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History in
a Pecan Shell
Captain Nathen Brookshire, a member of Stephen
F. Austin's fifth colony (1835) is the town's namesake. The town
became an agricultural community thanks to the rich Brazos riverbottom
land and the Katy railroad. The population of Houston
absorbed all the melons, pecans and corn that Brookshire farms could
produce. A post office was granted by 1893. Cotton
was the leading inedible crop and by 1897 the town was shipping 10,000
bales of the stuff.
After 1900, as other crops declined, rice took up the slack. The population
for 1920 was 1,250 and by 1980 it had nearly doubled.
Although it is not the county seat of Waller
County (see Hempstead), the
Waller County Museum is in Brookshire in the former home of Dr. Paul
Donigan. |
Kellner Townsite
historical marker
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February 2009 |
Historical Marker
(in Brookshire, W of US 90 and FM 1489 intersection):
Kellner Townsite
(in NE part, Stephen
F. Austin grant to Wm. Cooper)
First town in area. Platted 1893 by John G. Kellner (1846-1933), donor,
Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad right of way and station site. Kellner's
rich Brazos River watershed farm and ranch lands produced rice, cattle,
peanuts, pecans, and (later) natural gas. His old home is nearby.
Town was renamed Brookshire. |
Brookshire downtown
building
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February 2009 |
The 1932 Zahimen Building
TE Photo,
May 2004 |
A
corner store in Brookshire
TE Photo,
May 2004 |
"Captain
Nathen Brookshire" centennial marker
TE Photo,
May 2004 |
Texas Centennial
Marker (corner of 5th & Velasco):
Captain Nathen
Brookshire
Participated in
the storming
and capture of Bexar, December 5th to 10th,1835.
A captain in the Texas Army, 1836.
Born in Tennessee, 1793.
Died Jan. 10, 1853 |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history
and vintage/historic photos, please contact
us. |
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