Call me a Washington Snob
- Kathryn van der Pol
- Sep 1, 2025
- 7 min read
By Kathryn van der Pol
Call me a Washington snob, Washington, Texas, that is.
Sybren and I will be buried here one day.
Though we have lived here only four years, our sense of belonging grows, rooted in land, church, and friends.
But when I tell people outside the county that we live in Washington, Texas, they don’t have a clue. I am okay with that. Being in a non-existent town has advantages. We at least have a post office.
Our postal zip has two mail routes with fewer than 1000 addresses. The last time I checked, there were six registered businesses in Washington, and we were one of them.
Recently, I discovered to my delight that Google Maps still calls the service road on Hwy 290 between Jersey Village and Cypress “Old Washington Highway.” That wording is lost on most.
Of course, when I say there are six registered businesses, I am not counting the six or seven developments that are popping up like annoying moles within two miles of our place. The good news for us is that these developments do not seem to be selling. The two near us still have no residents and only three spec homes with price tags in the seven-digit range.
While I don’t wish any business misfortune to anyone, these developers have a flawed vision of what people want here. This land is not destined to be a future Cypress, full of planned developments and endless retail centers. That’s not what draws people. People here love the way it is. We came and fell in love with the land, the sunsets, the stars, all evidence of God’s creation. We were delighted by the western bluebirds, killdeer nests, and roadrunners.
The Bible tells us to expect this. In Job, it says, “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you: and the fish of the sea will declare to you. 'Who among these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.'” Job 12: 7-10, (ESV). That’s why we’re here. Not to recreate suburban America.
Our sweat and tears take on a form of devotion.
The natural beauty of our namesake creates humility, and we don't dread the hard work and expense. Most of us here are over 60; many are over 70. Yet, despite our age, maybe because of it, we stubbornly persist in supporting God’s beauty. It’s not just mowing and weed eating. It’s chasing after poison ivy, heart vine, and killing fire ants. It’s harder things like trapping moles, dealing with hogs, snakes, tarantulas, scorpions, “skunked” dogs, aquatic weed in the ponds, and on and on. Not to mention, the forever chore of clearing and picking up brush. If you live in the country, you know what I am talking about. And we just keep chickens. Sybren won't even let me think about having cattle, although I would actually like to have Jacob sheep.
If all we knew was the natural beauty of the land, that would suffice. Yet, looking back almost two hundred years ago, it was here in this spot that God brought 59 men to these verdant hills and forests for a special purpose. That makes this land something more than evidence of God's creation.
This land is holy ground. For the few readers who are not from here, this is the birthplace of Texas, the only state in the Union to have been a country before joining the United States (1845). Washington, Texas, is where 59 men signed the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836, while over 189 Texians were valiantly fighting at the Alamo in a 14-day siege that ended March 14 with a death count that sadly matched its number of Texas warriors.
This is all basic Texas history. It’s not as well taught as it used to be.
Of course, if you tell people we live near Washington on the Brazos, it takes the fun out of our guessing game, "Where is Washington?" because a dim memory lights up. One man says, “Oh! I went there as a kid .” Another says, “Our school took us there,” or “My parents used to take us there for an Easter picnic.” No one ever tells me this is where they learned about the Texas Republic.
Washington on the Brazos Historic Site is the subject of today’s essay. The park and museum will reopen on November 8 after being closed for three years. You need to come. This is the only museum in Texas that tells the story of the Texas Republic. Not only will you see it, you will experience how Texas became Texas.
Last Tuesday, Sybren and I attended an event at the Texas Star Winery owned by Jim and Susan Chisholm to hear about the nearly completed renovations. By the way, to celebrate the occasion, Texas Star Winery has produced a new red wine called 59 Signers as a tribute to the men who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence.
Board members Joel Romo, Cindy Smith, Jim Kolkhorst, and Site Manager Jonathan Failor presented what has been happening. The project was initially conceived as an 8-million-dollar renovation in preparation for the Texas Bicentennial in 2036, but thanks to avid die hard supporters, including Senator Lois Kolkhorst, the project grew to $50 million. All but about $1,000,000 has been raised to date. Taxpayers footed the bill for approximately $40 million, and private donations paid the rest.
Mr. Failor gave the main PowerPoint presentation. He has been the Site Manager/Superintendent for Washington on the Brazos for 13 years.
The 300-acre site can be divided into park and picnic grounds, Independence Hall, the Visitor Center, the Republic of Texas Museum, and The Barrington Plantation, a living history farm.
The renovations had the most impact on the park grounds and the Republic of Texas Museum. Independence Hall is still as it is.
The Visitor Center has been completely remodeled. As one enters, they will be overwhelmed by a Times Square-sized film screen depicting the early history of the Republic and introducing them to the beauty, history, and impact of Washington, Texas. Three different pods in the Visitor Center will portray the old town of Washington, tell the story of people “gone to Texas,” and a third to show life on the Texas ranch and farm in Washington, introducing them to Barrington Plantation.
Barrington belonged to Anson Jones, the last president of the Texas Republic. Today, the farm grows cotton and raises cattle using methods and breeds true to the 1840s. The farm did not close during renovations and is open daily.
The Visitor Center also displays a ceramic tiled wall of Bluebonnets, each tile inscribed with the names of donors to the renovation project.
The renovations include a new bollard-lit walkway from the Visitor Center to the Star of the Republic Museum. “Revolutionary Way” will feature different flags in the history of Texas and include seating areas and pavers inscribed with donors’ names.
Seeing the Star of the Republic Museum from the outside, one may wonder, “What did they do? It looks the same.” Yes, the outside stays basically unchanged, but the inside has been entirely rebuilt and reconfigured. The same designers who worked on the WWII Museum in New Orleans redid our museum. When one first enters, a new film titled “Dawn of the Republic” will set the tone for the visitor experience.
One of the coolest treasures we have is the only known surviving Republic of Texas Lone Star flag. In years prior, visitors might have missed it as it was displayed in a case with other artifacts. Here, it will have a great place of honor. Objects from the original collection will be brought back and supplemented by over 100,000 artifacts recovered in the archaeological digs done leading up to the park renovation.
The museum will bring the Texas convention to life by recreating the room. You will sit down at the table where the delegates met, and our Texas heroes will come to life on the walls around you. The technology will then transport you to the battle of the Alamo, which occurred at the same time as the convention. You may get a glimpse of William Travis’s son, who was 9 years old at the time and lived in Washington.
There will also be a playroom for young children, reminiscent of a log cabin. The second floor of the museum will focus on exhibits featuring life in the Texas Republic, from work and worship to government activity, agricultural artifacts, various trades, and leisure activities.
Perhaps the greatest addition to the site is the reconstruction of the town of old Washington. These buildings will tell the story of our Texas nation’s first capital. One building is Sam Houston’s presidential office. Another is Hatfield’s Exchange. While it was the local bar, that’s not why it was important. On the second floor, the Texas Congress met until 1842. Anson Jones gave his inauguration speech in that building. The peace treaty with Mexico was ratified there, and here, Texas approved its annexation with the United States of America. They are also rebuilding Rucker’s Drug Store. In total, seven buildings will be reconstructed, with the other two dozen or so marked. One or two sites will preserve the archaeological work.
Mr. Failor promises us a world-class museum. If so, it will no doubt have an economic impact on our county. Before reconstruction, about 95,000 people, including 10,000 students, visited annually. Mr. Failor believes those numbers will climb to 160,000 within five years.
Sybren says, “It’s good that people will know something more about our forgotten history.
It will put Washington on the map, and maybe people will know where we live.
To learn more about the renovations, visit: https://wheretexasbecametexas.org/renovations/
