Business District, San Felipe, Texas
historical marker
This historical marker in San Felipe, Texas, located in Austin County, designates the town's early Business District. San Felipe de Austin, founded in 1824 by Stephen F. Austin, served as the unofficial capital of his colony and the first urban center in the Austin colony. From 1823 to 1836, it was a focal point for American colonists in Mexican-controlled Texas. As the number of permanent residents in San Felipe grew, a vibrant business district developed west of Commerce Square. Merchants, including Nathaniel Townsend and George Huff, supplied shoppers with goods from around the world. Tailors also operated here, cutting clothes to meet the community's needs. This district was vital to the daily commerce of early San Felipe, which was known as the 'Colonial Capital of Texas'. The town played a significant role in the events leading to the Texas Revolution, hosting important meetings like the Consultation of 1835. San Felipe's role as a colonial capital ended when the town was burned by its residents on March 29, 1836, during the Texas Revolution, to prevent resources from falling into the hands of the advancing Mexican army.