Geocaches
The Brazoria County Historical Museum is partnering with Brazoria County
Parks to place geocaches around the County with historical information enclosed.
The caches have souvenir postcards with historic pictures of the location. As
more caches are placed, we'll update this list.
Geocaching is a game of hide and seek played using GPS receivers.
Participants find containers that are hidden at certain coordinates, listed
in latitude and longitude. Millions of caches have been hidden around the
world and listed on different websites for people to find. Our caches are
also listed at www.geocaching.com
and at www.opencaching.com.
- Brazoria County Courthouse Cache N029.10.128
W095.25.880 This is a mini-cache
in plain view of hundreds of muggles, so use your discretion. Feel free to
take a souvenir postcard. This is
the third county courthouse, built when the county seat moved from Brazoria
to Angleton in 1897. Around 1930 the courthouse was heavily remodeled with
the removal of the clock tower and the addition of stucco and wings on the
ends to create an Art Deco appearance. In the 1940's a new courthouse was
built one block south, which itself was altered in the 1970's.
- Experiment Station N029.11.139 W095.23.470
Experiment Station #3 was established in 1909.
Early research produced Angleton Grass, a bunch grass still used for forage
today. Later experiments covered soil improvement and conservation, corn
breeding, fertilizer, sorghum, soybean and sesame yield tests. For over 20
years research into fig production was quite strong and at one time the
station led the world in fig varieties and research. A hurricane in 1941
devastated the station and destroyed the fig orchard. In the 1930s the
station became a center for animal husbandry with an emphasis on cattle
parasites. A method of controlling cattle liver flukes as developed here, as
well as valuable research into other parasites, pinkeye and vaccines. Due to
state budget cuts, the station was closed in 2003 and is now managed by the
Texas Agrilife Extension service. The Master Gardeners, Master Naturalists
and Master Horticulturalists use the station as a teaching center, holding
many classes on their respective subjects. Hint: Try 29.11.134N X 95.23.474W
if station is closed.
- Battle of Velasco N028.56.280 W095.17.750
On June 26, 1832 Henry Smith and John Austin led
a group of about 100 Texians against the Mexican Garrison at Fort Velasco on
the mouth of the Brazos River. Commander Ugartechea surrendered the fort on
June 29 after his force ran out of ammunition. This was a prelude to the
Texas Revolution that would begin four years later.
- Jetty Cache N028.55.999 W095.17.476
The sand bar at the mouth of the Brazos River was
long a hazard to navigation and while other agencies tried to improve the
entrance to the river, it wasn’t until the Brazos River Channel and Dock
Company was established in 1888 that a successful pair of jetties was
constructed, finally being completed in 1912.
- Follet's Half Way House N029.04.719 W095.07.841
The Follet family ran a ferry and inn at San Luis
Pass in the mid-19th century. The Ferry was a sailing sloop that
navigated the dangerous currents of the pass. The Half-Way House was built
in 1836 and served as an inn for many years until it was destroyed in a
storm in 1875. The grounds were heavily landscaped and travelers mentioned
being able to pick oleander blossoms from the second floor windows.
- City of San Luis N029.04.809 W095.07.843
The city of San Luis was surveyed in 1841 by
William Austin for the San Luis Stock Company of Proprietors of the City of
San Luis. Glowing predictions and plans were made for the city and a port
that would rival Galveston. Within five years the town’s population exceeded
2,000 and boasted a cotton press and newspaper. A combination of hurricanes,
shifting sand bars, fickle investors and the Civil War interfered with these
plans.
