History often shifts quietly, but not here. The moment that changed everything for Bryan arrived loud and proud on an August day in 1867, announced by the blast of a steam whistle and a town-wide celebration.

In 1859, William Joel Bryan granted the right-of-way through land he had inherited from his uncle, Stephen F. Austin, to the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. A year later he deeded 640 acres to railroad officials William Baker and Abraham Groesbeck for $3,200. The town was surveyed and laid out by the railroad’s chief engineer, Theodore Kosse, a German immigrant who drew the grid that Bryan still follows today. They named the town Bryan, in William Joel’s honor – pick up a visitor map inside a downtown business to see the grid of buildings that still stands today.

Then the Civil War stalled just about everything. Construction halted, but Baker and Groesbeck kept selling town lots, confident the rails would come. When the war ended, construction resumed. In 1866, Brazos County voted to move the county seat from Boonville to Bryan, drawn by the promise of the coming railroad. 

Imagine it’s August 1867. You’ve been waiting years to see this new technology. The ground trembles before you hear it. Then the whistle blows. The first Houston and Texas Central train rolls into Bryan, it’s the first train you’ve ever seen in your life. The crowd erupts. In a single afternoon, everything changes. Bryan is officially a city for bustling business.

The railroad didn’t just connect Bryan to the rest of Texas. It made Bryan the governmental, commercial, and civic center of Brazos County. And it all started with one man signing over a piece of land his uncle left him.

That’s how the legend of Bryan, Texas began, but there was still much to come.

As Bryan grew, travelers needed a place to stay.

The railroad brought a steady stream of visitors to town - businessmen, settlers, and families passing through. To meet that need, Hotel Bryan was built to offer comfortable lodging just steps from the depot.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, hotels like this were important gathering places. Guests didn’t just sleep here, they met in dining rooms, shared news in common areas, and conducted business during their stays.

Imagine arriving after a long train ride. Dust from the journey still clings to your clothes as you step inside, greeted by the sounds of conversation and the smell of a hot meal. For many visitors, the hotel was their first impression of Bryan.

Buildings like Hotel Bryan helped support the town’s growth by welcoming the people who came to work, trade, and build new lives here.

Local businesses helped turn Bryan into a working community.

Built in 1904, The Howell Grocery Store was once a familiar stop for residents who depended on local shops for everyday supplies. Before modern supermarkets, grocery stores like this stocked the essentials that families needed to cook meals and run their households.

Shopping here was often a social experience as much as a practical one. Neighbors exchanged news while waiting for orders to be filled, and store owners often knew their customers by name.

With shelves lined with canned goods, sacks of flour, and glass jars filled with dry goods, these stores were a key part of daily life and helped create the sense of community that defined early Bryan.

Places like Howell Grocery remind us that the growth of a town depends not only on railroads and travelers, but also on the people who lived and worked here every day.

Today, this building is home to Papa Perez – a favorite local Mexican restaurant – as well as the Brazos Cotton Exchange event venue.

Built in 1928, the LaSalle Hotel reflected Bryan’s growth and confidence during the early twentieth century. Its multi-story design stood out among the surrounding buildings, offering modern comforts and an upscale experience for visitors arriving by train or automobile. 

At the time, hotels like the LaSalle were symbols of progress. Guests could expect electric lighting, private rooms, and dining spaces that made travel more comfortable than ever before. Business leaders, traveling salesmen, and visitors to Bryan often stayed here while conducting business or attending local events.

During the hotel’s busiest years, the lobby was filled with stacks of suitcases, conversations echoing across polished floors, and visitors coming and going throughout the day. For many travelers, the LaSalle Hotel was their introduction to Bryan.

Today, the hotel has been beautifully restored and continues welcoming visitors to Historic Downtown Bryan as a Marriott Tribute Portfolio property. Stop by for a bite to eat at Station 29, or head down to The Boiler Room for a nightcap in a 1920’s-style speakeasy.

112 S Main St.

This was Bryan’s first “fire-proof” building. 

In 1909, Downtown Bryan suffered from two fires within a month of each other. The first damaged the Perkins building at the corner of Main Street and William J Bryan Parkway. The second engulfed the Opera House building (where The Palace stands today). 

Joseph Allen Myers had been a local resident for over 30 years when the 1909 fires occurred. He served as the Post Master of Bryan and was even elected Clerk of Brazos County (twice!). He also owned a hardware business, which he eventually built up to be one of the largest retail hardware houses in Central Texas. 

He’s the one who built this building in 1911, just two years after the devastating Downtown fires. Mr. Myers wasn’t going to let another fire take down what he was trying to build up. 

He constructed this 3-story building and general supply store entirely out of poured in place concrete and steel. It cost $13,440—equivalent to about half a million dollars today. Not only was it Bryan’s first fire-proof building, but it was also the first building with an electric elevator (used to move supplies and wagons between floors). 

Imagine that it’s the early 1910s. You just installed electricity in your house, thanks to the new Bryan, Texas Utilities. The hardware store in Downtown, Myers Hardware, has been advertising light globes for sale. They even have fixtures for the ceiling like the chandeliers you saw at the Parker’s recently. You’ve been meaning to go by and see the first electric elevator in town…Time to head outside to your new Ford Model T for a slow drive into town. 

In 1939, Joseph’s son, Charles Stillwell Myers, converted the building into the 40-room Charles Hotel. It was ten years since the LaSalle Hotel opened, and foot traffic from overnight travelers was picking up in Downtown Bryan. Might as well capitalize on opportunity! 

It remained a hotel and boarding house until the 1980’s when it fell into disrepair. In 2004, it was renovated into loft apartments and local retail businesses—now home to Ed’s Bookshop and 3rd on Main. 

Some information taken from Shoshana Roots Blogspot and Brazos Life.

Debauchery was the problem. A library was the solution. 

In the early 1900s, there were more than a dozen saloons in Downtown Bryan. Everyone carried a gun, brawls in the street were rather frequent, and the ladies in town were sick and tired of it. 

They organized the Mutual Improvement Club (later named the Women's Club) and set out to improve Bryan. They were determined to get the horses, wagons, and cows off Main Street, make a city park, and to get a free public library. They were determined to civilize their town. 

