Gov. Bill and Vara Daniel Center for Legal History

Along the shaded banks of the Brazos River sit more than 20 wood-frame buildings which represent a Texas farming community from about 1880 to 1910. The 13-acre site includes a cotton gin, a blacksmith shop, a livery stable, a hotel, a saloon, a church, a school, and the homes of landlord, sharecropper, and tenant farmers. These were originally located 45 miles north of Houston on the Plantation Ranch of Gov. Bill and Vara Daniel, the site of the earliest permanent Anglo settlement in the Atascosito District of Spanish-ruled Texas in 1818. The open-air museum provides a unique experience for visitors who want to understand Texas' agricultural heritage. The site is open throughout the year and offers a look back at rural Texas life 100 years ago. Programs include a Pioneer Heritage Day in the spring and a Heritage Harvest Festival in the fall. Volunteers help staff the site year-round.

Gov. Bill and Vara Daniel Center for Legal History Web Site

Driving Direction GPS Coordinates:
30.276552 -97.741124


Museum Address:
1414 Colorado Avenue
Austin, TX

Gov. Bill and Vara Daniel Center for Legal History Contacts:
Phone: (512) 463-1463