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Brave Tuskegee Airmen Like Virgil Richardson Receive Special Day of Recognition in March from Texas Governor Abbott
Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day on May 5, 2025, during Texas's 89th...
Survivor of Goliad Massacre Buried at Local Cemetery
By Tracy Gupton As Texian soldiers routed General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna’s Mexican troops at the decisive Battle...
Museum Honors Runaway Scrape with Ball Saturday
The Second Annual Runaway Scrape Ball hosted by the Columbia Historical Museum will be held at West Columbia's...
West Columbia’s Fourth Mayor: W.H. “Boss” Pierce
*** This is the third in an occasional series about West Columbia’s mayors. *** By Susan Avera Holt Columbia Historical Museum William H. “Boss” Pierce was West Columbia’s fourth mayor and succeeded Dr. Greenwood in leading the city during wartime. Improving roads and...
UFO spotted in Damon
West Columbia Police Chief Bob Goode and Brazoria County Sheriff’s Deputy Billy McCoy reported seeing a UFO near Damon on the night of Sept. 3, 1965.
Roughneck Legend Reflects on Pro Career
The Columbia Roughnecks are in their 101st season and one of the school’s biggest stars, James Ray Smith, 90, reflects on his nine-year, pro career and his illustrious collegiate and high school gridiron days.
When the discussion surrounds who is the greatest Roughnecks football player of all time, there are several names bandied about, but the debate must begin with Smith.
The 1950 graduate of West Columbia High School is the only Roughneck to be an All American in college and a three-time NFL All-Pro first team selection.
Alamo survivor Byrd Lockhart Jr. buried in Columbia
I don’t know about you, but when I hear the word Lockhart, I get hungry. No matter where my family moved in the state, we would always make the pilgrimage to Lockhart for barbeque. In fact, several times after returning from overseas, I would gather up the family and...
West Columbia’s Mayors, part 2, 1942-1944
*** This is the second in an occasional series *** By Susan Avera Holt Columbia Historical Museum Dr. William M. Greenwood took office as the third mayor of West Columbia on April 7, 1942. Although his name doesn’t appear much in the newspapers, the good doctor was...
Storm of 1932 Devastated West Columbia
By Tracy Gupton Columbia Historical Museum Board Member John Garrett Smith’s premonition could not have imagined the scale of devastation that was forthcoming. “Shorty” Smith rode his horse to work that morning 90 years ago at the Texaco oil fields just outside...
Columbia Cemetery site of many Duff burials
By Tracy Gupton Columbia Historical Museum Board Member Now in my third year as president of the Columbia Cemetery Association (CCA), I and other CCA board members take pride in serving as keepers of the flame and caretakers of West Columbia’s historical graveyard. A...
Captain Henry Stevenson Brown, Hero of Velasco
By BENJAMIN TUMLINSON Columbia Historical Museum Board Member Being the son of a construction contractor and serving in the United States Army for the past 30 years, I’ve had the “opportunity” to move about every three years. As the new guy in town, one of the first...
Former bank holds museum treasures
By Susan Avera Holt Columbia Historical Museum Board Member First Capitol State Bank opened its doors at a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 22, 1950. The building was described as “new and luxurious” and “the house which Galloway built,” according to a newspaper...
West Columbia’s Mayors
*** This is the first in an occasional series *** By SUSAN AVERA HOLT Columbia Historical Museum Board Member In March 1938, West Columbia began feeling growing pains again as its 20-year-old oil field began production from new wells. At that time, 11 rigs were...
Weems Family, American Legion Post Histories Intertwine
From playing Hercules in a high school play to achieving Herculean accomplishments as a community leader, Sands “Sandy” Smith Weems III takes pride in achieving the many improvements at the local American Legion Hall. He would be the first to say it has been a group...
Hollywood Starlet Hails from West Columbia
Reflecting on a life well lived, Olive Kathryn Grandstaff Crosby beams with pride knowing her childhood dreams were achieved. The little girl who used to swing in the backyard hammock on East Bernard Street and gaze through the canopy of oak and pecan leaves at the...