Lake Jackson Historical Association

Lake Jackson Historical Association (LJHA) preserves and educates about the history of the city and area, including the industrial town narrative that includes the thriving industry of today, the Native American Karankawa who were here when Stephen F. Austin began his colony here along the Brazos River and the plantation era, which saw thousands of people enslaved to produce sugar and cotton. The Karankawa lived near the Texas Gulf Coast, and consisted of five separate bands. The Coco band (also known as Caaucozi, Caocasi, Cascossi, Coke, Quaqui, Quoaque, Capoque) Indians were the northern most band and the ones associated with the area of Lake Jackson. It was this band of Karankawa encountered by Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca on Galveston Island. The other tribe he found on Galveston, referred to as the Hans, were most likely Akokisa, who had been present on the island for centuries. Austin’s colony began along the Brazos River in Brazoria County, Texas where 89 of his ‘Old 300’ had their land grants. Plantation owners in the area became some of the wealthiest people in Texas. According to some sources, the last shipment of Africans brought as slaves into North America arrived at the mouth of the San Bernard River in 1840. The Jackson Plantation Historic Site was once known as “Lake Place,” one of three plantations owned by Abner Jackson. The site is a small portion of the original plantation and today still bears witness to the past with numerous brick ruins, including the former planters’ home, living quarters of the enslaved and the sugar mill. The site is Free and open to the public the first Saturday of every month, weather permitting! The Historical Museum provides more information on all these things and an in depth look at how the city came to be and why. Meet midcentury-mod architect Alden Dow, student of Frank Lloyd Wright and learn how the drive to win a World War led to new industry and innovations. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10-4pm.