Texas Historical Marker #00290
Bandera County. A strategic Indian point in early days. Rangers and Comanches struggled here in 1843. In 1854 Elder Lyman Wight settled Mormon Colony. In 1855 Poles settled here. From early days a part of Bexar County, created and organized in 1856. Bandera, the County Seat founded by John James, Charles de Montel and John Herndon in 1853. #290
?, Bandera, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00291
Bandera County Courthouse. First permanent courthouse for county, which was organized in 1856, but used makeshift quarters for offices and courtrooms until this building was erected 1890-91. Style is local version of the Second Renaissance Revival. White limestone for the structure was quarried locally. B.F. Trester of San Antonio drew the plans--for $5. Contractors: Ed Braden & Sons. Interior was remodeled and a wing added in 1966. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1972. #291
504 Main St., Bandera, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00292
Bandera Methodist Church. Built 1880 by members under leadership of B.F. Langford, Sr. Gothic architecture. Hand-cut limestone, with oak timbers. Though enlarged and remodeled, retains original charm. Rev. John Devilbiss (who helped found first Protestant church in San Antonio) held services here 1861. Church organized 1867 by Rev. A.J. Potter; charter members included Rugh, Langford, Stevens Families. Daniel Rugh organized first Sunday school, April 18, 1869. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1967. #292
?, Bandera, TX, United States
Subjects
Texas Historical Marker #00293
Bandera Pass. Celebrated Indian pass known from the earliest days of Spanish settlement. Identified with many a frontier fight and many a hostile inroad. Old Ranger trail from the Medina to the Guadalupe River and the United States Army route between frontier posts followed this route through the mountains. #293
?, Bandera, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00294
Bandera's First Bank. Bandera's First Bank. On Texas Republic land grant. Hand-cut native rock. Built about 1860. A school, home, shop. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1965. #294
?, Bandera, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00295
Bandstand. Built by subscribed funds, about 1907. Stage for city's patriotic, political rallies, entertainments, concerts by city band, made up of music lovers of all ages, talents. Once on southeast, then southwest corner of court square. Moved here in 1963. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1967 #295
?, Bay City, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00296
Bangs Public Schools. The town of Bangs was established on the route of the Santa Fe Railroad, which deeded land to the city for a school. The first school building, a two-room frame structure on the south side of the railroad tracks, was completed in 1892. Miss Clemie King was the first teacher; enrollment totaled 35 pupils. A new 2-story stone structure, built on the north side of the tracks in 1903, replaced the first building. Over the years the school system has grown and built additional facilities. Nine other area schools have consolidated with the Bangs school system since its founding. (1992) #296
?, Bangs, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00297
Bank of Menard, 1903. Built of native stone for settlers then keeping money in merchants' safes or riding 60 robber-infested miles to do banking. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1964. #297
Bevans & San Saba St., Menard, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00298
Banquete Cemetery. In June 1832 the colony of Irish families settled along the Nueces River by John McMullen and James McGloin was linked to Mexico by completion of the Matamoros Road. Mexican officials sponsored a Fiesta near this site as a goodwill gesture to the colonists. The village that later grew up here was called "Banquete", the Mexican name for the 4-day celebration. Banquete was settled before the civil war (1861-65) as a stock raising and horse trading center. During the war, it was an important stop on the trade route to Mexico. Oldest marked grave in Banquete Cemetery (1 mile east) is that of Joseph P. Madray (b. 1840), a local rancher who was serving in the confederate army when he died of typhoid fever, June 2, 1863. Also buried here are other confederate soldiers and prominent Banquete residents, including members of the Bennett, Elliff, Saunders, and Wright families. By tradition, the cemetery property was once the site of stockpens belonging to Sally Scull, notorious horse trader and cotton freighter of the civil war period. Pioneer rancher B.A. Bennett (b. 1824) deeded one acre for the community burial ground in 1910. In the 1950's, another acre was added to the cemetery, which contains about 200 marked graves. #298
SH 44 E of Banquete, Banquete, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00299
Banquete, C.S.A.. In the critical civil war years, Banquete meant water, supplies, repairs and defenses to thousands on arid trips along the Cotton Road to Mexico. The Cotton Road was well known, for it followed a segment of the historic "King's Highway" of early explorers. Yet its vital role for 4 years in supplying the confederacy earned it undying fame. It was the way to Mexico's border towns of Bagdad and Matamoros, where 20,000 speculators clamored for cotton, using valuable European goods to make attractive bargains. To get guns, ammunition, shoes, clothing, medicines--necessities scarce at home--the confederacy sent to neutral Mexico long trains of 5 to 15 wagons or ox carts that lumbered for many weeks over the desert. Sometimes to lighten a load for an exhausted team, cotton bales might be hidden in roadside brush. The traffic left signs in the wilds. Often the landscape would whiten with the lint thorned off passing loads. Banquete's water made possible the long hauls to Mexico and back to the goods-hungry confederate population. Thus the town named for an 1832 fiesta honoring Texas colonists served a strategic role in the history of the civil war, 1861-65. #299
SH 44 at FM 666, Banquete, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00300