One of the leaders of the club, Mrs. Rose Fountain Howell, was part of an influential family in town—She was married to Williamson Smith, son of J.W. Howell (who built the Howell Grocery Store and helped create the First National Bank.) His brother, R.W., built the LaSalle Hotel. 

Mrs. Rose lead the Mutual Improvement Club with Mrs. George M. Brand, and in 1902, they encouraged fellow member Miss Lillie Wilson to contact her brother-in-law, Thomas W. Stewart. 

You see, Thomas knew Mr. Carnegie. Mr. Carnegie was funding the construction of libraries across the nation. And a library would, undoubtedly, make their town more civilized. Right? 

Mr. Thomas W. Stewart wrote to Mr. Carnegie in January, and again in February. In March, the newly elected city council set aside a site for the library and voted assurance of $1,000 yearly for upkeep. The town was ready for a response. And in April, Mr. Thomas heard back from Mr. Carnegie’s secretary: Yes, he would help. Yes!

Architect Fred R. Giesecke, a Texas A&M graduate of the class of 1886, was chosen to design the Carnegie Library. Nearly two years later, in December 1903, it opened to the public. 

Fun fact: Later in his career, Giesecke served as the head of Texas A&M’s Department of Architecture and the official college architect. Throughout 1939, Giesecke designed and supervised the construction of many campus buildings that are still standing today, like the Academic building, the Chemistry building, Cushion Library, and Hart and Walton halls—But the Carnegie Library in Downtown Bryan was one of his first.

Carnegie Library opened the doors to education for all and served as a gathering place for local organizations and individuals. Bryan residents donated their books to add to the library’s collection, and  March 2nd of each year was designated as Library Day with a silver tea given for the benefit of the Library. 

Since it opened, the Library has been a central part of Historic Downtown Bryan. It’s one of the oldest Carnegie libraries in Texas that still operates as a library (now as a genealogical research center.) And yes, in case you were wondering—It did help put an end to all that rabble rousing on Main Street. Click here to read more about the Carnegie’s history.

The Queen’s story began in the 1910s, when it opened as one of four movie theaters in Downtown Bryan. It was on the bottom floor of the Exchange Hotel (originally built as The Stoddard Hotel in 1884) and showed silent films for locals and travelers alike. 

Fittingly, before it was “The Queen”, the theater was named “The Princess”. It changed ownership (and names) several times before it was bought by father and son partners, Abraham and Morris Schulman, in 1926. The Schulman’s came from Houston and purchased most of the movie theaters on Main Street: The Dixie (now the Grand Stafford), The Queen, and The Palace. 

Amidst their success in the movie theater business, the Schulmans experienced hardship in the mid-1930s when Morris, Abraham, and his wife Molka, passed away within two years of each other. Morris’s wife, Edna, continued to operate the “Bryan Amusement Company” and its theaters on Main Street. 

In 1938, she made a decision that would impact Bryan to this day: She decided to invest in a new, modern theater building for Bryan. The Queen needed a crown. 

Pettigrew & Worley were becoming the go-to architects for theaters in Texas at the time, designing iconic Art Deco and Streamline Moderne movie theaters like River Oaks Theater in Houston. Edna purchased the old hotel building that housed The Queen theater and contracted the up-and-coming Dallas architectural firm to design a unique building to replace the hotel. 

Just five months after the old hotel was torn down, The Queen Theatre opened its doors. On November 21, 1939, people flocked to the new theater for the grand opening, which featured a performance by the Texas A&M Band and a showing of Fifth Avenue Girl, starring Ginger Rogers. 

Of course, what they really wanted to see was the magnificent new and modern movie theater—complete with a large balcony, seating where everyone could see the screen, and (you guessed it) air conditioning. Shortly after opening, The Queen had gained a reputation as one of the finest theaters in the Southwest.  

Imagine it’s a Saturday night in Bryan, Texas. You’re a senior in high school, so close to graduating you can almost taste it. There’s no better way to soak in the weekend than going to The Queen Theatre with your pals. After all, you’re going to miss this when you go to college, and you saw on the marquee that they’re showing Strike Up The Band with Judy Garland—one of your favorites! You rummage around your bag to find what you need…a quarter! Perfect. Time to head to the movies.  

As Bryan-College Station grew and other, larger theaters opened, the movie theaters in Downtown Bryan began to shut down. The Queen closed its doors in the 1980s and sat vacant, falling into a state of disrepair, until June 22, 2010 when it was sold to the Downtown Bryan Association. The downpayment for the theater was raised by donations. Most were less than $1,000 each, and many were the price of a “Save the Queen” t-shirt.  

71 years to the day after The Queen’s grand opening in 1939, restoration finally began. There was a lot to be done. The facade was repainted and replastered, the neon letters were restored, the inside of the theater was cleaned out, the 71-year-old Carrier air conditioner was replaced…the list goes on. 

After the extensive restoration, hundreds gathered in front of The Queen on October 7, 2011. The sun set, the crowd hushed, and the neon lighting and revolving crown were turned on. The excitement and celebration probably felt quite similar to The Queen’s initial grand opening in 1939. One of the finest (historic) theaters in the Southwest—crowned again.  

Click here to read more about The Queen and its revitalization.

This used to be home to Bryan’s City Hall. And an Opera House. 

Of course, it was more of a building back then. A storm destroyed it in the late 1980s. The roof caved in, and there was permanent structural damage. Fortunately, the bones of the building were saved and transformed into what you see now—an open-air music venue. 

This has always been a place for entertainment. Originally, it was the site of the Opera House (and City Hall) before the building went up in flames during the February 1909 fire. The City Council voted to rebuild it in the same location, and it remained the Opera House and City Hall until the mid-1920s. 

This is where the town came to see live performances, and later, where they came to see movies. Its name changed so often that locals got whiplash. In just a few years, it went from being called The Colonial Theater, to The Princess, to The Palace, back to The Colonial, and finally back to The Palace. Then the Schulmans bought it, and the name stuck. 

It was 1926 when the Schulmans came to town. They had a background in operating movie theaters, and bought The Queen, The Dixie (now The Grand Stafford), and The Palace—all three theaters on the same block of Main Street. A few years later, when the City of Bryan outgrew their offices in 1929, they sold the building to the Schulman’s. 

