City Tour of Stafford


In the early 1800's, when the land that is now Texas belonged to Spain, Stephen F. Austin took advantage of a Spanish offer to settle the vast area in exchange for generous land grants. William Stafford knew a good business deal when he saw one and was one of Austin's "Old 300" families that settled Texas in the early 1820's. In 1822, Stafford was given a league and a half of land in Southeast Texas and settled down to farm. On the land that came to be known as Stafford's Point, Stafford installed a horse-powered cotton gin to process the crop grown by his fellow farmers in the area. It marked the beginning of the friendly business climate that remains a trademark of the City of Stafford today.

Throughout its history, Stafford has experienced its share of ups and downs and has always managed to land on its feet. In 1836, the City played reluctant host to Santa Anna and his troops, on their way to San Jacinto, who spent the night and destroyed what there was of a town the next morning. By 1840, the settlers had returned and rebuilt the town. That was at about the same time the sugar cane industry in the area was taking off. On September 1, 1853, Stafford's Point became the destination of the first train to operate in Texas. It remained the end of the line for the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railroad's run out of Harrisburg for two years, till the rails were finally extended to Alleyton, just east of Columbus. By the 1950's, the surging growth of nearby Houston brought the agricultural way of life to a close. Developers pushed into Fort Bend County, offering lucrative prices for the farmers' land. The proximity of the railroad was an incentive to light and heavy industry, and corporations found the area's natural beauty appealing. A new way of life has dawned on the City of Stafford and Fort Bend County. The plantations have given way to business parks, and cotton gins have been replaced by computers.


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