Johnston Terrace in Austin in Travis County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
The Original Townsite of Montopolis
Photographed By Richard Denney, January 27, 2024
1. The Original Townsite of Montopolis
Inscription.
The Original Townsite of Montopolis. . Jesse Cornelius Tannehill (1797-1863) founded the original townsite of Montopolis; however, indigenous peoples had lived in and travelled through the area for thousands of years. El Camino Real de los Tejas, a historic trade route, forded the Colorado river near the present-day Montopolis bridge just east of this site. In 1839 Tannehill, his wife, Jane L. (Richardson) Tannehill (1803-1855), their children and an enslaved African American family moved to a headright of 4,428 acres on the Colorado river, from which 800 acres were surveyed for the town tract. A deed recorded on July 2, 1839, established the location of a platted town on the left (north) bank of the Colorado (this marker is located near the center of the original town tract). The ambitious settlement was named Montopolis ("mont" is Latin for "mountain" and "polis" is Greek for "city"). Several families settled in the community. James Smith (1790-1845) was likely the first settler in 1838. His 1841 home is preserved one-half mile west on Boggy Creek Farm. Tannehill began laying out Montopolis in early 1838 before Edward Burleson laid out nearby Waterloo, which was renamed Austin upon its selection as the Republic of Texas' seat of government. There is evidence that Montopolis was also in the running for this honor. , The Montopolis venture died within two years of its conception. By 1841, business partnerships were dissolved and the land was sold. Proximity to the growing Capital of Austin and the growing community of Govalle contributed to the end of the original Montopolis. The name endured in the area of the original town tract into the 20th century. In 1897, after a post office named Montopolis was established on the right (south) bank of the river, the community that developed around it adopted the name. When the city of Austin annexed that community in the early 1950s, memory of the original townsite location faded, but the neighborhood of Montopolis continues to thrive as a vibrant, proud community.
Jesse Cornelius Tannehill (1797-1863) founded the original townsite of Montopolis; however, indigenous peoples had lived in and travelled through the area for thousands of years. El Camino Real de los Tejas, a historic trade route, forded the Colorado river near the present-day Montopolis bridge just east of this site. In 1839 Tannehill, his wife, Jane L. (Richardson) Tannehill (1803-1855), their children and an enslaved African American family moved to a headright of 4,428 acres on the Colorado river, from which 800 acres were surveyed for the town tract. A deed recorded on July 2, 1839, established the location of a platted town on the left (north) bank of the Colorado (this marker is located near the center of the original town tract). The ambitious settlement was named Montopolis ("mont" is Latin for "mountain" and "polis" is Greek for "city"). Several families settled in the community. James Smith (1790-1845) was likely the first settler in 1838. His 1841 home is preserved one-half mile west on Boggy Creek Farm. Tannehill began laying out Montopolis in early 1838 before Edward Burleson laid out nearby Waterloo, which was renamed Austin upon its selection as the Republic of Texas' seat of government. There is evidence that Montopolis was also in the running for this honor.
The Montopolis venture died within two years of
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its conception. By 1841, business partnerships were dissolved and the land was sold. Proximity to the growing Capital of Austin and the growing community of Govalle contributed to the end of the original Montopolis. The name endured in the area of the original town tract into the 20th century. In 1897, after a post office named Montopolis was established on the right (south) bank of the river, the community that developed around it adopted the name. When the city of Austin annexed that community in the early 1950s, memory of the original townsite location faded, but the neighborhood of Montopolis continues to thrive as a vibrant, proud community.
Erected 2019 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 22517.)
Location. 30° 15.563′ N, 97° 41.503′ W. Marker is in Austin, Texas, in Travis County. It is in Johnston Terrace. Marker can be reached from Bolm Road, 0.1 miles east of Shady Lane. The marker is located in Govalle Neighborhood Park, just southwest of the swimming pool. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5200 Bolm Road, Austin TX 78721, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of
Also see . . . 1. Montopolis: The Old and New, Travis County Historical Commission. Travis County has had two locations named Montopolis that differ in their formation and location, causing confusion when the history of the two are conflated. This article sorts out the two Montopolis, the old and the new, as well as their common thread. (Submitted on June 18, 2022, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 26, 2022, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,133 times since then and 529 times this year. Last updated on January 30, 2024, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. Photos:1, 2. submitted on January 27, 2024, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.