The movie theater moguls converted it to a premiere facility that offered Vaudeville stage shows and new “talking” films. The stage you see is the same one from back then. It’s also the stage where Stage Center Community Theater used to perform after The Palace stopped showing movies in the 1980s.  

The Palace reopened in 2023 after a major reconstruction. Now, the stage welcomes traveling musicians almost every weekend, local singer-songwriters during Wednesday Open Mic Night, and Gameday Watch Parties during Texas A&M football season. 

The building may have changed, but The Palace remains one of Bryan’s go-to places for a fun evening out—the same as it’s been for over 100 years. 

Brazos Union Masonic Lodge No. 129 has been around since the Boonville days. 

It was granted charter in 1854 and relocated to Downtown Bryan shortly after Boonville residents started moving closer to the railroad. The local Masons had several meeting places before the permanent lodge was built in 1910, making it even more exciting to have a permanent home. 

On any given Sunday, local residents would walk into the Lodge to worship with fellow Masons and Grand Master H.G. Rhodes or W.S. Wilson, Jr. The same downstairs area would function as a schoolroom on weekdays and a town meeting hall on Saturdays, where locals discussed ways to improve their town. 

With the recent addition of Carnegie History Center next door, there was less rabble-rousing in the streets—but Saturdays at Masonic Lodge No. 129 were still full of conversations and shared ideas about what could be done next. 

The city barber shop has also been in the building since 1938. 

Today, the Brazos Union Masons continue to carry on the legacy and regularly meet on the second floor of the historic Masonic Lodge No. 129. And yes, the barber shop is still there.

This was once home to one of the oldest banks in Texas. 

Milton Parker and W.H. Flippen laid the groundwork for First National State Bank when they were still living in Millican, just south of Bryan. The two partnered together to create a private lending agency in 1862—but in 1867, when the Houston and Texas Central Railroad extended its line north to the new city of Bryan, Flippen bought out Parker’s interest and moved north. 

Milton ended up following his lead in 1885, when he moved to Bryan and built the Milton Parker Estate—but that’s a story for another time. 

After arriving in town, Flippen merged his lending operation with Guy M. Bryan, Jr. (the son of Bryan’s founder, William Joel Bryan.) It was reorganized into a private bank in 1873, and in 1886, was renamed First National Bank of Bryan after being granted the eleventh National Bank Charter issued in Texas. 

At some point along the way, Flippen stepped out of the organization and Frank Clarke, J.W. Howell, and J.W. Fowlkes stepped in. Guy M. Bryan remained a partner throughout all this time, and the Bryan family ended up having several generations serve in management of this community-based bank. 

And If you’re wondering, yes—that’s the same J.W. Howell from the Howell Grocery Store building, which he built later on. He constructed the Howell building around the same time that he was President of the First National Bank of Bryan, after he put in time at the bank as a Cashier from 1886-1890. (This go-getter spirit must have run in the family. His son, R.W. Howell, built the LaSalle Hotel.)

The First National Bank opened this location in 1911 and operated here for more than 100 years. This was the first bank in the U.S. to offer night depository services. If you’re standing on Main Street, look under the left window. The night depository is still there, even if the bank has since moved to South Texas Avenue (and merged with Prosperity Bank in 2023.)

They wanted a building that would last. 

The First State Bank & Trust Company’s art deco stone building was constructed for their bank, established in 1909. They bounced around different buildings in Downtown for a while, trying to find a permanent location, before constructing this architectural gem in 1930.

The building lasted, but First State Bank & Trust Company did not. They moved out in 1960, and have since either merged with another bank or closed entirely—there’s very little documented about them outside of their building. 

When it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, the reviewer commented that this building is “one of the finest examples of art deco architecture in the local area, and perhaps one of the finest examples in the state.” 

So, even if there’s not much information about their founders, history, or impact, First State Bank & Trust Company can rest assured that they left their mark on Bryan, carved into the facade of this historic art deco building.

206 N. Main 

Everyone in town was talking about the Whitey Walker Gang. 

The dangerous trio included William “Whitey” Walker, “Blackie” Thompson, and Roy Johnson. Their names made headlines alongside “violent robbery” and “local heist”, and they paved the way for Bonnie Parker & Clyde Barrow to wreak havoc throughout Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. 

It was a brisk December day when the Whitey Walker Gang busted into this building, then known as Caldwell Jewelers. The shop was run by John Sealy Caldwell and his wife, Celeste. 

J.M. Caldwell, John Sealy’s father, had established the jewelry store in 1883 after moving here from Mississippi. Fifty years later, in 1933, the Whitey Walker Gang robbed the store and kidnapped John Sealy and Celeste. They drove the Caldwells out to the country (past Kurten), tied them up in the woods, and took off for Florida. 

It didn’t take long for the Caldwells to get free and make their way back to Bryan. They identified Whitey, Blackie, and Roy using the mugshoot books at the Houston Police Department…and they waited for justice. 

Two months later, the criminals were caught in Florida and brought back to Bryan for their trial. Downtown Bryan amped up security, concerned that their associates Bonnie and Clyde would try to help them escape. They didn’t. The three men were convicted and sentenced to Walls Prison in Huntsville, where Walker was shot and killed during an attempted escape. 

Despite the shake-up, the Caldwells weren’t about to abandon their family business. Caldwell Jewelers continued to operate in the same building where they were robbed by the Whitey Walker Gang until the late 1970s.

This was once the local grocery store for Bryan residents.  

John M. Sebesta opened it in 1916, ten years after J.W. Howell built Howell Wholesale Grocers on the other end of Main Street. 

People came here to get their meat, produce, and other necessities for their day-to-day lives. It’s where locals ran into each other, shared town gossip, and updated each other on how life was going. 

“Did you hear Mildred is getting married?” “Nellie’s heading to New York next week. Can you believe it?” “How’s your aunt down in Houston? Are you planning a visit anytime soon?” 

Rami Cerone, a Texas A&M graduate, restored the building and opened Caffe Capri in 1995. 

