579 S. Main St.
Anderson, TX 77830
936-873-2633
washington-on-the-brazos@thc.texas.gov
Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site is located approximately 30 miles southeast of Bryan/College Station. It consists of six acres in Anderson, county seat of Grimes County. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department acquired the property by purchase in 1977 from a Fanthorp descendant, and it was opened to the public Oct. 4, 1987, to demonstrate 19th century life at an early Texas stagecoach stop and family home. Ten years were spent researching and restoring the inn to its 1850 use as both a family home and travelers' stop.
The double-pen, cedar log dogtrot house was built by an English immigrant, Henry Fanthorp, when Texas was part of Mexico. Fanthorp petitioned Stephen F. Austin in 1832 for permission to settle in this original Austin Colony. He bought 1,100 acres and built his house in 1834 on the road that crossed his land, thus bringing travelers to his door immediately. Henry Fanthorp was appointed postmaster by the provisional Texas government in 1835, and saw the advantage of offering other services and goods to his frequent visitors. Within time, Fanthorp's Inn became a well-known stopping place for both travelers and the community.
Fanthorp Inn is open for public tours Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and for group tours (by reservation) and school events.
Upcoming Events
December 16
Dickens on the Brazos
Join us for Dickens on the Brazos, a joint Christmas program for Fanthorp Inn and Washington-on-the-Brazos! The holiday fun continues at Independence Hall where interpreters from Fanthorp Inn will set up a Christmas Post Office. Families can come...
January 13
Coffee Brewing at Washington on the Brazos
Henry Fanthorp was said to serve a cup of coffee so strong that it could bear up an iron wedge! During this program we will be set up in the tavern at Washington on the Brazos; roasting, grinding, and brewing coffee and its surprising 19th...
February 24
"Tying the Knot" The Fanthorps' 190th Anniversary at San Felipe de Austin
You are invited to the wedding of Rachel Virginia Kennard and Henry Fanthorp! Join us at San Felipe de Austin to commemorate the 190th anniversary of the Fanthorps' union . Hear the story of their early life, courtship, and marriage, and discover...
From the Blog
By Andy Rhodes, Managing Editor, The Medallion
To this day, the Republic of Texas captures the imagination of people across the globe. On March 2, 1836, the founders set in motion a series of events which created an identity that transcended politics and still lasts with us.
Some of the Republic’s most legendary locations—San Jacinto Battleground, Washington-on-the-...
Step back in time and experience the period of the Texas Republic in person or virtually at one of these Texas Historical Commission state historic sites.
San Felipe de AustinCommemorating the location where, in 1823, Stephen F. Austin established a headquarters for his colony in Mexican Texas, San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site and its museum share the stories of early...
By Andy Rhodes, Managing Editor The Medallion, Photos by Patrick Hughey
Texas’ Republic-era past takes center stage with the Texas Historical Commission’s (THC) recent acquisition of nine state historic sites. The sites’ legislative transfer from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department became official on September 1, 2019, increasing the...
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