Star of the Republic Museum

06/23/2026

Tucked into the margins of an 1879 copy of A History of Texas, an old man's memories hold one of the only clues we have to a man named Simon.

Moses Bryan, just 18 during the Texas Revolution, scribbled a memory into this book's margins: Stephen F. Austin "had to be assisted by his man Simon to mount his horse," too weak from his imprisonment in Mexico City to do it alone.
That single sentence is one of the few traces left of Simon, the enslaved valet who spent five of the most pivotal years of Texas history at Stephen F. Austin's side, and whose own story was never written down.

Brought to Texas in 1831, Simon became Stephen F. Austin's valet, a catch-all title for a job as wild and varied as caring for Austin's clothing to carrying rose bushes from San Felipe de Austin to Austin's sister's plantation, Peach Point. After Austin's imprisonment in Mexico City left him weakened, Simon helped care for him on his return to Texas. When the Texas Revolution broke out, Simon was by Austin's side during the Siege of Bexar until Austin left for his diplomatic mission to the United States. When the Runaway Scrape sent families fleeing toward Galveston, evidence suggests Simon was central to evacuating the Peach Point household, both free and enslaved.

After Austin's death, Simon was inherited by Emily Austin Perry and became Peach Point's head gardener. He likely married and had children, though records from the 1840s–50s leave his story tangled with another enslaved man of the same name. Simon died in the 1850s, before freedom came, leaving behind no words of his own, only the fragments others left about him.

This 1879 book, with Bryan's handwriting still visible in the margins, is one of those fragments.

What does this artifact tell you about whose stories get written down — and whose don't? Share your thoughts below. Then Visit the Star of the Republic Museum now through July 4th for our special self-guided tour, "Hidden in Plain Sight", and learn about more stories of Black Excellence hidden in plain sight.

06/19/2026

On June 19, 1865, the news finally reached Texas. Freedom had come.

Here at Washington-on-the-Brazos, the birthplace of Texas independence, we know that the promise of liberty has never been a simple story. Today, we honor the resilience of those who held onto hope for two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and who celebrated when freedom finally arrived.

Juneteenth celebrations in our region have deep roots; some of the oldest annual traditions in Texas stretch back to the 1870s right here in Washington County.

How are you celebrating freedom today? Share in the comments below!

And join us June 27 for the Annual Judge Eddie E. Harrison Juneteenth Heritage Celebration, a full day of celebration, history, and community, 10 am–4 pm. All are welcome.

06/18/2026

*We found a last-minute error, and need to reprint our guides. We hope the guides will be available on June 27 for Washington-on-the-Brazo's Juneteenth celebration.

What stories of Black excellence are hiding in objects you might walk right past?

Beginning on Juneteenth , this Friday, June 19, the Star of the Republic Museum presents: Hidden in Plain Sight: A Slow-Look Guide to Black Excellence in Everyday Life, Diplomacy, and Defense

This special self-guided tour runs June 19– July 4th and leads you through ten seemingly ordinary objects in our collection and the extraordinary stories of Black excellence and resilience they help tell.

Pick up your free printed guide at the front desk, set your own pace, and see our museum with new eyes. The tour is free with admission to the park.

Which category are you most curious to explore, everyday life, diplomacy, or defense?

06/16/2026

"...shall be then, thenceforward, and forever, free." - the Emancipation Proclamation

On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed an executive order declaring all enslaved people in Confederate territories to be free, including the roughly 250,000 enslaved people living in Texas.

But freedom didn't arrive in Texas for another two and a half years.

It wasn't until June 19, 1865, that Major General Gordon Granger landed in Galveston and proclaimed: "all slaves are free." That moment, and the celebrations that followed, are what we honor every year as Juneteenth.

Our Object of the Week is a printed broadsheet of the Emancipation Proclamation, issued in January 1863, from the Star of the Republic Museum collection. (SRM 1976-35)

We're honoring this history all month long. Join us June 27 for our Annual Judge Eddie E. Harrison Juneteenth Heritage Celebration, 10 am–4 pm.

06/12/2026

A new addition to our collection!

The Star of the Republic Museum recently had the opportunity to preserve a unique piece of Republic of Texas history. Thanks to the generosity of the Washington on the Brazos Historical Foundation, the Museum was able to purchase a Republic of Texas Contract US Model 1816 Pattern Musket, produced by Tryon Son & Company of Philadelphia.

Swipe through to learn how this flintlock musket worked, what makes it distinctly Texan, and the mysteries it still holds.

This musket is one of only a handful known to survive out of the 860 originally delivered to the Republic and it offers a unique window into events like the Santa Fe Expedition.

Plans are underway to put this rare piece on display — stay tuned for when you can see it in person!

06/11/2026

— June 10, 1832

Four years before the Texas Revolution, the fuse was already burning.

A group of men from Brazoria captured Mexican cavalry at Anahuac in an attempt to negotiate the release of a jailed lawyer named William Barret Travis, who had been arrested by garrison commander Juan Bradburn days earlier.

It was a small act of defiance. But moments like this one were quietly building toward something much larger. Would you have joined them?

Hear the full story on Re-Collections of the Revolution — Episode: "10 Steps to War"https://open.spotify.com/episode/6791g97iOMY9uNMf98odrn?si=xVKxIsYYQBOLyIKtLAlQSQ

06/10/2026

We always enjoy working with other Texas museums, and we can't wait for the Texas Living History Conference in January!

Our historical interpreter Colton spent the past weekend at Washington on the Brazos State Historic Site.

As a board member of the Texas Living History Association, he’s helping plan the 2027 TLHA Conference—set to take place right there at Washington.

Of course, no visit would be complete without a photo op with Sam Houston, one of the statues greeting visitors at the Star of the Republic Museum!

06/09/2026

Nothing is more satisfying on a hot summer day than a pitcher full of something cold.

Just maybe not this pitcher.

This Silver Resist Lusterware Pitcher normally lives behind the scenes, but today we're bringing it out of storage and into the spotlight. (SRM1980-48.13)

Made in Staffordshire, England in the early 19th century, Silver Resist Lusterware was the height of ceramic fashion during the Republic of Texas era. That gorgeous silvery floral pattern wasn't painted. It was created using a "resist" technique, where wax protected the bright metallic areas while darker glaze was applied around them. The result looks almost like a photographic negative pressed into clay.

Beautiful? Absolutely. But our educator has a note about that lemonade you were planning to pour into it. Like most ceramics of the period, lusterware was finished with a lead-based glaze, which can leach into acidic drinks. Water or iced tea only, please.

What do you prefer? Sweet or Unsweet? The comment section is a judgment-free zone.

06/06/2026

What do a cat's pawprints, a Spanish coin, and British ceramics have in common? They were all found during the 2024 archaeological dig at Washington-on-the-Brazos, and they all have a story to tell.

Join us Monday, June 8 from 5:30–6:30 pm at the Navasota Public Library for A Dig to Remember , an evening exploring what archaeology reveals about life at one of Texas's most significant historic sites.

We'll share a short presentation, dig into a hands-on activity, and give you a chance to see actual archaeological finds up close.

Which of those three finds surprises you most: the cat prints, the coin, or the ceramics? Let us know below!

Free and open to the public. See you there!
🔗https://www.navasotatx.gov/departments/public_library/programs.php

06/04/2026

Have you wanted to learn more about how Texas became Texas?

We agree with C. Cox, the Star of the Republic Museum is the perfect place to cool down this summer and learn about the Republic of Texas!