The conversations that families and friends have here over dinner are probably pretty similar to the ones that used to be shared while grocery shopping! Even George and Barbara Bush dined here frequently when they came to town, reminiscing on memories from George’s presidency and chatting about how their kids were doing. 

This is a perfect time to step inside and look at the tin ceiling—the same one that grocery shoppers saw over 100 years ago. While you’re there, check out the photos to the right of the bar. There’s what the grocery store used to look like, right alongside snapshots from Rami’s journey turning his dream into a reality with Caffe Capri. 

People have been ordering burgers off this grill for decades. 

Initially, Margie’s was in a different location, under a different name. But everything was cooked using the same grill that’s still in the restaurant today. 

In 1924, Louis Opersteny opened “Opersteny” and started serving up the Opersteny burger. Back then, the restaurant was actually in the back of the First National Bank building. Locals knew that the bank was up front, but the back door along Bryan Avenue opened up to the Opersteny Saloon. 

Louis set up the grill near the front door so ladies and children could order without having to step into the saloon. Everyone wanted Opersteny’s “paper-licking good” hamburgers. 

Even though a fire caused the Opersteny Saloon to relocate in 1955, their burgers were so good that customers weren’t concerned about the new location. The grill had been salvaged from the fire—And that was all that mattered. 

In the 60s, Louis sold Opersteny to his son-in-law Jimmy, who eventually rented it to Margie Sysco. She changed the restaurant’s name, but kept what was important: the grill and the original menu. 

Jimmy sold the business to Billy Wager in the 70s. His grandchildren run the restaurant now, carrying on the tradition of serving up mouthwatering burgers on the famous grill. If you’re hungry, take some time to step inside and order an Opersteny Burger. You won’t regret it.

After flying nearly 1,500 hours in Vietnam, this military helicopter landed here. 

The OH-58A Kiowa was placed here by local resident Charles G. Mancuso, who bought the helicopter from the government in 2020. It was used in combat and observance missions during the Vietnam War, and then used in training settings after leaving Vietnam.

Look closely, and you can see the spots where it’s been patched up from enemy gunfire. 

When you look at the helicopter, take a moment to consider the men who flew it in Vietnam. The men who were in the cockpit when those bullets hit. The men who flew it around, observing the lay of the land in another country. The men who used it to train, not knowing where they were going next. 

This OH-58A Kiowa has been part of many men’s stories throughout the years. Now it’s here, thanks to Mr. Mancuso, who’s woven it into Downtown Bryan’s story as well.

Almost everything built in the early days of Bryan started out here.

This was the office for G.S. Parker Lumber Co., part of a larger complex that spanned three blocks. There was a warehouse across the street (where the apartment complex is now), and just beyond, past E 21st Street, there was a lumber shed. 

Out of the three buildings, the office is the oldest, built in 1910. The warehouse was added in 1925, followed by the lumber shed in 1930. As Bryan grew, so did Mr. Parker’s lumber business. Step inside Tavo Coffee Co., and you’ll see the impressive teller counter where lumber was purchased, along with the safe where money was kept. 

Lumber wasn’t G.S. Parker’s only endeavor—He also operated a cotton gin on the north end of town that had a major impact on Bryan’s early growth. Along with that, he partnered with E.H. Astin and opened the Parker-Astin Hardware Store in 1911. It operated for over 100 years before closing in 2013. 

Mr. Parker lived a few blocks south of his businesses at 800 S Bryan Avenue, where Polite Coffee Roasters is located now. Although the home is known as the Kyle House, Dr. Kyle wasn’t the first to live here. G.S. Parker built it in 1898, traveling across Texas to find different woods to use throughout the home. 

Can you imagine Mr. Parker’s life in the early 1900s? Maybe he’d start his day sitting on the front porch with a cup of coffee before getting ready for work. He’d probably hop in a new Ford Model T to drive “into town”, just five blocks away. As he made his way to the lumber company, he might stop at Parker-Astin Hardware to check in with E.H. and see how things were going. Are we outselling Myers Hardware? Is there any need for concern? Maybe he’d pass Caldwell Jewelers and stop to see if they still had the necklace his wife liked. Or maybe, he’d pass by the Opersteny Saloon and start mentally planning for lunch—Those burgers were really good. 

Although it’s impossible to know his daily routine or his morning commute into town, we know where he arrived: right here, at G.S. Parker Lumber Co.

This arts and culture venue has a mission to “feed your soul”—fitting, considering the building’s past. 

The Kimbell has been in Downtown Bryan since the 1920s, when it opened as a grocery store. 

About twenty years later, in 1948, Kay Kimbell took over ownership of the building. Kimbell, a Fort Worth entrepreneur, turned it into an agricultural hub for selling feed, supplies, and farming tools. Under his leadership, the Kimbell Feed Co. thrived until the early 60s. 

The building didn’t see much activity again until the early 2023, when a passionate local duo, Cassidy Barton and Kristy Petty, decided they were going to turn it into a new hub for arts, culture, and events. 

In the 100 years since it was built, the Kimbell has been Bryan’s place to get food for your family, for your animals, and now—for your soul.

Everyone in town came here for ice. Merchants, families, grocery store owners, farmers—they all came to the ice house. 

Back then, it was known as The Bryan Ice Company. They constructed this building in 1912 and it was one of the most extensive and complete ice houses around. According to a 1913 article in the Bryan Eagle, it was “among the most complete and modern in all respects of any in the state”, producing 50 tons of ice per day. 

Before it became the ice house, this plot of land was home to the city stables. Bryan Ice Company bought the property in 1901, and (so the story goes) chose the building’s location very strategically. Legend has it that several city folks wanted to extend downtown further north, but Bryan Ice Company’s owner didn’t care for that idea…so he built the ice house right in the middle of Main Street. Needless to say, his plan worked. 

Refrigerators started becoming popular in the 1930s, and less and less people needed to visit the Bryan Ice Company. They sold the building in 1940, and it was rented out to the Schumacher Wholesale Grocery Company. Since then, the building has seen many different tenants. It’s been a Coca-Cola Distribution Plant, a Southwest Technical School for returning GIs after WWII, a furniture manufacturer, and even a popular 80s’ nightclub called “Cell Block Five”. 

