Hatfield Plantation
Washington, Washington County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built of brick, white pine and cedar by slave labor in 1853, for Basil M. Hatfield, a San Jacinto soldier whose steamboat plied the Brazos River. His Washington store building was used by the Republic of Texas for its meetings, and here was held its last inaugural ball. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1965.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This 1853 house of brick, white pine, and cedar was built by enslaved workers for Basil M. Hatfield, a soldier of the Battle of San Jacinto whose steamboat worked the Brazos River trade. His nearby store in Washington had served the Republic of Texas for its meetings and hosted the Republic's last inaugural ball before Texas joined the Union. The home was recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1965.
Why it matters
The Hatfield place ties together the birth of Texas independence, the river commerce that opened the interior, and the enslaved labor that built the plantation economy — the intertwined threads of the antebellum frontier.
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Related people
- · Basil M. Hatfield
Related events
- · Battle of San Jacinto
- · Last inaugural ball of the Republic of Texas
Themes & tags
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