About the conservancy
The Cradle of Texas Conservancy was established in 1982 by concerned volunteers, to assist local agencies and organizations in efforts to promote recreational areas and activities within Brazoria County. Although its first activities focused on creation of the first parks of the then-new Brazoria County Parks Department, it has remained in existence to assist other agencies and related purposes. Its ongoing goals are to promote recreation and to protect sensitive areas within Brazoria County and surrounding areas. This is accomplished by holding property and/or money until they are needed by the agency and/or organization. Since that time, the Conservancy has continued to exist, gradually accepting donations (generally small gifts of land or funds), while transferring or selling properties when deemed appropriate. In some cases, the CTC has accepted ownership of wetland mitigation land and/or conservation easements on privately-held lands.
The namesake of the organization (Cradle of Texas) is a local term used the describe the fact that this area is where Stephen F. Austin began his colony, which became the largest and most successful of the various empresario grants of Spanish and Mexican Texas. The first of his "Old Three Hundred" colonists arrived on the schooner Lively at the mouth of the Brazos in 1821, and this river served as the main entry point for many of the rest, growing into a large population. In 1835, as opinion shifted towards Texas independence from Mexico, Stephen F. Austin arrived back in Texas aboard the schooner San Felipe at the mouth of the Brazos, after about 18 months of imprisonment in Mexico. Still hopeful that his colonists could maintain his policy of "Fidelity to Mexico", he sailed right into a sea battle at Velasco on 1-Sep-1835 between the colonists and the Mexican cruiser Correo Mexicano, convincing him to decide for Texas independence, after which things moved quickly to open revolt. No less an authority than the Texas State Library recognizes this as the opening shot of the Texas Revolution. After Texas won its independence at San Jacinto in Apr-1836, the new interim government met at Velasco from May-Oct 1836, where Santa Anna was held prisoner and where he signed the Treaties of Velasco. Thus, in a way, the Texas Revolution can be said to have started and ended in Brazoria County, indeed at old Velasco. After new democratic elections occurred in Sep-1836, the government moved to West Columbia in Oct-1836, and this is where Sam Houston took office as the first President of the Republic of Texas, and where Stephen F. Austin died near the end of 1836 while attending to his public duties as the first Secretary of State. His personal choice for his home was near Jones Creek, and this is where he was interred from 1836 to 1910, when moved to the State Cemetery in Austin.
The namesake of the organization (Cradle of Texas) is a local term used the describe the fact that this area is where Stephen F. Austin began his colony, which became the largest and most successful of the various empresario grants of Spanish and Mexican Texas. The first of his "Old Three Hundred" colonists arrived on the schooner Lively at the mouth of the Brazos in 1821, and this river served as the main entry point for many of the rest, growing into a large population. In 1835, as opinion shifted towards Texas independence from Mexico, Stephen F. Austin arrived back in Texas aboard the schooner San Felipe at the mouth of the Brazos, after about 18 months of imprisonment in Mexico. Still hopeful that his colonists could maintain his policy of "Fidelity to Mexico", he sailed right into a sea battle at Velasco on 1-Sep-1835 between the colonists and the Mexican cruiser Correo Mexicano, convincing him to decide for Texas independence, after which things moved quickly to open revolt. No less an authority than the Texas State Library recognizes this as the opening shot of the Texas Revolution. After Texas won its independence at San Jacinto in Apr-1836, the new interim government met at Velasco from May-Oct 1836, where Santa Anna was held prisoner and where he signed the Treaties of Velasco. Thus, in a way, the Texas Revolution can be said to have started and ended in Brazoria County, indeed at old Velasco. After new democratic elections occurred in Sep-1836, the government moved to West Columbia in Oct-1836, and this is where Sam Houston took office as the first President of the Republic of Texas, and where Stephen F. Austin died near the end of 1836 while attending to his public duties as the first Secretary of State. His personal choice for his home was near Jones Creek, and this is where he was interred from 1836 to 1910, when moved to the State Cemetery in Austin.
The purpose of the Conservancy is:
1. To increase parks and open space in the Brazoria County area.
2. To accept and manage funds and property from persons and corporations.
3. To make financial or other contributions for expanding and improving the park systems of public governmental agencies.
The need for land trust organizations lie in the fact that donors can obtain a tax deduction for their donation to a 501(c)3 organization, which would not be available if donated directly to a public government group. Also, a 501(c)3 status is often beneficial (occasionally required) to apply for grants. Also, by pooling many small donations, the CTC can effectively focus on local needs.
More details can be found by clicking on the following live links:
CTC Articles of Incorporation
The purpose of the Conservancy is:
1. To increase parks and open space in the Brazoria County area.
2. To accept and manage funds and property from persons and corporations.
3. To make financial or other contributions for expanding and improving the park systems of public governmental agencies.
The need for land trust organizations lie in the fact that donors can obtain a tax deduction for their donation to a 501(c)3 organization, which would not be available if donated directly to a public government group. Also, a 501(c)3 status is often beneficial (occasionally required) to apply for grants. Also, by pooling many small donations, the CTC can effectively focus on local needs.
More details can be found by clicking on the following live links:
CTC Articles of Incorporation
In recent years, the CTC has adopted a more pro-active role, by tackling some larger new projects:
- Replica of the 1832 Mexican Fort Velasco
- Sponsorship of contractors to pursue grants for coastal, prairie and bottomlands natural areas
- Replica of the 1832 Mexican Fort Velasco
- Sponsorship of contractors to pursue grants for coastal, prairie and bottomlands natural areas
Please Donate to Fort Velasco Replica Project
Please consider a donation to the efforts of the CTC to preserve the history of the Old Velasco area, by clicking on the link below.