For several years, the building stood vacant. Then, nearly a century after it was built, it was revitalized. The Ice House on Main is now home to Bojo Coffee Co. and a spacious event venue that’s seen weddings, anniversary parties, concerts, fundraisers, and more. 

Step inside, get a cup of coffee, look around. The wood floors, wooden beams, and exposed brick are all original to the building. 

As you take it all in, think about this: Thousands of people have walked on this floor, leaned on these brick walls and gazed up at this ceiling. Some of them came here to get ice. Others were at work, bottling Coca-Cola. Several called this their classroom after returning home from the war. And some were just out having a fun night on the town. 

All here, at the Ice House on Main.

There are a lot of stories that swirl around this building. 

Rumor has it that the tallest building in downtown has seen it all, from office meetings to secret card games and rooftop parties. It’s been the backdrop for many memories since 1948, when it was built by Mr. Varisco. 

The building’s namesake and developer, Biago Varisco, was a Sicilian immigrant and influential agriculturalist in the Brazos Valley. He traveled to Bryan from Italy in 1907 and spent the following years acquiring land and growing his agricultural business. 

As he cultivated a successful career, Mr. Varisco decided to pour back into the community. He served as the director of the Chamber of Commerce and was active in civic affairs and charitable movements around town. He played a large part in the growth of Downtown Bryan and owned several buildings downtown. And most notably, he built the Varisco Building. 

Throughout the years, this has been an office, a radio station, a JC Penney, a furniture store, and even an emergency response center. In its heyday, it was where Bryan High students celebrated after homecoming and where Mr. Varisco hosted evenings playing cards. 

The landmark building became Bryan’s first grain-to-glass distillery in 2023, thanks to Bryan local and Hush & Whisper Distilling Co. founder, Caleb Clanton. He took care to preserve the historic art deco aspects of the building and only made one major structural change: a hole, cut into the basement, to make space for the still to be on full display in the tasting room.

Feeling ill? Need a prescription filled? You’re in the right place, if only you’d stopped by a few decades ago!

This was home to Jenkins Drugstore for over fifty years, from 1893 through 1942. When you stepped inside, you’d probably be greeted by Edwin Jenkins himself. 

Edwin lived in Bryan almost all of his life. He was born in Southhampton, England, and moved here with his parents and eight siblings in 1878, when he was eleven. Shortly after the Jenkins family arrived, Bryan opened the first public school in town. It’s likely that Edwin and his brothers went to grade school here, spending their free time helping their parents or running around downtown Bryan. 

At age 26, Edwin opened his own pharmacy. It’s said that he was a druggist for over 70 years, so he probably started his long-term career as a pharmacist before then, apprenticing with another druggist in town. By the time he opened Jenkins Drugstore in 1893, pretty much everyone in Bryan knew Edwin Jenkins.  

Edwin’s drugstore had all the things necessary for staying healthy in the early 1900s. Toothpaste? Yep! Parisian Sage (great for getting rid of dandruff and splitting hair)? You bet. Several newspaper advertisements from The Eagle highlight everything Jenkins Drugstore had to offer.

When he retired, Edwin was believed to be the oldest pharmacist in Texas. He was a familiar figure in Downtown Bryan, easily recognized as he walked to and from work. 

He lived just a few blocks away from Downtown in a beautiful home on E 27th Street with his wife, Ella Pink, and his son, Edwin Gillispie. To learn more about Edwin Jenkins and his brother, Charlie (who built this home and many of the other buildings in Bryan), be sure to visit the Edwin Jenkins House during this walking tour. 

Around 1925, the original farmers’ market in downtown Bryan started meeting behind this building to buy and sell produce. It set up shop between the railroad tracks and the drugstore, and brought people from all over the county to Downtown. 

Today, the tenants of this building fill a different type of order: custom cowboy hats. 

Catalena Hatters has been producing custom hats since 1983, when they purchased traditional hatmaking equipment from a shop in Florida that was going out of business. Their decision to enter into the hatmaking business was a game-changer, and they’re now known as one of the best hatmakers worldwide.

If you weren’t a fan of Jenkins Drugstore, you had options. James Drugstore was right around the corner! 

M.H. James constructed this building in 1906, with a drug store on the first floor and offices on the second. It was a Rexall store with “the leading druggists”, according to an ad in the October 9, 1923 Battalion. 

Although not much is known about M.H. James, it seems that he was involved in the community and sat on the Board of Directors for the Bryan College Station Interurban Railway. Considering his ads in the Battalion and service on the Railway Board of Directors, M.H. must have really wanted students to come downtown!

In 2016, almost twenty years after the drugstore closed and 110 years after it opened, Texas A&M Graduate Jake Mitchell opened the doors to his restaurant: Rx Pizza. The name is a nod to what came before, and students visit quite regularly (especially for trivia on Thursdays.) 

Fun fact: M.H. James also lived near Downtown Bryan, just a few blocks away from Edwin Jenkins. If you want to add in a few steps to your walk, stop by 501 E 29th St. after visiting the Jenkins Home to see where M.H. James lived.

This corner has seen it all. 

In 1885 it was the Walden Hotel. By 1891 the hotel had a new name. By 1896 the lot sat empty. By 1906 it housed a machine shop. By 1912 that became a feed store. Then a furniture company moved in.

McCulloch-Dansby Company wasn’t just a furniture store. In the early 1900s, funerals were still handled at home by the family. But, when time was short, coffins were purchased from furniture stores. McCulloch-Dansby sold both. And like other furniture businesses of the era, they eventually expanded into full-service funeral home operations. That meant owning a hearse. And a hearse sitting idle between funerals was a business opportunity.

So they used it as an ambulance.

McCulloch-Dansby closed in 1960 after more than 40 years in business. In 1992 Buck and Christine Buchanan opened Corner of Time Antique Mall in the building, adding a soda fountain in 2003. 

Today, you can spend hours here browsing antiques, oddities and pieces of Bryan’s past. Fitting for a corner that has seen just about everything.

The building at 202 South Bryan has been a livery stable, car dealership, dance hall, and marketplace. All on the same footprint.

