Texas Heritage Society

Tour  of Texas Number 5

Day Trip

Saturday, May 8, 2010

"Historic Times Along Los Brazos de Dios"

THS Members Examine the P. Nolan Headstone at Waller County Library in Hempstead, Texas

THS Members at Site of the Bernardo Plantation Home of Jared Ellison Groce Discovered Recently by Archeologists

Close Up of Brick Foundation of Home of Jared Ellison Groce at Bernardo Plantation

Clarence Miller(left) and Robert Marcom (right)

(Left to Right) Clarence Miller, Hewitt Clark and Danial Lisarelli

Donoho Plantation Cistern at Site of Donoho Tavern

Coushatti Trace Where it Crosses Clear Creek at Donoho's

THS members Gather at Gate Outside Bernardo Tavern Site

9:00 a.m. - Meet at Waller County Library, 2331 11th Street, Hempstead, Texas. Map to Waller County Library.  At the Waller County library we will display Philip Nolan's tombstone found along the Brazos River and discuss Philip Nolan's expedition into Texas from Natchez and his death in Spanish Texas.

10:00 a.m. - Local archaeologist, Clarence Miller, will show us the recent Bernardo Plantation house excavations on the Brazos River where Sam Houston's army camped and trained for ten days across the river. Bernardo Plantation was the home of Jared E. Groce, the richest man in Texas. Or we may go to Houston's next camp site at nearby Donoho plantation and tavern.

11:30 a.m. - Lunch at Las Fuentes Mexican restaurant in their private dining room. Las Fuentes is located at 601 10th Street, Hempstead, Texas.

12:00 - Mr. Miller will talk about the interesting early history of the Hempstead area - Indians, Sam Houston's Army, Confederates and the Railroad, and when the town was called "Six Shooter Junction" after many gunfights and a deadly 1905 shootout at the court house by Prohibition Wets and Drys with four people killed.

1:00 - The Last Prison - Author Danial Lisarelli will discuss the incredible Battle of Sabine Pass and Union prisoners held at Confederate POW camps at Liendo Plantation, Bellville, and Chappell Hill where many POW's and their Confederate guards died.

2:30 - Inspect the POW site near Liendo. Then to Kentucky Park on FM 2920, Sam Houston's fork in the road at the "which way" tree. One road led to the east and the safety of the Sabine River, and the other road led to south and Santa Anna's army.

Cheers,

Hewitt Clarke

281-367-2709

rebelwriter@pdq.net