| |
History in a Pecan
Shell
Josiah
Hughes Bell is credited with founding the town in 1823. His plantation, known
as Bell's Landing supplied other settlements along the river. In 1824 Bell platted
a town and called it Marion. Lots were sold in 1829, but were unsuccessful.
In 1831 the town had a mere handful of cabins, a store and Bell's home. Wharves
and warehouses were built and ships shuttled between East Columbia and New Orleans.
Bell sold the growing town to Walter C. White in 1827, but the town was
still called "Bell's Landing" through 1840. Two years later it was known as West
Columbia, and finally was renamed East Columbia. When Houston
became the capital of Texas, East Columbia prospered. It received another boost
with the arrival of the Houston Tap and Brazoria Railroad in 1859. The onset of
the Civil War stopped East Columbia's prosperity. The town had a population of
800 in the mid 1880s and a few years later it hit 1,500. Another period of decline
set in and by 1914 it was down to 150.
The local post office once known
as Columbia, was renamed East Columbia in 1927. The population declined
to a low of 89 in the early 70s. |
 |
1920s
Brazoria County map showing "Columbia"
Courtesy Texas General Land
Office | |
|
