Palacios in Matagorda County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
W.C. Williams Building
Photographed by James Hulse, March 11, 2021
1. W.C. Williams Building Marker
William Conrad “Billy” (W.C.) Williams was born in Matagorda County on February 20, 1854, to John Aaron Williams (1816 - 1865) and Catharine Elizabeth (Franz) Williams (1827 - 1914). John was a ships carpenter from Denmark. Catharine, his wife, was from Germany. W.C. Williams married Martha Alice Franz, (1860 - 1952) in 1876, a union which produced seven children. Before moving to Palacios, Williams was a childhood friend of well known author Charles Angelo Siringo and is mentioned several times in A Texas Cowboy. The families lived near each other on Matagorda Island in a small colony called the “Dutch Settlement”. In 1903, Williams, his brother and son were involved in oil ventures in the lucrative Big Hill Oil Discovery Area in Jefferson County. Williams came to Palacios in 1904 at the age of fifty and purchased a lot intending to erect a commercial building.
The Williams Building was completed in 1909 in the Romanesque style with circular arches. The 4200 square foot brick structure was the cornerstone of the business community and an anchor to Palacios Downtown. The first recorded occupant was Palacios Hardware owned by O.L. Sparks and then G.H. Davis. The building was also home to Traylor Hardware, the office of Dr. Joseph Wagner, Golden Rule Grocery, Price Cash Hardware, and Lawson
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Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2015
Erected 2015 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 18282.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is February 20, 1854.
Location. 28° 42.03′ N, 96° 12.993′ W. Marker is in Palacios, Texas, in Matagorda County. It is at the intersection of Commerce Street and 5th Street, on the right when traveling west on Commerce Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 456 Commerce Street, Palacios TX 77465, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American South and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: It Took a Village (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Cleaning, Sorting and Saving (about 300 feet away); Contract to Demolish Withdrawn (about 300 feet away); And the Tree was Dying! (about 300 feet away); Honor Uncle Jackie's Wishes! (about 300 feet away); Native Son Keeps the Legacy Alive
Photographed by James Hulse, March 11, 2021
2. W.C. Williams Building and Marker
Photographed by James Hulse, March 11, 2021
3. The view of the W.C. Williams Building from the road
Credits. This page was last revised on March 20, 2021. It was originally submitted on March 18, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 353 times since then and 37 times this year. Last updated on March 20, 2021, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 19, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
