DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Townsite of Dickinson, out on Galveston County's mainland. Now, if you're lookin' for where this stretch of Texas coast got its start, you go back — way back — to the very beginning of Austin's colony. The oldest mainland settlement in Galveston County, Dickinson takes its name from John Dickinson, one of the famed Old Three Hundred: those original settlers who came into Stephen F.
Austin's colony when it opened in 1821. That's about as early as Anglo-Texas history gets. The land itself has a story too.
The townsite sits on the Dickinson Bayou land grant held by James F. and Emily Austin Perry — Emily being Austin's sister, James his brother-in-law. In April of 1830, Austin himself rode out to survey this land, alongside his friend Seth Ingram. So the empresario's own boots were on this ground.
Early settlers followed. Alexander Farmer obtained a land grant in 1831 and built his home here after the Texas War for Independence ended in 1836. Herman Benson put up a dog trot cabin in the mid-1840s — and here's the part that ought to stop you: that cabin still stands.
Then there's General E. B. Nichols — merchant, statesman, leader in the Houston-Galveston area — who in 1857 built a summer home in Dickinson that is standing to this day.
Three structures across three different eras of Texas history, and all three still breathing. The colonial economy ran on agriculture and cattle raising. But by the time the nineteenth century was winding down, something sweeter was taking hold.
Eight trains a day were hauling produce out of here, and for a time — a glorious, fragrant stretch of time — this area was known as the Strawberry Capital of the World. Let that sink in for a moment. Right here on the Gulf Coast.
The Coast County Fair came to town in 1895 and 1896, with picnic and fairgrounds and an exhibit building standing right alongside the Galveston, Houston and Henderson Railway tracks. Community life was taking shape in other ways too. The first church — Methodist — was organized in 1876, served by circuit riders making their rounds.
The Dickinson Post Office opened in March of 1890. The first tax-funded school followed in 1892. From John Dickinson's name on an original colony roll, to strawberry trains rattling toward Galveston, to a dog trot cabin that refuses to fall down — Dickinson has been quietly holding its ground on the Texas coast for a long, long time.
The marker calls it a coastal beauty spot. Out here, that's not boasting. That's just the truth.
What the marker says
Oldest mainland settlement in Galveston County, named for John Dickinson, one of "Old 300" settlers in original colony (opened in 1821) of Stephen F. Austin. Townsite is on Dickinson Bayou land grant of James F. and Emily Austin Perry (brother-in-law and sister of Austin), surveyed in April 1830 by Austin and his friend Seth Ingram. Early settlers here included Alexander Farmer, who in 1831 obtained a lang grant where he built home after Texas War for Independence ended in 1836; and Herman Benson, whose mid-1840s dog trot cabin still stands. Gen. E. B. Nichols, merchant, statesman, and leader in Houston-Galveston area in 1857 built summer home still standing in Dickinson. Colonial era economy was based on agriculture and cattle raising. Toward end of 19th century, produce was shipped by eight trains a day; for a time area was known as "Strawberry Capital of the World." The Coast County Fair was held here 1895-96. Picnic and fairgrounds with exhibit building stood alongside Galveston, Houston & Henderson Railway tracks. Community's first church (Methodist) was organized in 1876 and served by circuit riders. Dickinson Post Office was opened in March 1890; first tax-funded school, in 1892. Town remains a coastal beauty spot.