In July 1836, Ad Interim President of the Republic of Texas, David G. Burnet, named Columbia as the location for the country's first capital. He selected the town because it had adequate housing for legislators and possessed a newspaper, the TELEGRAPH and TEXAS REGISTER. The First Congress of the Republic convened in Columbia, and Sam Houston, the first elected President, was inaugurated here on October 22, 1836. The new government addressed a number of important issues while in Columbia, including the reorganization of the Republic's Army and Navy; the organization of a Post Office Department and General Land Office; the establishment of a Court System; and the approval of a National Seal and National Flags. The First Congress adjourned in December 1836, with plans to meet for a second session in the newly built City of Houston.
Although Congress began to meet in Houston, the Executive Branch remained here, conducting official duties until April, 1837, when President Houston moved his Executive Office to his namesake city. Although Columbia no longer served as capital, the Legislation passed here in 1836 continued to play a vital role throughout the years of the Republic. Today, Columbia is revered as a historic community and the First Capital of the Republic of Texas.
HM Number | HMRYC |
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Tags | |
Year Placed | 2008 |
Placed By | City of West Columbia, Texas with the help of Nita Kennemer |
Marker Condition | No reports yet |
Date Added | Monday, October 27th, 2014 at 3:25pm PDT -07:00 |
UTM (WGS84 Datum) | 15R E 242444 N 3226911 |
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Decimal Degrees | 29.14465000, -95.64750000 |
Degrees and Decimal Minutes | N 29° 8.679', W 95° 38.85' |
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds | 29° 8' 40.74" N, 95° 38' 51.00" W |
Driving Directions | Google Maps |
Area Code(s) | 979 |
Closest Postal Address | At or near 100-134 E Brazos Ave, West Columbia TX 77486, US |
Alternative Maps | Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap |
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