Historical Markers in Beeville, Texas

McClanahan House · 1964

Oldest business structure in Beeville, erected about 1867 on east side of courthouse square, near Poesta Creek. General store, lodging house, post office. Pioneer western style, with southern porches. Built by G.W.…

Captain A.C. Jones · 1965

One of builders of Southwest. Born in Nacogdoches County, son of very early settlers. Became a cattleman; served as sheriff of Goliad County in 1858-1860. In Civil War cavalry of Col. John S. "Rip" Ford for 4 years.…

Papalote Creek · 1965

A few yards south passes Papalote Creek, crossed by the fierce Karankawa Indians who found kite-shaped pebbles and named it Papalote, which means "kite-shaped" or "wing-shaped". Along its banks came the leaders of the…

Cook Home · 1966

Built by John Cook, who was born 1846 in Texas-bound wagon train; at 17 was in Civil War; in 1866 married Frances Miller. Lived in rock house, near this site. With son, R.J., contributed much to area cattle industry,…

George Home · 1966

Built in 1890 by Will H. and Julia George of materials from early house on land inherited from her father, Maj. J.H. Wood (Texas Cattle Empire Builder) who came from New York to join Texas War for Independence.…

A. C. Jones Home · 1967

Built 1906 by Mrs. Jane Field Jones, (1842-1918), philanthropist, builder of a local school and teacherage, widow of "Father of Beeville," Captain A. C. Jones. Occupied 1918-1966 by Mr. and Mrs. Allen Carter Jones, III.…

Beeville on the Poesta · 1967

Long before Mexico granted land (1834) on Poesta Creek to the first settlers, Anne Burke and James Heffernan, savage Indians roamed this valley at will. Their colony, although successful at first, soon met disaster. In…

Medio Creek · 1967

Named by the Spaniards about 1800 because of its midway position between the San Antonio and Nueces Rivers. Rises in Karnes County; empties into Mission River. Crossed by explorers, padres, soldiers, settlers who…

Saint Philip's Episcopal Church · 1967

First Unit, transept, built 1893 on this site purchased in 1890 from heirs of G.W. McClanahan. In 1910, nave added with funds from sale of block of land given to the missionary jusidiction of Western Texas by English…

Early Trails in Bee County · 1968

From pack trails and wagon roads that marked this area at least 300 years, have developed such modern roads as U.S. Highway 181. The old trails of Indians, wild cattle and mustang horses formed highways for 17th, 18th…

Evergreen Cemetery · 1970

Block 1, Beeville original townsite, donated 1859 by Anne Burke. First owned by G.W. McClanahan, land was bought 1862 by county for "Public Burying Ground". In 1872, H.W. Wilson donated northeast strip, land was added…

Camp-Ezell House · 1971

A settler's "box" home built of Florida longleaf pine from house razed by Robert A. Ezell in Old St. Mary's. One of the structure's three chimneys served as a flue for two cooking units: kitchen stove and dining room…

Rountree Rock House · 1971

On land bought 1875 by Joseph Gustave Rountree (1838-80), who planned house before his death. Built 1881 by his young widow, Elizabeth Cornelia, with aid of her father, John Stillwell. The lumber was Florida pine,…

Thompson Building (First Brick Building on Square) · 1971

Victorian architecture. Built 1892 by grocer J.C. Thompson (1836-1905) of brick from Calavaros Kiln near Elmendorf. Upstairs in 1892 was law office of Lon C. Hill, who later founded Harlingen. Afterward on second floor…

Praeger Building · 1981

San Antonio businessman Albert Praeger (1864-1930) moved to Beeville in the 1890s to open a hardware store and tin shop. He built this Romanesque Revival structure in 1906 to house his business, which included buggies…

Cadiz Baptist Church · 1983

This congregation, orginally known as Lapara Baptist Church, was organized on Aug. 12, 1877, by 32 charter members. Services were held under a brush arbor and in a schoolhouse before a sanctuary was erected on Lapara…

William E. Madderra Home · 1983

As superintendent of the Beeville school system for 34 years, William Eldridge Madderra (1870-1936) was responsible for much of the development of the town's early educational programs. Madderra, for whom a lcoal school…

Blanconia (Old N2) Church · 1985

The first Baptist church in Refugio County was organized on April 22, 1855, and met in the Doughty Schoolhouse near Refugio. In 1865, the first sanctuary was erected (5 mi.W) and named for the cattle brand of member and…

First Presbyterian Church of Beeville · 1986

Presbyterians in Beeville began meeting together informally as early as 1885. In 1890-91 the Rev. Henry Ruffner Laird (1842-1925) was sent to officially organize a congregation in Beeville, and this church was begun…

