Early Texas entrepreneur and pioneer settler. New York native William Plunkett Harris (1797-1843) ran a steamboat line in partnership with Robert Wilson before moving to Texas in 1830. At Harrisburg, founded by his brother John Richardson Harris (d.1829), for whom Harris County was named, he and Wilson took over a mill operation. Later William started a plantation here at Red Bluff, where he lived with his wife Caroline (Morgan) (1816-1867) and two children.

Harris was active in the early efforts to reform the Mexican Government's control of Texas. He served as a representative from this area to the Conventions of 1832 and 1835. As a member of the Consultation of 1835 he was selected chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs. He also served on the General Council until becoming collector of customs for the Port of Galveston in 1836.

Harris operated his steamboat "Cayuga" during the Texas Revolution, providing passage to settlers fleeing the advancing Mexican Army. At Galveston, April 15-26, 1836, his boat served as temporary capitol for the interim Texas Government. After the Revolution Harris served in local government and also pioneered in the planning of the area rail industry. He died in 1843 and is buried near his homesite (300 yds.N).

The second Episcopal parish in the Republic of Texas. Led by a missionary of the Episcopal Church in the United States, the Rev. R.M. Chapman, and by an early Houstonian, Col. William Fairfax Gray, thirty-nine men came together on March 16, 1839, to organize an Episcopal Church, and on Easter Monday, April 1, 1839, Christ Church was officially established. Some of the first service were held in the Capitol of the Republic, then at the corner of Main Street and Texas Avenue.

In 1844 a wooden building on this site served as a church. In 1846 it was supplanted by a brick structure. In 1859 a second brick church was begun, then enlarged in 1876. Present building was erected in 1893, its altar area rebuilt after a fire in 1938. The original cornerstone may be seen inside the church.

Founded under the Rt. Rev. Leonidas Polk, Missionary Bishop, and often visited by his successor, the Rt. Rev. George Washington Freeman, the parish was guided and nurtured by the Rt. Rev. Alexander Gregg, first Bishop of the Diocese of Texas, and by the Rt. Rev. George Herbert Kinsolving, second Bishop. It became in 1949 the Cathedral of the Diocese under the Rt. Rev. Clinton S. Quin, third Bishop.

Delegate to Secession Convention 1861. Joined army as private. Won laurels in that most brilliant wartime effort - the defense of the 800-mile Texas Coast. In September, 1862, repulse of Federals at Corpus Christi, Ireland captured Fleet Captain Kittredge, his flag and arms. Though Ireland was an infantry officer he once plunged waist-deep to capture a Federal vessel off Padre Island. At war's end he was in command of the 8th Texas Regiment defending Galveston.

BACK:
Kentucky-born. Came to Texas 1853. Mayor of Seguin 1858. Member Consititutional Conventions 1866, 1875. District Judge 1866-67, removed by Reconstruction authorities. Legislator 1872-75. Called "Ox-cart John" for opposing land grants, subsidies to railroads. Supervised plans to oust Governor E.J. Davis in bloodless conflict marking political end of Texas' Reconstruction. Judge State Supreme Court 1875-76. Governor of Texas 1882-86. Fence-cutting wars, brought on when certain landowners began fencing the open range prompted him to call special Legislature which made fence-cutting a felony. He ruled that State Capitol be of Texas stone. Urged strict enforcement of criminal laws, economy in government, reducing public land sales. Term was marked by opening of University of Texas and first labor disturbances Texas had known. Buried State Cemetery, Austin.

Site of projected capitol of Stephen F. Austin's Colony, 1823. First settlement at this point shown on Stephen F. Austin's map of 1835 as Montezuma.

The municipality of Colorado was created by the provisional government of Texas January 11, 1836 and the town of Columbus ordered laid out as the seat of government. On March 17, 1836 the county of Colorado was created; in 1837, it was organized. Columbus, the county seat, was incorporated June 5, 1837. As railroad terminal, from 1869 to 1873, Columbus was an important trading center for a large territory to the west.

