History Where We Are

Civil War Driving Tour Historical Overview

As the Civil War began in 1861, Brazos County found itself on the frontline of Texas’ contribution to the Confederate war effort. While we think of Bryan and College Station as central hubs of the county today, during the war, that designation belonged to Millican. Our tour begins in what is now a stop-sign town, but what was once a thriving railroad and cotton-growing community built off the backs of enslaved labor. Once freed, those formerly in bondage founded their own community, Hall’s Town. Central to Hall’s Town was the Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church. This was a central location in the community, but extreme racial violence drove many community members out of the county.

As they entered the Reconstruction era, a few miles North of Millican, a new community called Bryan emerged as the county seat. Founded by William Joel Bryan, a contributor to the Confederate war effort, the town proved to be a viable option for future railroad and commercial expansion. With Millican left behind, Bryan’s Carnegie Library proved a solid option for Confederate Veterans, such as Hood’s Texas Brigade, to call home and memorialize their wartime service.

Many of them called Bryan City Cemetery their final resting place. Likewise, freedpeople who remained in the area were interred in burial grounds in the same location, with noticeably different conditions.

To celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War’s end, Veterans Park commemorated the milestone with statues, plaques, and dedicated benches to those who served. The legacy of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the varying perspectives in memory continue to live on in Brazos County, Texas. The sites below are featured in driving order.

To learn more about these locations and their history, please click on the photos.

For some driving instructions and addresses, please click HERE.

Surprising Civil War Symposium Tour Photos