As someone who went to the University of Texas and is of a certain age, this felt like being a pilgrim in an unholy land. You see, Bryan is merged with College Station, home of Texas A&M. Longhorns and Aggies were rivals of old. Their football rivalry was once one of the biggest and bitterest … Continue reading 87. Bryan, Brazos County →

I honestly didn't expect for skateboarding to be that big of a deal out here of all places. But I guess small town America is the same no matter where you go. The simple fact that I can sometimes forget the very towns I've documented backs that up sort of. Each one is the same … Continue reading 86. Madisonville, Madison County →

Grab a snack or perhaps a refreshing drink. Because I'm about to have some things to say here... Anderson is tiny. We're talking Paint Rock tiny. It's possible that Anderson is tinier than Paint Rock, but only one of these has become synonymous with the very concept of a tiny town in my mind (a … Continue reading 85. Anderson, Grimes County →

So one thing I'm starting to come away from on this trip is that, though every courthouse seems pretty much the same (as I've mentioned before, they're starting to blend together for me), every one is different in its own way. So here we have another one that looks like the WPA was involved with … Continue reading 84. Hempstead, Waller County →

This one made me sad, but not for the reason you think. I had been avoiding it for a long time because I really wanted to do the Brenham Geotour. Had I not had my accident, I would have done it in late October/early November. Imagine my surprise to find out that it's no longer … Continue reading 83. Brenham, Washington County →

Smack dab in the center of town (as courthouses usually are) this one just kind of jumped up at me. I was driving and then all of a sudden I was there. It's strange how such a nondescript box is the center of authority here. Apparently there used to be a more classic courthouse, but … Continue reading 82. Bellville, Austin County →

Wharton was a strange dichotomy. On the one hand, there was something I expected to see, and, on the other hand, there was something I totally did not expect. This I expected. I knew there would be some kind of monument to the Confederacy. That's not the disconcerting part, though. Can you see it? Look … Continue reading 81. Wharton, Wharton County →

I'm not going to lie. That's what I think of when I imagine a courthouse. Grander than other buildings because they are worth the extra effort. Different than other buildings because they are the place of the people's business. Older than other buildings because they are a link to both the past and the future. … Continue reading 80. Richmond, Fort Bend County →

The drive here got weirdly emotional for me for a moment. My father was born in Brazoria County, a little town that is actually pretty much dead. There's nothing left but a convenience store, a post office, and a church from what I understand. My grandmother (who is actually not my father's birth mother) is … Continue reading 79. Angleton, Brazoria County →

When I was really young, my grandparents brought me down to Bay City a few times. My grandmother had family in town so we would come to visit. I remember that it happened, but little else besides. To be fair, it's been over 35 years since the last time I was here so even remembering … Continue reading 78. Bay City, Matagorda County →