It started around 1905 as the Nabors Brothers Livery and Sale Stable. By 1919, WI McCulloch and JM Gordon opened a furniture business on the site which evolved into Central Texas Hardware, one of the most beloved local institutions in Downtown Bryan. For decades, if you couldn’t find it anywhere else, you could find it here. The store carried over 44,000 separate items. From tools to china, Central Texas Hardware prided itself on knowing every single item it carried.

When Central Texas Hardware closed its doors in the 1980s it left a 22,000 square foot hole in the heart of downtown. 

But, then came Kay Conlee.

Conlee stumbled onto the old hardware building and immediately saw what it could become. She bought it in late 1995 and opened Old Bryan Marketplace in 1996, turning the former hardware store into a gathering place for local shops, antiques, and community. The building’s exposed brick, wood beams, and original bones are still here.

People have been going to church here for more than a century.

It’s the oldest continuously used church in Bryan, built by Charlie Jenkins in the early 1900s. The congregation originally began in Millican, but moved north after the yellow fever epidemic of 1867. Several parishioners were in charge of building the first sanctuary, including George D. Haswell (his daughter-in-law is Susan Haswell, namesake of Sue Haswell Park). 

By 1907, plans were in place to build a larger, more established church. They found the highest point in downtown Bryan, just a block away from “The Old Church”, and began construction in 1912. 

Imagine going to church at St. Andrew’s in 1913. Every Sunday, you get in your buggy and ride to the corner of 25th Street and Parker Avenue with your family. You wave to others in the congregation as you ride up — Mr. Haswell, the Astins. 

Everyone’s been keeping an eye on the new church, seeing it progress week after week. You look down Parker Avenue and can see that there are new additions to the structure. Edwin’s brother, Charlie, has really been doing a great job keeping everything on track with construction. Soon, that will be where you spend your Sunday mornings.

Reverend Randolph Ray celebrated the first service in the church on Palm Sunday, April 5, 1914—and they’ve had services here every Sunday since. They also have tours of the building on First Fridays and invite people to ring the historic church bell.

This humble building has two large claims to fame: It’s the oldest place of worship in the Brazos Valley and it’s the only synagogue in the country named after a woman (one of four in the entire world). 

In 1912, Benjamin Kaczer was the president of the Jewish community in Bryan, Texas. When their new synagogue was built, they named it after his wife, Ethel Freda Kaczer. 

The Jewish congregation in Bryan had been active since the late 1800s, and it was continuing to grow. They’d been meeting in member’s homes for worship services, but by 1912, the congregation was incorporated and chartered. They needed a synagogue. 

Mr. J.W. English had land along Parker Street, near the railroad tracks. The downtown Bryan businessman and member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church heard that the Jewish congregation was looking for a place to build a synagogue, so he put his land up for sale with the stipulation that it must be used for “religious or benevolent purposes”. The congregation bought it for $10, and the rest is history.  

Fun fact: The congregation selected a Houston architecture firm, Green & Finger Company, to design the synagogue. This is one of Joseph Finger’s first projects—he went on to design iconic buildings around Houston including Houston’s City Hall (1939).

All of Bryan really came together to establish Temple Freda, built with contributions from Jewish families and donations from their Christian neighbors. When the cornerstone was laid, there was a solemn, inter-faith ceremony conducted by leaders of the local Masonic Lodge. Building materials were donated by local citizens and community members, and a lot of the same materials from St. Andrew’s (also under construction at the time) were used for Temple Freda. 

It opened as a place of worship in 1913 and became home to many activities for the congregation, including a small religious school. Since it was a smaller congregation, the Temple had visiting rabbis instead of a full-time rabbi. In the 1930s, Temple Freda started struggling to remain active, and by the 1950s, most of the Jewish community in the area started worshiping at the student-oriented Hillel synagogue in College Station instead of the Temple. 

The Temple stopped being used for Jewish worship services in the 1960s and slowly began falling into disrepair. Almost 50 years later, in 2013, Bryan citizens banded together to save the endangered building and began the Temple Freda Restoration project, which is in progress. 

Click here to watch a video about Temple Freda.

One hundred Italian families gathered together to found this church in 1896. 

It was the second Catholic church in Bryan, established just a few years after St. Joseph’s (just a few blocks east of where this building stands today.) 

In 1926, a fire destroyed the original building on 27th street. Within a year, families in the parish donated funds to build this church. There was a heated discussion on what to name it—Saint Leoluca, after the patron saint of Corleone, or Saint Anthony, after the patron saint of Poggioreale? 

The congregation drew straws, three times in honor of the Trinity, to determine which it would be. Saint Anthony was drawn every time and was chosen as the parish name. 

Many of the Sicilian parishioners were farmers and weren't able to come to town every Sunday, so they built San Salvador Church in Caldwell, after a young girl had a vision that urged her to tell the congregation they needed to build a closer church for farming families. 

One of the long-standing traditions at St. Anthony’s is their spaghetti dinner, which families began in 1938. It still continues today using recipes passed down through generations, with over 3,000 people attending each year. 

Click here to watch a video from the parishioners of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.

It was the middle of the night when John Daly heard the news. The Great War, the first World War, was over. 

On November 11, 1918, a reporter from the Bryan Daily Eagle contacted the telephone exchange and relayed a message to Mr. Daly: An armistice had been signed. The war was over. 

At 4:30AM, Daly ran to the fire bell and started ringing it with all his might. He had to let the town know: something big had happened. 

Within thirty minutes, the entire town was awake and a celebration was in full swing. More bells were rung, guns were fired, people shouted and whistled. It seemed that everyone came downtown to hear and talk about the news, long before daybreak. People lit bonfires and gathered around them to say the same exciting phrase, again and again. 

Did you hear? Have you heard? It’s over. It’s finally over. The boys are coming home. 

This is the bell that Daly rang, just moments after he got word. 

Ring it yourself, hear the sound, and think of the excitement and joy that resonated through the town that early morning.

At dawn’s first light, Mayor M. Lawrence declared a legal holiday for the citizens of Bryan. 

Businesses closed up shop and everyone celebrated the end of World War I, starting with a parade through Downtown and a “mass meeting” at the intersection of Main and 25th Street (now William J. Bryan Ave.)  The festivities began at 2PM and continued until 7:30PM with a Devotional and Thanksgiving meeting at The Colonial Theater, where The Palace is today. 

