Washington's Boom Time

Washington's Boom Time. . , Government and the river brought new life to Washington., The Republic of Texas made Washington the capital in 1842. Washington became the new home of Texas' Congress, courts and administrative offices. The growth attracted new residents and washed away the lawlessness and decline of the prior years., The growing population spurred more river traffic. Cotton farming became lucrative in the 1840s and 1850s, adding to the boom. By the 1850s, Washington was a center for commerce. Not all the area's residents benefitted from the cotton boom. About half Washington County's residents were enslaved - owned by someone else., Washington had a population of 800 to 1000. It was a thriving town with stores and construction businesses, along with manufacturers of leather, wood, and metal goods. It had churches, social clubs, and two newspapers at its peak. Washington was also briefly a hotbed of Know-Nothingism, a political movement founded on fears of Catholics and immigrants., Captions , Lower Right: During the 1850s, cotton was a main source of income for Washingtonians.