Port Sullivan
Maysfield, Milam County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Early important trade and educational center. Established by Augustus W. Sullivan in 1835. River navigation extended to this point for many years. The Austin-East Texas and the Houston-Waco roads crossed here. On this spot was located Port Sullivan College. Established in the early fifties. Incorporated December 16, 1863. Destroyed by fire in 1878.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Established by Augustus W. Sullivan in 1835 at the head of navigation on the Brazos, Port Sullivan became an important trade and education center where the Austin–East Texas and Houston–Waco roads crossed. It was home to Port Sullivan College, chartered in the early 1850s, but the town's fortunes faded and a fire in 1878 finished off what steamboats and railroads had already begun to bypass.
Why it matters
Port Sullivan is a classic Texas ghost town—a bustling river landing and college seat whose life depended entirely on transport routes that shifted away.
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Related people
- · Augustus W. Sullivan
Themes & tags
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