“Let every citizen take part in the parade and both meetings. Let’s make this a long day to be remembered in Bryan.” — Mayor M. Lawrence, November 11, 1918.

113 N Main Street (by the Railroad Tracks) 

This block of buildings dates back to the late 1800s. 

Back then, Bryan was a rabble-rousing, gun-touting, “uncivilized” town. (Or at least, it was to the Mutual Improvement Club.) There were over a dozen saloons along Main Street. This was one of them.

Although we don’t know much about what happened here, we can see that a restaurant and saloon was noted on a property map from the early 1900s. 

But why was The Saloon sign on the back of the building? Well, back then, it was also the front. You see, passenger trains still passed by along these tracks, and there was a passenger depot just behind where The Palace is now. 

When you stepped off the train and turned toward town, the first thing you saw would be the “back” of all the buildings. Might as well advertise and get some business!

This building hasn’t always been here, but the trains have. 

Bryan has been a train town since its inception. The original Houston and Texas Central tracks still run through the heart of Downtown Bryan today. For a generation of Bryan residents one train stands above the rest. 

The Sunbeam was a named passenger train connecting Houston and Dallas, operated by the Texas and New Orleans Railroad, a subsidiary of Southern Pacific. From 1925 to 1938 Bryan was one of its stops. 

Imagine its 1935. You’re standing on the platform as the afternoon Sunbeam rolls in, painted in Southern Pacific’s bold daylight colors of red, orange, and black. The locomotive is sleek and modern, nothing like the iron trains that came before. You’ve got a ticket to Houston and a seat in an air-conditioned car. 

When night fell, Sunbeam’s counterpart took over. The Southern Pacific’s Owl ran the same corridor after dark, a night train with coaches, open sleeping sections, and private bedrooms for those making the overnight journey.

Today the Owl Pub and Sunbeam Bagels carry the names of those trains forward, right here where the tracks still run.

*This location is within walking distance, but is further than the rest of the stops on this tour. Feel free to drive here if you'd like.

607 E 27th St. 

Hey, brother, would you build me a house? 

Charlie Jenkins really left his mark around town with beautiful homes and buildings. This was one of the first homes he built—and it was for his younger brother, Edwin. 

The two moved to Bryan with their parents and six other siblings in 1878, leaving England behind for a new life. When they grew up, Charlie became a well-known contractor, and Edwin established himself as the local pharmacist in Downtown Bryan (check out the Catalena Hatters stop on this walking tour for the full story.) 

Edwin was very active in the community. He voted in every election and served as city commissioner, as a city councilman, and a one-time Bryan mayor. Imagine his surprise when he applied for his retirement pension years later and discovered he wasn’t a citizen! Edwin officially became an American citizen in his eighties, after living here for 72 years. He probably came back here after receiving the news, sitting down in shock on the front porch. 

After building this beautiful Queen Anne Style home for Edwin in 1895, Charlie went on to build several other houses around town for influential locals. Like a true artist, Charlie often signed his work, leaving a date and signature on the wooden walls in the kitchen before they were covered up with wallpaper. 

Most of his work can be seen along E 29th and E 30th Street:

• 1898 — Built for Walter Wipprecht, one of Texas A&M’s first graduates — 500 E 29th St. 

• 1901 — Astin-Porter house, built for Mrs. Onah Astin — 600 E 29th St. 

• 1901 — Built for the Eugene Edge family — 508 E 30th 

• 1902 — Built for John H. Moore — 601 E 30th

• 1904 — Built for George W. McMichael, Brazos County Clerk — 712 E 30th

• 1912 — Built for A.W. Wilkerson, director of the City National Bank — 614 E 29th St.  

• 1925 — Built for Eugene Edge (from Eugene Edge & Son Department Store) — 609 S. Ennis 

Downtown, Charlie left his mark with the Parker Lumber Company Complex (now home to Tavo Coffee Co.), built in 1910, and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, built in 1914.

600 E 27th St.

The McDougal-Jones House is one of the finest examples of Dutch Colonial Revival architecture in Bryan. Built around 1915 by local builder Jake Watson, the house is easy to recognize. Look for the gambrel roof, the sweeping L-shaped porch, the twin dormers, and the classical detailing around the doors and windows. Watson put care into every detail, from the applique garlands on the facade to the corbeled chimney caps. 

It was likely built for Mrs. M.E. McDougal. By 1925 the house passed to C. Edgar Jones, president of First Bank and Trust, who called it home for roughly 15 years. 

In 1987 the McDougal-Jones House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Historic Resources of Bryan, recognized for its architectural significance and what it represents about the prosperity and ambition of early 20th century Bryan.

*This location is within walking distance, but is further than the rest of the stops on this tour. Feel free to drive here if you'd like.

600 E 29th St. 

She wanted a house for entertaining. 

At the turn of the century, the Astin children were starting to build homes in Bryan. Onah’s only daughter, Daisy, was away at a private girls’ school in Dallas. Wouldn’t it be nice if she had a place to entertain her friends when she came back home? 

After all, something like this would be better for Daisy than the plantation house on the farm. Onah’s husband, John H. Astin, had been a large plantation owner in the Brazos bottom. He moved here from Alabama in 1864 and planted roots in Bryan with his wife, Celia, who died 10 years after they made the move. 

Onah Astin married James in 1878 and became stepmother of his four children. She and James had four children of their own (including Roger Q. Astin, who built the Astin Mansion), and had been married for almost twenty years when James passed away during a trip to Colorado. 

She stayed at their plantation house for a few years after he died, but with her older children building houses in Bryan and Daisy becoming a young lady, it was time to start thinking about something new. 

From 1901 to 1903, Charlie Jenkins oversaw the construction of Onah’s new home on E 29th Street. The architects, Howard Messer and W. Wemyss Smith, came in from Waco almost every other week to check on Charlie’s work as it was being built. 

There was one flaw in Onah’s plan to provide a lavish home for her daughter. Once it was built and Onah moved in, Daisy came back—and then got married and moved to McKinney, Texas. 

