DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it — Old Market Square, Harris County. Way back in 1836, two surveyors named Gail Borden, Jr., and Moses Lapham put pen to paper and platted a piece of ground they called Congress Square. And the city fathers — Augustus C.
Allen and John K. Allen — had big plans for it. Big plans.
They intended for this to be the permanent Capitol of the Republic of Texas. Nothing less than that. Well.
It never quite worked out that way. Almost immediately — and I do mean almost immediately — the place became the beating commercial heart of a flourishing city. Residents, farmers, peddlers, Indians — they all crowded in daily with wagon loads of goods to trade.
Before long, merchants were jostling for permanent sites to set up their stores. One early observer offered what you might call an editorial opinion on why the square was so popular. Said the reason was that the municipal government was being conducted in Kesler's Arcade — which was a saloon only a half block away.
Draw your own conclusions about the foot traffic. In 1840, Houston's first municipal market house went up right here on this ground. And before they even finished building the thing, city officials voted to enlarge it — and to fold in a city hall while they were at it.
That building then served a dual role for thirty years. Thirty years. The market overflowing until the goods spilled right out into the streets.
Household items, farm goods, all manner of things changing hands. In 1842, it was here — right here on this same ground — that the Houston Independent Light Guard mobilized after Texas decided to invade Mexico. This square had a way of being present for the consequential moments.
Several municipal buildings occupied the site after that original market-and-city-hall combination ran its course. But the seat of city government eventually moved on to a new location. And Congress Square, the would-be Capitol of a Republic, the market that couldn't stay indoors, the civic hub that kept a saloon in its orbit — it became a park.
Some ground just keeps on serving, no matter what you call it.
What the marker says
Platted 1836 by surveyors Gail Borden, Jr., and Moses Lapham as "Congress Square." It was intention of city fathers Augustus C. and John K. Allen to have permanent Capitol of Republic of Texas located here. However, this was never realized and almost immediately it became center of commerce for the flourishing city. Residents, farmers, peddlers and Indians all crowded here daily with wagon loads of goods to trade. Soon merchants were vying for permanent sites for stores. One early observer noted "reason for its popularity was that the municipal government was conducted in Kesler's Arcade, a saloon only a half block away." In 1840 Houston's first municipal market house was built here. Before it was completed, city officials voted to enlarge it and include a city hall also. For 30 years building served dual role-- the market overflowing till it reached the streets. Many items, including household and farm goods, were sold here. It was here that Houston Independent Light Guard mobilized after Texas decided to invade Mexico, 1842. Several municipal buildings occupied the site following original market-city hall. However, the seat of city government was eventually moved to a new location and this became a park.