Second capital, Washington on the Brazos

Washington on the Brazos was chosen as the second capital of the Republic. In 1821, Andrew Robinson’s family and other members of the Old Three Hundred settled near the future townsite. Robinson gave one quarter league of land to his daughter and son-in-law John W. Hall. Hall then laid out a town in 1833 and it was officially established in 1835 with the help of others. To stimulate further growth, Washington businessmen offered an assembly hall without charge to attract the Convention of 1836. The provisional government chose it as the place to hold the convention on March 1, 1836. While the government was here, the Texas Declaration of Independence at the Constitution of the Republic of Texas was created and signed. An ad interim government was also created. Once word spread of the fall of the Alamo, the town and the new government was evacuated by March 17, 1836.