July 31, 2007

Liberty

Liberty, Texas (population: 8033), is the Liberty County Seat and is 29 miles E of Humble, 42 miles NE of Houston, and 44 miles W of Beaumont. Liberty once stood at the head of navigation on the Trinity River. Founded near a 1756 Spanish settlement called Atascosito, American squatters began arriving around 1818. The town was granted a post office in 1836. Sam Houston practiced law in Liberty and maintained two plantation homes in Liberty County until his death. After the Battle of San Jacinto, officers of the Mexican army were held for a time in Liberty at a location now known as Mexican Hill. Liberty was incorporated in 1837 and became the county seat.


This building sits on one of the corners of the area once known as Plaza de Mercado, and was built in 1931. Plain perhaps, but I love the Art Deco details.



Liberty County Courthouse c. 1930, Moderne style

Liberty Opry on the Square, a.k.a. the Park Theatre



The Historic Ott Hotel, built in 1928 to capitalize on the oil boom, is yet another Texas hotel that is supposedly haunted.

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