A&M Cadets, 1949

Summer 2010

Heritage Brazos

B R A Z O S H E R I T A G E S O C I E T Y

Celebrate

INDEPENDENCEDAY

With the HeritageSociety

SaturdayJuly 3, 20099:30-12:00

Heritage ParkSouth Hutchins Street

(Between 30th and 31st Streets)Bryan

Music by

Proud Country

Children’s Bicycle Parade (10:00)Tours of the 1902 Clary House

Antique Car ShowFree Hot Dogs

BooksPublished by the BrazosValley Heritage Society

The Life and Death of Boonvillecosts $15.00; Historic BrazosCounty, $25.00. Orders manybe placed with <ulrikesmith@msn.com>, or BrazosHeritage Society, P.O. Box1776, Bryan, Texas 77806.Please add $2.50 for shipping.

Wendy Patzewitsch, Ph.D., iswriting a new book about Bryanfor the Images of AmericaSeries. BHS Executive Director,Ulrike Smith arranged this deal.The book will be out next year

President’s Column

The Heritage Society held its annual meeting on March 21 at theBryan Public Library. I gave an illustrated lecture entitled “TheAnatomy of Bryan-College Station,” describing the developmentof the Brazos County landscape over nearly two centuries, asinfluenced by technological development. I showed membersvisible relics of the Brazos County landscape laid down before thearrival of the railroad in 1871, explained the enduring impact ofthe railroad and highway system, and predicted the future courseof changes now occurring due to air travel and digitalcommunication. We then discussed possible historic preservationprojects, particularly the old Coulter House on 24th Street. This isthe oldest house in Bryan, and presently the property of the City,but increasingly in need of repair. Due to a lack of nominations,we were not able to hold the annual election of officers. I haveagreed to a second extension of my term as President, awaitingidentification of a suitable replacement. We also needreplacements for two members of the Board. If you would like toget involved in the Heritage Society as an officer, please contactme at jmsmith@tamu.edu.

Echoes from the Carnegie Columns

This winter we saw the first appreciable snow on the ground since theCarnegie reopened! Precipitation has not always been a rare, orwelcome, visitor to this area . . . consider the following report from theBryan Eagle (Feb. 12, 1898)

The magnificent rain which fell Wednesday night and yesterday hasput a splendid season in the ground and will be of vast advantage tothe farming interests of this section. The electric storm during theearly hours yesterday morning was very heavy. At one a. m.,lightning struck Mr. R. H. Kirk’s barn and the building with fifteenbushels of corn was burned. Mr. Kirk drove his cow from thebuilding and saved his saddles and harness. His loss was $30 with noinsurance. A fire alarm was sounded and the confusion was generalfor some time. The lights were cut off on account of the storm.

Or this report of a second deluge only one year later

unprecedented rain fall of Tuesday night, Wednesday, and especiallyof Wednesday night, continuing in torrents until late in the morningyesterday has produced a varietable [sic] flood in this section . Forhours the precipitation was something terrific and the face of thewhole earth was covered, the water courses being flooded beyondtheir capacity and inadequate to carry off the water as fast as it fell.North bound passenger train No. 3, due here at 2:07 yesterdaymorning, reached the city about 3 o’clock after great difficulty onaccount of damage to the track from the flood between here andWellborn. Very slow and careful running over dangerous places wasall that enabled the engineer to get this far, and train was laid out hereall day yesterday and last night.

Or this report of an extraordinary lightening strikethat occurred in 1913, and was so remarkable that theEagle published a memorial in 1938

During the rainstorm this morning the courthouse washeavily charged with electricity and the whole forcewas shocked. Electricity crackled and poppedthroughout the entire building and played over allmetal work. County Judge J. T. Maloney, CountyClerk Will Higgs and T. C. Nunn were in one of thevaults and the electricity was blinding.

I hope bad weather won’t keep you from coming to visit usbehind the Carnegie History Center's columns!

Nancy McCraw RossCarnegie Librarian

Bryan, Texas, feeling the need of alibrary, the Mutual Improvement Club,composed of twenty enthusiasticwomen, in 1902 made an earnest appealto Mr. Andrew Carnegie who donatedten thousand dollars to be used inerecting a Free Public library . . . It isthe best investment Bryan ever made . . .. The number of volumes is now about2000.

Handbook of Texas Libraries, 1902.

Independence Day2009

Bryan and College Interurban1910-1920

If you drive down Cavett Street, you arefollowing the bed of the old trolley car line thatran from A&M to Bryan, and then on to AllenAcademy,

“The city council has granted a franchise toJudge V. B. Hudson for an electric railwaywithin the city of Bryan and extending to theAgricultural and Mechanical College.” ElectricTraction Weekly, July 3, 1909

“A movement has been started by a number ofsuburban citizens to settle up the land betweenBryan and the Agricultural and MechanicalCollege along the interurban in small farmhomes devoted to poultry, truck, anddairying.” Galveston Daily News (Jan 17, 1920)

Brazos Heritage SocietyP.O. Box 1776Bryan, Texas 77806