It turned out that Onah’s son, Bob, would be the one to welcome guests here. Bob was elected to the State Senate in 1912 and served until 1916. He was the only child who lived in the Astin home with Onah, and he entertained people here regularly. Two of his more famous visitors? Governor James E. (“Pa”) and Mrs. Miriam A. (“Ma”) Ferguson.

Onah lived here until she passed away in 1944. Two years later, Holland Porter bought the home and he spent thirty years living here. He took great care of the Astin estate and made several renovations to ensure it would continue to maintain its majesty, long into the future.

*This location is within walking distance, but is further than the rest of the stops on this tour. Feel free to drive here if you'd like.

506 W 26th St. 

He built the home for his wife, Nina Heard. 

Roger Q. Astin held nothing back for the Astin Mansion. It was the roaring 20s, and extravagance was the norm. Plus, he and Nina were prominent Bryan residents. They owned Rivermist, a cotton plantation in the Brazos River bottom, and were wealthy landowners. 

His wife deserved a mansion. 

Roger hired Hal B. Thompson, a prominent architect at the time. Thompson had designed several Highland Park homes in Dallas that radiated luxury and grandeur—Perfect for the Astins. 

Despite their success and beautiful new home, the Astin family wasn’t immune to tragedy. In 1923, just three years after their mansion was built, Robert and Nina had to lay to rest their infant daughter, Daisy Caroline. The Astins had two other children, John Heard and Nina Bess, who were 11 and 9. In the wake of pain and hardship, life moved forward…

Until, in 1926, tragedy hit again. Robert passed away at the age of 39, leaving Nina widowed before she turned 40. She was left to raise their children, now 14 and 12, in the beautiful, big house her husband built for her.  

And again, life moved forward. John Heard and Nina Bess grew up, moved out, and lived their lives. Nina Heard Astin remained in Bryan and became well-known for her generosity and community involvement. 

Sadly, John Heard passed away in 1958, followed by Nina Bess in 1967. Nina Heard outlived them both. With no heirs to the estate, she chose to bequeath it to the city in the form of the Nina Heard Astin and Nina Bess Astin Charitable Trust. And in 1972, at 84 years old, Nina Heard Astin was laid to rest with the rest of her family in the Bryan City Cemetery.

The Astin Mansion still stands tall in all its grandeur on W 26th Street. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a prime example of 1920s neoclassical architecture. 

In 1998, it was restored and reimagined as a special events venue and has since become one of the most famous wedding venues in Bryan-College Station. It’s since won multiple floral awards and was even voted “Best Wedding Venue” by readers of The Knot magazine. 

Today, The Astin Mansion is a picture-perfect place for elegant weddings and social events, filling the Astin’s former home with new laughter, love, and happy memories.

*This location is within walking distance, but is further than the rest of the stops on this tour. Feel free to drive here if you'd like.

200 S Congress St.

This is one of the oldest houses in Bryan. 

It was built in 1885, just two years after the new railroad depot opened down the road. Mollie Parker, Milton Parker’s wife, was the one who drew up plans for the home. Supposedly, they built it close to the train tracks so Mollie could easily hop onboard and head to Houston for day trips—they had better shopping than Bryan at the time. 

The couple hired German carpenters from Dallas to construct the home for $6,000, equivalent to $200,000 today. It’s over 5,000 square feet with seven fireplaces, a large formal dining room, a study, a front parlor and adjoining second parlor used for after-dinner parties. 

Milton and Mollie raised their 10 children in the home, and it remained in the Parker family until 1991. The second generation of Parkers, Milt and Maggie, operated the home as a boarding house for students coming to Texas A&M on the GI Bill after WWII. 

Imagine you’re a new student at Texas A&M University. You’ve been through hell and back, serving your country during World War II—and you’re ready to step away from those memories and into your new classes. You’ve been wondering where you’ll stay, and have looked at different places around Bryan-College Station, but there’s something about this home that draws you to it. Maybe it’s the charm of Milt and Maggie, or the wraparound porch. Whatever it is, you’re ready to start your new life here. 

In 1958, Katie Parker Bernath and her husband Robert moved back in and became the final generation of Parkers to live in the home before it was gifted to Texas A&M University. For the next eight years, this was the Zeta Psi fraternity house. Oh, what Milton and Mollie would think! 

Fortunately, in 1999, Dr. Van Walker and John Zieg purchased the Milton Parker House and restored it to its former glory. They operated it as an event venue and B&B until 2016, when they passed the baton to Bob and Denise Barbier as the new B&B owners. 

Bob and Denise have continued to restore the home, dedicated to preserving its Victorian charm while adding in modern amenities. Many of the furnishings in the house are heirlooms from the Parkers, including the dishware in the dining room and the lounge chair by the window. They’ve also restored the cottage behind the main house, which was originally the kitchen for the main home. 

Want to take a step back in time and experience what Milton and Mollie’s lives were like? Book a stay at the Milton Parker Home.

*This location is within walking distance, but is further than the rest of the stops on this tour. Feel free to drive here if you'd like.

As Bryan grew, more and more families wanted to provide their children with education.

The first school in town was located off of E 30th Street and S Baker Street (where Fannin Elementary stands now) — quite a long way to walk for children living on the West side of Bryan. In 1905, The West Side School opened on 26th Street to relieve overcrowding and to keep younger children from having to cross the railroad tracks to get to school. 

The town continued to grow, and so did its schools. The Bowie Elementary School was built adjacent to the West Side School in 1922, and the West Side School was razed for a new gymnasium. 

Imagine it's 1922 and summer is coming to a close. When school starts in just a few weeks, you’ll be heading to the new school that you’ve watched them build all summer. It’s a bittersweet feeling, knowing that you won’t have the same familiarity as you did at West Side…but hey, they’re building a gymnasium, and the school itself looks nice. Who knows what might be in store for you at Bowie Elementary. 

Students passed through the halls of Bowie Elementary for 86 years, making childhood memories and learning English, science, and arithmetic. 

The school closed in 2008 and sat boarded up for several years. It was condemned to be demolished in 2019, but an engineering firm swooped in to purchase the property and restored it as a modern day office and commercial space. If you step into the main lobby, there are a few artifacts kept from the Bowie School that share a glimpse into the lives of former students.