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Nicole Oliva

Tim Waggoner

English Comp. 1

23 September 2020

Unexpected Places
Driving down the highway, on my way to a new place to call home for a short time, I

noticed a familiar brown sign that states, “HISTORICAL MARKER ONE MILE AHEAD.” Having to

drive so often, I see these signs all the time but, I’ve never stopped at one. I think to myself why

I have never stopped at them before? What are they and what are they for? Maybe it was the

boredom of the 21-hour drive to south Texas, but my mind started to wander and thoughts of

cowboys and Indians started to take shape. Like a little movie was playing in the background of

my brain, men on horseback shouting a firing. Indians yelling out war cries as they chase the

cowboys on their big painted stallions. Maybe this is what took place near this historical

marker.

My brain snaps back to reality as a truck honks their horn at me to get out of the fast

lane. I changed lanes and saw another sign. “HISTORICAL MARKER AHEAD ON RIGHT'' I slow

down and pull off to the shoulder. I get out of the car and walk toward the marker expecting to

find old cannons or a display with historical artifacts. I felt a little disappointed when I found a

little metal placard sign, with what looks to be a seal of some sort, with the state of Texas at the

very top. I looked up past the sign and saw trees that clustered up against the tiny creek that

went under the highway bridge. There were pastures with cattle in the distance on the other

side of the highway. Horses in another huddle in the shade of a lone tree. It was hot and humid
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and the air was still. I look back down at the metal sign. Encircling the outline of the state are

the words, “TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMITTEE” and below that:

“ELLIOTT’S FERRY”

DURING THE EARLY DAYS OF ANGLE-AMERICAN COLONIZATION IN TEXAS, THE MATAGORDA BAY PRAIRIE AREA WAS AN IMPORTANT ROUTE

FOR PEOPLE TRAVELING BETWEEN SETTLEMENTS. A CONVENIENT RIVER CROSSING WAS A NECESSITY AND A FERRY WAS ESTABLISHED NEAR

THIS SITE THAT WAS GARRISONED BY A SMALL ARMY POST. IN JANUARY 1839, GEORGE ELLIOT PURCHASED LAND ON THE WEST BANK OF THE

COLORADO RIVER. THE FERRY CROSSING WAS KNOWN AS ELLIOTS FERRY. HIS TWO NEPHEWS ASSISTED IN THE BUSINESS AND CONTINUED THE

FERRY AFTER HIS DEATH. BY 1863 A SMALL SETTLEMENT HAD GROWN UP AROUND THE FERRY. THERE WAS A SMALL MERCANTILE AND POST

OFFICE. THE SETTLEMENT BECAME KNOWN AS ELLIOTS FERRY, TEXAS. IN 1893 THE POST OFFICE NAME WAS CHANGED TO ELLIOT, TEXAS AND

A YEAR LATER WAS MOVED TO BAY CITY. IN 1902 A BRIDGE WAS BUILT OVER THE COLORADO RIVER KNOWN AS THE OLD RIVER BRIDGE. ITS

COMPLETION RESULTED IN THE DEMISE OF ELLIOT'S FERRY.

As I got back in my car, I started to get curious about how many other historical markers

there were in the area and where they would lead me. When I got home I decided to do a

google search. It led me to a website called “atlas.thc.texas.gov” There, you could search for

any city to find all of the historical markers that are in the area. It gives you the directions to

each marker on google maps. My search brought back 14 results. The next day I got in my car

with my trusty dog and set out for an adventure. I was determined to take a trip through time

and check this off my eternal bucket list.