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History in
Pecan Shell
The broad alluvial
valley along the eastern border of Burleson
County is generally called "The Bottoms." It covers nearly 25%
of Burleson County.
The Bottoms usually refers to the land between the Brazos and Little
Brazos Rivers. This is estimated to be 150,000 acres of very fertile
land. Denizens of the area might be surprised that there once was
a specific place called Brazos Bottom, Texas.
The post office was in the store of the Wilkerson Plantation as attested
to by this 1858 postal cover,
provided by John
Germann.
In June of 1899, the Brazos River overflowed its banks, completely
submerging flood gauges at Hearne where
the waters crested. An estimated 12,000 acres were flooded and nearly
300 people lost their lives in the deluge. During WWII,
German soldiers from Camp
Hearne were sometimes leased out to area farmers to tend and harvest
local crops. Native Son, musician Mance Lipscomb was born in 1895
in the Brazos Bottoms (near Navasota
in neighboring Brazos
County). The book The Word on the Brazos is a collection
of stories about the region, told to the author. Along the lines of
the work of Jesse Stewart, the stories are extremely revealing of
time and place. Some of them are unforgettable, The book is highly
recommended for anyone interested in local history or African-American
studies.
In one story, the new preacher of a Navasota church is becoming acquainted
with his new community. He sees a group of young men, smoking, cursing
and gambling. He politely asks them for directions to the post office,
which they soon give him. He thanks them and goes on his way. As an
afterthought, he goes back to the group and introduces himself, saying
he would like to show them "the way to heaven." One of the boys says
"How are you going to show us the way to heaven when you don't even
know the way to the post office?" |
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Burleson
County map showing Brazos Bottom
Modified Texas General Land Office 1920s map |
Brazos Bottom,
Texas Forum:
Subject:
Brazos Bottom, TX
Aaaahhhhh, back to my childhood. My mother and her family lived
in and around Caldwell. That bottom
land was so rich, my Grandpa said you could throw seeds of just
about anything on top of it and get bumper crops even if you weren't
trying. One year he threw watermelon shells and seeds out the back
door of their little house when we were visiting, the chickens picked
the shells clean, the skins dried up and next year he had watermelons
around and under the back porch steps. We had forgotten all about
his prediction. Our mother even said we shouldn't listen to such
a whopper. That visit we ate the whoppers, but they were the melons.
Loved the trip back. Thanks. - Frances
Giles, October 11, 2014
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Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
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