the Gulf, Beaumont and Great Northern Railway pushed through Sabine County, and John H.…
You're driving through Brookeland, a community that owes its start to a postal route. Back in 1866, John C. Brooke became the first postmaster, and the post office gave this spot its name. It grew steadily, reaching 800…
You're driving through what is now Sabine County, the heart of Matthew Parker's Texas story. He arrived from Georgia around 1822, becoming an early settler and official. Parker served in the Sabine Volunteers, earned…
You're driving through Sabine County, a place that saw early Texas settlement and public service. William Nall Sigler arrived in Texas in 1834, applying for land near present-day Bevil. He quickly became involved,…
You're driving through Sabine County, and right here, in what is now Hemphill, a deal was struck that shaped this community. In 1859, Richard Slaughter and his wife Anna sold eighty acres of land to Sabine County. This…
You're driving through what is now Sabine County, where Joshua Hopkins Speights made his mark. He arrived from Georgia in the early 1840s, setting up shop as a farmer and merchant. Speights was a key figure in local…
You're driving through Hemphill, the county seat of Sabine County. Back in 1858, this spot was chosen as the new county seat, named for Texas Supreme Court Justice John Hemphill. Earl Percy Beddoe laid out the town on…
You're driving past the site of the Hemphill First United Methodist Church. A Methodist society formed here in 1858, the same year Hemphill became the county seat. The congregation has built three sanctuaries on this…
You're driving past Hemphill Cemetery, where the oldest marked grave dates back to 1867. That's Marier C. Morris, who died young at just 22. Her father was an early area doctor. Early cemetery records were lost in a…