First Methodist Church of Beeville · 1991

In 1861, three years after Bee County was organized, the Rev. Berry Merchant of Corpus Christi assisted Beeville Methodists in establishing the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Between 1862 and 1870, circuit-riding…

First National Bank of Beeville · 1992

Beeville, the county seat of the Bee County since 1860, did not have a secure bank until 1890, when the First National Bank of Beeville opened for business. Prior to that year, the town's only banking facility was A.C.…

Saint Joseph's Catholic Church · 1992

The emergence of this church is associated with Catholic services held by itinerant missionaries in the homes of predominantly Irish settlers located along the texas Gulf Coast in the late 1840s. The oldest written…

First Baptist Church of Beeville · 1993

This church was organized in 1869 as the Beeville Baptist Church. Its first sanctuary was built near Poesta Creek in 1871. The congregation grew quickly, emerging as the largest among the 39 members of the regional…

Commercial National Bank · 1997

The Commercial National Bank of Beeville traces its history to January 1893 when several prominent citizens met to organize a financial institution. elected as officers were Dr. L.B. Creath, A.G. Kennedy, John I. Clare,…

The Railroad in Bee County · 1997

On June 14, 1886, the first San Antonio and Aransas Pass (SA&AP) train arrived in Beeville to a cheering crowd. The arrival marked the combined efforts of SA&AP president Uriah Lott; Beeville merchant, banker and…

Bee County Courthouse · 2000

Bee County was created in 1857 from parts of five neighboring counties. The first county seat was located seven miles east of this site, and the first commissioners court was held on the banks of Medio Creek in February…

Colony Cemetery · 2002

Several Norwegian farmers and their families immigrated to this area beginning in 1894. Their settlement became known as Norwegian Colony or, simply, the Colony. In April 1897, Colony residents met to establish a…

Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church · 2004

West Side School for Mexican Americans · 2004

In the years before Texas became an independent republic, Hispanic and Irish settlers established ranches and farms in this area. Their children received education at home or in community schools. Bee County organized…

Jones Chapel United Methodist Church · 2005

This church, organized in 1888, was originally known as Jones Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church. At first, it was part of a circuit, and ministers often traveled by stagecoach or horseback as they rotated Sunday…

Rialto Theater · 2007

This distinctive building served as the flagship of a chain of 22 theaters in south Texas. In March 1922, brothers Henry and Sydney Hall announced plans to build a $25,000 two-story brick motion picture theater in…

St. Joseph Cemetery · 2007

This cemetery has served the Catholic population of Beeville since the late 19th century, when the town experienced impressive growth. Noted bishop Peter Verdaguer of the Brownsville Diocese purchased land here from…

Lott Canada School · 2008

With few formal schools available, education for many African Americans in the 19th century came through church instruction. In 1876, the first African American school in Bee County began in Stephen Canada's store seven…

St. Rose Cemetery · 2008

This historic African American burial ground is associated with two congregations organized in the 1880s. Many buried here were members of Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church or Jones Chapel United Methodist Church.…

Beeville Post Office · 2009

The first post office was established in Beeville in 1859, the year after the town's founding. The 1918 building was the first Beeville post office constructed on Federal property - previous locations were county- or…

Barnard Elliott Bee, Sr. · 2010

Statesman, soldier and ambassador, Barnard Elliot Bee, Sr., was a significant figure during Texas’ years as a republic (1836-45). He was born in South Carolina to federal judge, Thomas Bee, and Susannah (Bulline) Bee.…

American Legion Post 818 · 2014

CHARLES H. LYTLE, U.S. NAVY, WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN SERVICEMAN FROM BEEVILLE KILLED IN WWII. HE DIED ON JANUARY 4, 1945, WHEN THE USS OMMANEY BAY SANK NEAR THE PHILIPPINES AFTER BEING BOMBED. LYTLE (LISTED AS…

Glenwood Cemetery · 2015

In 1901, after nearby Evergreen Cemetery had begun to run out of burial space, local undertaker Christopher Rotzien purchased land adjacent to the St. Joseph Cemetery. The same year, the Eeds family purchased plots in…

Benjamin Dudley Tarlton Dougherty · 2016

Benjamin Dudley Tarlton Dougherty (1923-1978) was born to James Robert and Genevieve Tarlton Dougherty of Beeville, where his father practiced law. Known as Dudley, he lived in Beeville his entire life. Dougherty…

James Lincoln de la Mothe Borglum · 2016

Born in 1912 to Gutzon Borglum, sculptor of Mount Rushmore, Lincoln assisted his father on the monument’s construction. He oversaw completion after his father’s death and served as Superintendent of Mount Rushmore…

Beeville Bee-Picayune · 2018

The side parking lot of the Beeville Bee Picayune Office located on W. Corpus Christi Street, Beeville, Texas.