Barbed Wire. At first called "Devil's Rope" by cowboys, barbed wire was patented in 1873 but found little favor with Texas cattlemen until the late 1870s, when its use and practicality were shown in a sensational demonstration here in San Antonio. Its showman-sponsor was John Ware Gates (1855-1911), who came here as agent for a pioneer wire manufacturer. With permission from city officials, he built a barbed wire corral on the Military Plaza, then went into various resorts of cattlemen and boasted of its strength and economy. Some of the ranchers made bets that the wire would not hold wild cattle. While the scoffers looked on, some longhorns where turned into the corral and prodded to frenzy by burning torches. They charged the fence furiously, but the wire held. The experiment was such a success that for a long time orders exceeded the supply of barbed wire. In later life known as "bet-a-million" Gates, the agent founded or organized several wire and steel plants. About 1901 he also invested in Spindletop oil field and helped develop the city of Port Arthur, Texas. With its sister utility, the windmill, barbed wire led to upgrading of beef cattle and enhancement of nutrition and the quality of human life. (1971) #300
?, San Antonio, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00301
Barbed Wire in Cooke County. The development of barbed wire fencing had a revolutionary impact on the economy and settlement pattern in Texas. In 1874, Joseph Glidden of Illinois received a patent for his barbed wire. By 1875, Henry B. Sanborn had come to North Texas as Glidden's barbed wire salesman. Cleaves & Fletcher Hardware, once located at this site, and other Gainesville businesses began to stock Glidden's Barbed Wire as it came into demand by Texas ranchers. Sanborn's 1875 transaction with Cleaves & Fletcher may represent the earliest sale of two-stranded modern barbed wire in Texas. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986. #301
100 E. California, Gainesville, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00303
Barclay Cemetery. The town of Barclay was founded in 1877 when William Anderson Barclay (1849-1927) opened a General Mercantile store here. A leader in farming, business, commercial and industrial circles throughout central Texas, W. A. Barclay also operated a large horse and cattle ranch nearby and was appointed the town's first postmaster in 1881. As more settlers moved into the area, the need for a church and cemetery became evident. In 1881 pioneer Lyddleton Smith of Washington County assigned three acres of land for a Baptist Church. The congregation that was organized became known as Beulah (later Barclay) Baptist Church, and its members set aside part of the property for a burial ground. Barclay Cemetery, with its oldest grave dating from 1882,has been enlarged several times over the years. Confederate veteran Paul Pieper (1849-1914), who moved his family to the town in 1882, donated part of his acreage for additional burial grounds in 1886 and deeded more land to the cemetery upon his death. The graveyard has been maintained by the Barclay Cemetery Association since 1915. In use for more than 100 years, the burial ground remains an important part of the history of this community. #303
?, Barclay, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00304
Barnard's Mill. Early Texas grist mill. Built like a fort -- with gun ports and walls 3 feet thick at bottom -- to withstand Indian attacks. Constructed in 1860 by Charles Barnard, who (with his brother, George) ran it until 1874. Previously the Barnards had successful trading houses in Waco village and elsewhere. For years, social events were held on the third floor. Cotton gin annex was erected in 1895. Building was a hospital 1943-71. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1962 #304
315 SW Barnard St., Glen Rose, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00305
Barnes-Largent House. This home was built about 1910 for Joe and Florence (Largent) Barnes on part of the land acquired by her father, prominent McKinney merchant W.B. Largent. Following the death of her husband in 1924, Florence sold the home to her brother, Dr. Ben Largent (1886-1936), and his wife, Leota. The foursquare style house, which exhibits influences of the prairie school and bungalow styles of architecture, remained in the family until 1945. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984*** #305
618 W. Louisiana, McKinney, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00306
Dr. George Washington Barnett. Born in South Carolina December 12, 1793, killed by Indians October 8, 1848. Served in the army of Texas, 1835-36 signed the Texas declaration of independence, '36 member of the senate of the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh congresses of the republic. #306
?, Gonzales, TX, United States
Subjects
Texas Historical Marker #00307
Barnett-Hamrick Settlement, 1855-1895. John W. Barnett and family with sons-in-law, Burrell L. and Tom P. L. Hamrick settled large tract of land here. Founded community of Simpson Creek. Were first in area to farm as well to irrigate crops. Were active in local commerce. Helped organize county. First camp meeting and one of first schools were held here. #307
FM 190, about 4 mi. E of San Saba, San Saba, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00308
Barreda House. This house was designed by architect Ben Clark and built in 1928-1929 for the firm of Barnes and Kenny for the family of Celestino Pardo Barreda (1858-1953). A 2-story buff brick Spanish Colonial Revival style house, it features twisted cast stone columns, iron balcony railings, a Mission parapet, and a sunroom with arched wood casement windows. Barreda, a native of Spain who came to Texas in 1872, owned a mercantile business and became an influential area commercial leader involved in banking and agriculture. The house has remained in the Barreda Family for more than 60 years. #308
642 E. Washington Street, Brownsville, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00309
Barronena Ranch. The Barronena Ranch is an important reminder of early South Texas ranching. Named for a creek (now called Los Machos) which traverses the property, the ranch was part of a larger tract owned by Diego Hinojosa, who received a grant of five leagues from the Republic of Mexico. In 1856, Hinojosa received a state of Texas patent for 2237 acres of this land. James O. Luby (1846-1932) later owned a part of the ranch. a native of England and a Confederate veteran of the Civil War, Luby became the first county judge of Duval County in 1876. Barronena Ranch was purchased by J. M. Bennett (1831-1920) in 1905 and has remained in the Bennett family since that time. The nucleus of the ranch is a 19th century adobe house, reportedly a stage stop between Goliad and Laredo. Other structures include a native rock water trough and storage tank; a native rock wall more than one mile long; remains of a dipping vat and smokehouse; and rock foundations of other buildings, including a blacksmith shop. Richard King, grandson of the founder of the King Ranch, leased the Barronena Ranch in the 1920s. Santa Gertrudis cattle, developed by the King Ranch, were introduced here following World War II. (1989) #309
?, Freer, TX, United States