In memory of:
The pioneer families of Burnam, Gilleland, Cummins, Fisher, DeWees, Kuykendall and Tumlinson. J.W.E. Wallace and his company who defended Gonzales October 2, 1835. William D. Lacey, Will Menefee signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Leander Beason, John P. Borden, David Cole, Stephen T. Foley, George W. Gardner, S. Joseph Garwood, Basil G. Ijams, Dr. James D. Jennings, Alfred Kelso, Amos D. Kenyon, Daniel Miller, James Nelson, Mitchell Putnam, Dempsey Pace, William Pace, Washington H. Secrest, Maxwell Steel, Robert Stevenson, Spencer B. Townsend, William Waters, Leroy Wilkinson; San Jacinto veterans who lived in this county prior to or after the Texas Revolution. Col. John C. Upton, Major John S. Shropshire, Major J.S. West, Capt. P.J. Oakes, Capt. James D. Roberdeau, Capt. R.V. Cook; Confederate officers. The following citizens of distinction have resided in Colorado County: Jones Rivers, jurist; Dr. Lawrence Washington, Gail Borden, Matthew Stanley Quay, Senator for Pennsylvania; Chas. Nagel, Cabinet Minister under Taft; Wells Thompson, Lieutenant Governor of Texas; George McCormick, State Attorney General and co-writer of the present State Constitution; Geo. W. Smith, member of Supreme Court of Texas.

On this site a one-story frame house served as headquarters of the Civil War State Government of Missouri in exile. Governor Thomas C. Reynolds and his staff directed the civil and military affairs of Confederate Missourians from Marshall beginning in November, 1863 until June, 1865.

The Governor's mansion was in a one-story frame cottage then located directly west across the street.

When Texas seceded, Feb. 1, 1861, the 8th Legislature was in Austin in a called session, adjourned Feb. 9. On March 18, the 8th came back for a second called session; the 9th and 10th Legislatures in turn were harassed with problems of the Civil War. They found it necessary to raise, equip and supply 90,000 Texas soldiers, who fought on all fronts; and to provide for defense against Indians, enemy troops and ships on 2000 miles of State coastline and frontiers. As naval blockade reduced imports, the Legislature established plants to make guns, powder, cloth, salt. Contracts, subsidies and land grants were provided to encourage private industry to help meet heavy wartime demands for arm, supplies, clothing, food. The lawmakers taxed property and business and made farmers turn in tithes of produce to feed citizen and soldier. Funds were voted to finance state barter in Mexico of cotton for factory goods; to aid soldiers; dependents; and to provide medical care and hospitals for Texas troops, in and out of state. Legislatures were in almost continuous sessions. Poor pay and inflated confederate money caused many members to live in tents and covered wagons on the capitol grounds and cook over campfires.

Hardin County was created in 1858. The first official Hardin County building was probably a two-story log building that burned about 1886. Early county records were destroyed in the conflagration.

In 1887, architect Frank Smith of Beaumont designed a two-story frame structure built in Kountze by local contractor W.B. Pedigo. A safe was positioned inside the structure and the walls were built around it. The building was replaced in 1905. J.B. Hooks moved the old courthouse across the street to become the J.B. Hooks Abstract Company.

A new masonry courthouse was erected in 1905. It was designed by Andrew P. Bryan and built by M.J. Lewman and Company. Domed in the tradition of the nation's capitol and the Texas State Capitol, the edifice was built of native stone from the Pecos area of West Texas. Salmon-colored brick was imported from the Hydraulic Press Brick Company of St. Louis, and the columns and bases were crafted by Bedford Stone Company. A carbide lighting system was installed in 1918. A three-story colonial-style sandstone building was erected with four 24-foot two-story columns front and back and 16 smaller columns supporting the dome. This building served until 1958.

A modern facility was planned by Dickson-Dickson and Associates and built by Lumbeck Construction Company in 1958. The 1905 edifice was destroyed in 1960. At the end of the 20th century, the 1958 courthouse was still in service and the 1887 building continued to stand, now the home of law offices, near the courthouse square.

Site of Capitol of Texas September 8, 1962. Operation Home Town Program for Progress Small Towns of Texas. Culp Kreuger, Governor

Built 1896-97. Fifth courthouse for Denton County. First was at Alton, second at Pinckneyville. Third (in Denton) was burned in crime charged to a member of the Sam Bass Gang of outlaws.

Walls are native limestone; columns, Burnet County marble. Architecture is free combination of Victorian styles, with French second empire pavilions, fanciful ogival domes. Architect was W.C. Dodson; contractor Tom Lovell is said to have built Utah Capitol.

Gustavus Johnson, a carpenter and contractor, built this house for his daughter, Jennie, when she married John K. Donnan in 1876. Located then near the Capitol, this enlargement of an older, smaller structure combined Victorian style with a typical Greek Revival floor plan of central hall with two rooms on each side. Occupied by the Donnan family until 1972, the house was acquired then by Attorney General and Mrs. John Hill, moved to this site, and restored.