Brazos Heritage Society

The Brazos Heritage Society is dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of Brazos County, specifically to identify, document, and preserve the architecture and historical context of Brazos County; promote the community's appreciation of its history through advocacy and educational programs; and combat the deterioration of older parts of our community through education, advocacy, and special projects.

HOW WE BEGAN

The year was 1975. On the corner of 30th and Haswell in Bryan an 1870s Italianate-villa-style brick home sat, slowly falling into ruin, in very real danger of being bulldozed. A small group of concerned neighbors banded together to save this endangered local landmark, their effort ultimately giving a new lease on life to the historic Cavitt House, named after its builder, William Richard Cavitt. In 1976, the Cavitt House received its National Historic marker.

Preserving this architectural treasure, considered to be one of oldest large homes in Brazos County, became the catalyst for forming the Citizens for Historic Preservation, re-named the Brazos Heritage Society in 1993. Building on this first successful preservation effort, the Brazos Heritage Society has continued its mission to preserve and restore valuable historical resources in Brazos County, and educate the County's citizens about the value of our local history.

WHAT WE DO

The Brazos Heritage Society works together with individuals, local groups, and municipalities to preserve history and sites of historic significance either in dedications or by entire preservation initiatives.

PAST PROJECTS

Some of our past notable projects include:
Preservation of the Cavitt House
Preservation of the Hudson-Harrison House
Development of Heritage Park, a neighborhood park at 30th and Hutchins in Bryan
Creation of the Eastside Historic District
Assisting with additional Historic Preservation Work in the area (e.g., donating to the creation of the African-American Museum)
Creating a local Historical Marker for the Boonville Jail site

CURRENT PROJECTS - TEMPLE FREDA RESTORATION

In conjunction with the Friends of Temple Freda, we are working to restore Temple Freda, the oldest Jewish synagogue in Brazos County. Built in 1912 on Parker Street in downtown Bryan, this small Greek Revival Style synagogue, designed by famous Texas architect Joseph Finger, was named for Mrs. Ethel Freda Kaczer, late wife of the congregation's president. It holds the distinction of being the only Texas synagogue, and one of only four synagogues world-wide, named for a woman. The other three synagogues are in Tripoli, Libya, and Hong Kong and Shanghai, China. Temple Freda shares building material with nearby St. Andrews, much of it donated by local citizens including many non-Jewish community members.

Mr. J. W. English, downtown Bryan businessman and a member of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, sold parts of lot 6 and 7 in block 117 of Bryan (a section fronting along Parker Street next to the railroad tracks) for the token sum of $10 to the Jewish community. His stipulation for the sale was that it must be used exclusively for "religious or benevolent purposes." Once the building has been restored it will be put back into use as a community venue, in keeping with Mr. English's stipulation.

EVENTS

4th of July in Heritage Park
What began as a neighborhood 4th of July celebration in the Eastside Historic District near downtown Bryan has developed into the more formal 4th of July in Heritage Park, a free community event hosted by the Brazos Heritage Society. This morning event features a flag raising and tribute by The Sojourners, a children's parade, a live band, refreshments, and a number of exhibitors booth put up other local non-profit groups in Brazos County.

EDUCATIONAL BOOTHS

Each fall, the Brazos Heritage Society participates in Boonville Days in October and Worldfest in November. Our educational booth showcases:

Information on our latest project(s)
A butter churning demonstration
A model of Boonville (the original county seat before Bryan was built - designed and presented by Mrs. Sheila Fields)
Historical area maps, including a map showing where Texas' original Old 300 settlers lived before they moved to Austin's Colony
Antique school books
Brazos County and Texas history books for sale

ANNUAL MEETING

Our Annual Membership Meeting takes place each February with a free program, information about the past year's events and accomplishments, and state-of-the-organization information. This meeting is open to the public.

Testimonials

No current testimonials.