East Columbia in Brazoria County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Site of Carry Nation's Hotel

Photographed By Jim Evans, October 1, 2015

1. Site of Carry Nation's Hotel Marker

Inscription. During a brief and troubled time in her life, Carry Amelia Moore Nation (1846-1911) operated the "Old Columbia Hotel" on this site about 1880. She later achieved fame as a hatchet-wielding crusader against the use of alcoholic drink and tobacco.

Born in Kentucky to slave-owning parents, Carry Moore and her family moved to Grayson County, Texas, soon after the outbreak of the Civil War. After an unhappy first marriage in Missouri to an alcoholic, she married David Nation in 1877. They acquired 1,700 acres of farmland on the San Bernard River west of here. Unsuccessful at farming and marriage, David moved to Brazoria to practice law, and about 1880 Carry moved here to Columbia to operate the hotel owned by A. R. and Jesse W. Park. Her name is on the Columbia Methodist Church roll. She lived at the hotel with her daughter Charlien Gloyd, "Mother Gloyd" (Carry's first mother-in-law), and David's daughter Lola. David Nation also operated a saddle shop just southwest of this site.

The family soon moved to Richmond, Texas, to operate a hotel, then moved to Kansas in 1889. The Nations were divorced in 1901 after Carry began her crusade against saloons. She lectured at the University of Texas in Austin in 1902 and 1904. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986

Erected

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1986 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 9578.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Industry & Commerce • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1880.

Location. 29° 8.467′ N, 95° 36.893′ W. Marker is in East Columbia, Texas, in Brazoria County. Marker is at the intersection of Front Street (County Route 300B) and Austin Street (Route 300E), on the left when traveling east on Front Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: West Columbia TX 77486, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Bell's Landing (within shouting distance of this marker); East Columbia Historic District (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Ammon Underwood House (about 700 feet away); Sweeny-Waddy Log Cabin (about 800 feet away); "Columbia Blues" (approx. 0.2 miles away); Dance Gun Shop (approx. 0.2 miles away); Aldridge - Smith House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Tyler-Bryan-Weems House (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in East Columbia.

More about this marker. CAUTION: DO NOT try to go to the coordinates given on the State of Texas Historical Commission website. They will take you down a dead end on the wrong side of the river where some hostile people live.

Regarding Site of Carry Nation's Hotel.

Photographed By Jim Evans, October 1, 2015

2. Site of Carry Nation's Hotel Marker

Standing nearly 6 feet tall and weighing 180 pounds, Carrie Nation cut an imposing figure. Wielding a hatchet, she was downright frightful. In 1900, the target of Carrie's wrath was alcoholic drink. Nation, who described herself as "a bulldog running along at the feet of Jesus, barking at what he doesn't like," felt divinely ordained to forcefully promote temperance. Kiowa, Kansas was the setting of Carrie's first outburst of destruction in the name of temperance in 1900. Between 1900 and 1910 she was arrested some 30 times after leading her followers in the destruction of one water hole after another with cries of "Smash, ladies, smash!" Prize-fighter John L. Sullivan was reported to have run and hid when Carrie burst into his New York City saloon. Self-righteous and formidable, Nation mocked her opponents as "rum-soaked, whiskey-swilled, saturn-faced rummies."

Also see . . .
1. Carrie Nation's Bio in Wikipedia. (Submitted on October 4, 2015, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas.)
2. Brief Bio of Carry Nation's Crusade to Abolish Alcohol Drinking in the US. (Submitted on October 4, 2015, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas.)
3. Carry Nation in the Encyclopædia Britannica. (Submitted on October 4, 2015, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas.)

Additional keywords. Temperance

Credits. This page was last revised on December 21, 2019. It was originally submitted on October 4, 2015, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,220 times since then and 90 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 4, 2015, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.