Anahuac

Independence Trail Region
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In 1721, French explorer Jean Baptiste de la Harpe visited a village of Atakapan Indians who lived nearby. A little more than a century later, a Mexican fort was established here, and the town was officially named Anahuac in 1831 after the ancient capital of the Aztecs. Fort Anahuac was the site of the first armed conflict of the Texas revolution, and William B. Travis was briefly jailed here. Now, a historical marker located within Fort Anahuac Park marks the site. Two other notable historic sites are the 1830s original residence of Thomas Jefferson Chambers, for whom the county was named, and an 1890 medical office that displays period medical equipment. The Chambers County Courthouse was built in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Learn more about local heritage at the Chambers County Historical Museum. Anahuac is also known as the "Alligator Capital of Texas," and celebrates with a popular festival each year.

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