Back where it all began

 

Here we go again, back to the place where it all began for me – and Texas!

Saturday is the big annual celebration at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site in honor of Texas Independence Day. Each year the historic site celebrates the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence on the weekend closest to the March 2 date. It was 190 years ago on March 2, 1836, at Washington-on-the-Brazos when 59 delegates signed the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico, birthing a new nation on the North American continent.

Washington-on-the-Brazos is also the place that birthed my interest in Texas history and my participation in the Texas Army reenactment group. When Sandy and I moved our family to Rosenberg, southwest of Houston, in 2008, we came here flat broke and with little knowledge of the state’s unique history. In February of 2009, we learned about this free historic event going on at Washington-on-the-Brazos, or WOB for short, and we decided to check it out.

I don’t remember much about the day beyond the few memories preserved in digital photographs. Being a Colorado native, it was my first exposure to the history of the Texas Revolution. I remember being impressed with the Star of the Republic Museum and really enjoying the musket and cannon firing demonstrations. There were also booths where you could experience skills from the 1830s or buy furs and various trinkets.

We went into the replica of Independence Hall and my kids got to write with feather ink pens on parchment. The most significant part of the day was lost on me at the time, but that’s when I first met guys who would become some of my closest friends. We visited the Texas Army camp where we met some of the reenactors and asked the typical touristy questions.

We enjoyed the festivities and made several return trips over the years. We also visited the other major Texas Revolution sites, including Gonzales, Goliad, San Jacinto and the Alamo. Eventually I got the bright idea that I would write a coffee table photo book about the Texas Revolution from the standpoint of the reenactors. I started following them for a few years, taking photos and doing interviews.

After a while, the guys in the Texas Army cajoled me into joining them. We went to Washington-on-the-Brazos in 2018 where I was loaned an outfit and a gun. That’s all it took to win me over. A bunch of us went to Independence Hall, where I filled out and signed my application to join the Texas Army.

Since then, I’ve completed my qualification to become a colonel in the Texas Army and am now serving as an elected member of the command staff. A couple years ago at WOB I got my first experience on a cannon crew. I’ve done it a few other times, but my preference is to fire muskets with the infantry.

So, here we are, back at Washington-on-the-Brazos after a two-year hiatus while the site was undergoing a major renovation. Several replica buildings have been built on the townsite, and the Star of the Republic Museum has been gutted and rebuilt to provide a more hands-on experience.

If you have not been to Washington-on-the-Brazos, or it’s been a while, you really need to go. In addition to my duties with the Texas Army, Sandy and I became volunteers at WOB and Friday we participated in the first Echoes of Independence: A Lantern Tour of the new townsite. We will spend the day Saturday dressed in our 1830s garb, demonstrating skills, visiting with guests and posing for pictures.

Although Washington County’s burn ban will prohibit us from having outdoor fires and firing cannons, we will still be doing demonstrations and firing our muskets. Firing demonstrations will take place on Saturday at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Admission to the site is free on Saturday and there will be a lot to see and do.

On Monday, March 2, the Sons of the Republic of Texas Lone Star Chapter will host the Texas Independence Day Celebration at the site’s amphitheater. State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst will be the keynote speaker at the event. The program begins at 1:30 p.m.