River brought many settlers who built houses, stores, and
other structures in their homeland's architectural styles. As
Dr. Peter Dedek of Texas State University in San Marcos
states, "Columbus has a greater diversity and higher concen-
tration of historic architecture than any similar community
in Central Texas."
Visitors to Columbus can learn about these historical
homes and their owners through a self-directed driving tour
by picking up a map at the Stafford Opera House. At various
tion and hear descriptions of both the buildings and their
colorful owners. There's the recently renovated Colorado
County courthouse that lost its clock tower in a 1909 hur-
ricane, the oldest brick commercial building in Colorado
County, and the indestructible water tower that is now a
Confederate museum.
resulted in the burning of Columbus. The Alley's log cabin was one of the first homes rebuilt
after that event. The Alleys were part of Austin's "Old Three Hundred" and received some of
the first Texas land grants in the area.
lived in Columbus and wrote about her experiences during the "Runaway Scrape," preserving the
memories of that time period. In 1858, her home was built of concrete before it became the popular
building material used today. Back then, concrete buildings were constructed from water, ash, sand,
and gravel. The mixture, poured into a form to harden, became a wall, and stucco applied to the
exterior provided protection from the weather.
rior that inspired the Daughters of the American Revolution to replicate one of its rooms at
their national headquarters in Washington D.C. The stenciled walls and ceilings maintain
their vibrant colors to this day.
at one point. Of these, the driving tour mentions the Red Elk and Brunson saloons. Perhaps these
contributed to the mayhem. However, the city's violence required frequent Texas Ranger visits to
maintain the peace. Additionally, city government was abolished for a few years in the early 1900s.