Happy birthday, Texas.
Texans, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, will gather this weekend at the Washington on the Brazos State Historic site to celebrate the state’s 179th birthday.
“Washington on the Brazos is the location where Texas became Texas,” said Cathy Nolte, complex manager. “In 1836, men from across the territory of Texas, delegates who had been elected to come here, declared independence from Mexico. That was a monumental event because it created the Republic of Texas.”
Patrick, introduced by state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, will deliver a short keynote address Sunday before cutting into a giant Texas-shaped birthday cake.
“We celebrate the creation of the republic, our independence for Texas, on the weekend closest to March 2 every year,” Nolt said.
Nolt said that aside from giving people the opportunity to learn about the history of Texas Independence, the weekend celebration will also include a wide range of activities including ceremonies, entertainment, special programs, food vendors and reenactments.
According to a press release, the event will also mark the recent opening of a local museum’s new exhibit titled “Enduring Spirit: African Americans in 19th Century Texas.” The exhibit will will display slavery artifacts and will include documents of the period such as slave records, freedmen contracts and an oath of allegiance.
The event is about a 40-minute drive from College Station and most events are free to the public.