Liberty in Liberty County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Seven Pines

Photographed By Brian Anderson, April 22, 2018

1. Seven Pines Marker

Inscription. Benjamin Franklin Hardin (1803-1878) came to this area with other members of his family in 1826. Settling in the Atascosito District of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Texas, Franklin Hardin was named surveyor of the district in 1834. As a member of the Liberty Volunteers, he participated in the Battle of Concepcion and the Siege of Bexar in 1835 and the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836.

Hardin and his wife Cynthia O'Brien built a home on this site in 1839. The homesite, later known as Seven Pines, remained in the Hardin family for four generations. The family moved to a farm north of Liberty about 1845, but moved back and built a new house here in 1856. While Franklin Hardin was serving in the seventh Texas Legislature, Hardin County was created in 1858 and named in honor of his family.

Following the deaths of Franklin and Cynthia Hardin, ownership of the homesite passed to their descendants. Geraldine Davis Humphreys inherited the property in 1914. One year later the 1856 home was destroyed by fire. Geraldine Humphreys (d. 1961) bequeathed Seven Pines to the Humphreys Foundation, which donated it to the city of Liberty in 1969. The Geraldine D. Humphreys Cultural Center was built in 1969-70.

Erected 1988 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 9687.)

Topics. This

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Settlements & Settlers • War, Texas Independence. A significant historical year for this entry is 1826.

Location. 30° 3.517′ N, 94° 47.938′ W. Marker is in Liberty, Texas, in Liberty County. Marker is on Sam Houston Street west of Main Street, on the right when traveling east. Marker is located in front of the Geraldine D. Humphreys Cultural Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1710 Sam Houston Street, Liberty TX 77575, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Plaza Iglesia Parroquial (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of Liberty's Ursuline Convent (within shouting distance of this marker); Plaza Constitucional (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Ott Hotel (about 600 feet away); James B. Woods (about 600 feet away); Col. Edward Bradford Pickett (about 800 feet away); The Seven Courthouses of Liberty County (approx. 0.2 miles away); Casa Consistatorial (Courthouse Square) (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Liberty.

The Seven Pines Marker in front of the library image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, September 22, 2022

2. The Seven Pines Marker in front of the library

Credits. This page was last revised on September 22, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 22, 2018, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas. This page has been viewed 281 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on April 22, 2018, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas. 2. submitted on September 22, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.