Fifth of July

Tim had Monday off, Maya's school was closed, so we decided to spend another day around Central Texas.  We went to Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park--the birthplace of Texas.  It was in Washington that great Texans signed their Declaration of Independence from Mexico in the 1800s.  The town was also a big steamboat stop, once the cotton trade picked up--so big, in fact, that they told the railroad it wasn't necessary to build tracks into town.  So the town disappeared shortly thereafter.  At Washington-on-the-Brazos, we saw the Barrington Living History Farm (the farm belonged to Anson Jones, the last president of the Republic of Texas), had a picnic in a lovely Pecan grove, saw the Star of the Republic museum (which was actually quite good), visited a reconstructed Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Independence was signed), and wandered the old streets of Washington (there are no buildings remaining, but there are nice interpretive guide signs).  It was super hot, so we stopped in Brenham for some ice cream on the way back.  If you know what we're talking about... well, you know what we're talking about.  :)  Brenham is the home of Blue Bell Creameries, the best ice cream in Texas, and probably the US.