San Felipe

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A few miles east of Sealy is the San Felipe State Historic Site. You go East on I-10 and then North on 1458 North. Just Southwest of the River is the site. Nothing remains of the original town. It was burned during the "runaway scrape" during the Texas fight for independence. A reconstruction of Stephen F Austins "dogtrot cabin" is on the site. From this cabin he issued titles to the "Old 300" who were the first group of mostly American colonist to legally settle in Texasbetween the Brazos and Colorado river. I can't say I would have chosen this area of tangled brush and "mosquito heaven" for the site for a town. Seems like the area around the Old Spanish Trail which borders the northern section of his grants would have been more appropriate. Unless the fact that there was a Spanish fort at the Brazos River crossing on the Old Spanish trail made him choose elsewhere. Perhaps he wanted to distance his settlement from Spanish authority from the beginning.
It was seriously cold when I visited the site, but a sojourner can't be a wimp.
After visiting this site went back to Sealy and drove down Hwy 36 to Richmond. Visited the Ft Bend Museum there ($5.00). The Richmond area was originally settled by some of "the old 300". During the Texas war for Independence the Mexican army was camped here. Santa Anna camped most of his army here and left with some 700 men to try and capture the Texas army at San Jacinto before they could escape..............BIG MISTAKE.
After visiting Richmond I drove to the Intown Suites in Webster South of Houston and East of I-45 on Bay area Blvd. I took the scenic route via hwy 6 to Alvin and across but it wasn't worth it. Too many lights, too much traffic, and nothing much to look at. I should have went in on alternate 90 to the Beltway 8 and across the southern edge of Houston to I-45 and then south to Bay Area Blvd. I booked a room with Kitchenette, internet access etc. at the weekly rate of $189.99 plus tax for a total of $218 plus a refundable $50 deposit. This was for a full 7 day week. Intown suites is one of the best travel bargains around. More on that in the next blog.

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Photos

William at San Felipe State historic site
It was a little "brisk" the day I visited the site. Behind me is the reconstructed Stephen F Austin "dogtrot" cabin.