An Ultra High Definition 4K Driving Tour of Richmond, Texas
Richmond, Texas is the county seat of Fort Bend County, Texas. Just under 13,000 people live in Richmond, Texas. Despite being the county seat of Fort Bend, Richmond is not the largest city in the county. Nearby Sugar Land is much larger, with a population of about 118,000 people.
Richmond, Texas is named after Richmond, England.
What is Richmond, Texas known for?
Richmond is known for being the home of many prominent people from Texas history. In 1822 a group of settlers led by Stephen F. Austin settled an area along the Brazos river. A fort was built along a bend in the river that was later called Fort Bend. This settlement expanded and became home to prominent Texans such as Jane Long, Mirabeau Lamar, and Deaf Smith.
Where is Richmond, Texas located?
Richmond is a suburb of Houston located 26 miles southwest of the city. Richmond is considered part off the greater Houston metropolitan area. Many residents of Richmond commute to Houston for work.
What to do in Richmond, Texas
George Ranch Historical Park
10215 FM 762 Rd, Richmond, TX 77469
The George Ranch Historical Park is a family owned private living history educational organization. They offer tours of their facilities to school groups and the public. Admission for adults is $15, and tickets need to be reserved in advance. It is a 20,000 acre ranch which has historic buildings, and demonstrations. There are buildings from the 1830s, 1860s, 1890s and the 1930s.
George Ranch is open to the public on Saturdays during the day. It is a working ranch that is preserved according to four different historical time periods. The ranch is a living history museum with many interactive experiences.
1830’s Jones Stock Farm
Henry and Nancy Stiles Jones were settlers with the first 300 families that came to settle the Brazos River area with Stephen F. Austin. They moved to the area in 1822 and received a land grant of 4,428 acres in 1824. Ten years later they would be a part of the Texas battle for independence from Mexico.
1860’s Ryon Prairie Home
This house was built in 1851 for Polly and William Ryon. The family experienced great prosperity while living in Texas after the Civil War. They expanded their landholdings and maintained a large cattle operation.
1890’s Davis Victorian Complex
The Davis House shows what life was like in Texas for an extraordinarily wealthy family during the victorian era. The family made changes diversifying sources income away from ranching and into some of the business opportunities in town. They were involved in banking, cotton, and the electric company.
1930’s George Home and Cattle Complex
In the 1920’s the family found oil on their property. They also expanded the cattle operations to adapt to the modern cattle industry. The home is still filled with the family’s furnishings from the era.
Fort Bend Museum
500 Houston St, Richmond, TX 77469
The Fort Bend Museum has a gallery and historic homes. The Fort Bend Museum has information on the history of Fort Bend. There are many prominent Texas families that lived in the area. The museum has a permanent collection of historical artifacts from the community, as well as historic buildings.There is the 1883 Historic Moore Mansion which is on the national register of historic places. They also have the Long-Smith cottage which was built in 1855 and is one of the oldest buildings in Richmond.
Morton Cemetery
900 Morton St., Richmond, TX 770469
MortonCemetery.com
The Morton Cemetery was established in 1825 and is one of the most historic cemeteries in Texas. Texas was part of Mexico at the time that the cemetery was founded. Many prominent Texans who were involved with the Texas struggle for independence are buried in the cemetery.
Historic gravesites include those of Mirabeau Lamar, Jane Long, Walter Burton, and Albert P. and Mamie E. George.
Lone Star Saloon
102 S 3rd St, Richmond, Texas 77469
The Lone Star Saloon is located in historic downtown Richmond, Texas. It is a country and western saloon in Richmond, Texas with live music.
Messina Hoff Harvest Green Winery and Kitchen
8921 Harlem Rd, Richmond, TX 77406
messinahof.com
Braman Winery and Brewery
3421 Farm to Market 359, Richmond, TX 77406
Where to stay in Richmond, Texas?
There are many hotels in Richmond, Texas as well as nearby Rosenberg, Texas. Richmond is also not very far away from the Brazos Bend State Park which offers camping. Richmond is a great stop on the way back into Houston after a camping trip at the state park.
History of Richmond
The area was part of Mexico when Stephen F. Austin brought 300 families to the area and a fort was built. Many of the residents were involved in the Texas battle for independence.
In 1836 the settlement was evacuated as part of the Runaway Scrape, after the fall of the Alamo.
Later, Richmond was one of the cities incorporated in 1837 under a special charter of the Republic of Texas.
Much of the city was built on land donated by Jane Long, a widow and wealthy plantation owner who ran boarding houses and received land grants from Stephen F. Austin.
In 1889 a years long violent dispute between rival political groups came to a head with the Jaybird – Woodpecker War. The Jaybirds, and the white supremacist that supported them, won the war. For more information please see this article from the Texas State Historical Association available here.