National Register Listing

Fort Anahuac

a.k.a. 41 CH 226

TX 564, Anahuac, TX

Fort Anahuac is now represented by only the foundations of its walls but the archeological deposits in the area are of the greatest significance in that they represent rare evidence of the brief Mexican Republic period of Texas history. Having been built and abandoned in that period the stratigraphic sequence should be easily interpreted. Difficulties encountered in accurately dating artifacts and features in sites of long occupation should not be encountered. The site is of great historic importance as the scene of the first serious agitation and armed conflict of the Texas Revolution.

Fort Anahuac was built by Mexico at the mouth of the Trinity River as a customs house and small fort in 1830 when Texas was still a Mexican state. The fort commanded the trade route to the early colonies of Anglo settlers in the Trinity River valley and was thus of great strategic, economic, and political as well as military importance. It was built by the small contingent of about 160 Mexican soldiers sent to be its garrison which was commanded by the infamous Col. Juan Davis Bradburn. Friction with the local settlers began when Col. Bradburn conscripted labor and materials to build the fort. The fort and nearby town of Anahuac was the scene of early agitation leading up to the Texas Revolution and for a time several prominent Texans including Patrick C. Jack and William B. Travis were imprisoned at the fort.

The fort originally had brick walls more than seven feet thick and had been built from a model given to Col. Bradburn by his superiors in Mexico. The fort armament consisted of two 18 lb. pivot guns. The barracks adjoining the fort had walls about four feet thick. Aside from enforcing customs laws another purpose of the fort was to halt foreign immigration in accordance with a new law passed on April 6, 1830. The local Anglo settlers resented the fort for both of these reasons as well as friction with soldier convicts who made up part of the garrison. The conflict between the settlers and the soldiers ensued.

Fort Anahuac has been called the "Birthplace of the Texas Revolution" and is of great historical importance for the following list of firsts that occurred there:

-Mexican authorities first unjustly jailed American colonists;
- The public first voiced opposition to unjust edicts;
- The first written resolutions of war (the Turtle Bayou Resolutions);
-The first to disregard Mexican martial law and take matters of civil rights into their own hands;
-The Texas navy's first action against Mexican forces;
-The first Texas marine assault on Mexican forces;
-Mexican soldiers first fired on an army of Texas colonists;
-The first Mexican soldier killed in action against Texas troops;
- And the first Texas soldier killed in action against Mexican troops.

Today the site of Fort Anahuac is a county park with historical markers to remind visitors of its historic nature. The county historical commission has plans for the archeological investigation of the fort and hopes subsequently to establish interpretive displays and exhibits.

Local significance of the site:
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1981.