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On Aug. 26, Houston celebrated its 164th anniversary -- the day two brothers decided to purchase the land and build a great city

By Juliana Coutinho
Daily Cougar Staff

The land where the City of Houston is today was bought by two real estate entrepreneurs 164 years ago on Aug. 26, 1836.

Before then, the United States was a young nation with about 15 million people and extended no farther west than the Mississippi River.

The success of the first families who received land as donations in Texas attracted more people to areas like the Buffalo Bayou and the San Jacinto River.

The Battle of San Jacinto was the last battle of the Texas Revolution, which made the Mexican state of Texas its own free and independent country for almost 10 years.

During the Texas Revolution, Harrisburg was the capital of Texas, but it was set on fire by Mexican troops in April 14, 1836, one week before the Battle of San Jacinto and the end of the war. 

Meanwhile, two real estate entrepreneurs from New York, brothers Augustus Chapman and John Kirby Allen, were searching for a place to build a new city and came to Texas with an authorization to settle. They first went to San Augustine, then to Nacogdoches, then, finally, to what is now the City of Houston.

As real estate businessmen, the Allen brothers were looking for land to buy at a low price, sell at a profit and build a great city. The present-day Houston area was not their first choice for land, but it was all they could get.

The Battle of San Jacinto was a strike of luck for the Allen brothers. They had bought land by the Buffalo Bayou two weeks prior to the battle. Located 15 miles from the battlefield, the location benefited the Allen brothers in their idea of making Houston the first capital of the Lone Star Republic because Harrisburg, the previous capital, was burnt down.

The choice of the name of the city was a step toward its popularity: General Sam Houston had just won the war and was about to become the first president of the new republic.

The Allen brothers needed to populate their city. Lawyers, congressmen, heroes of the Revolution, businesses and churches all received lots from the Allen brothers.

Their land was at the junction of the Buffalo and White Oak bayous with the two best ways for transportation at the time: water and open land.

The sales deal was signed on Aug. 26, 1836. Some sources say the price was $9,428 for 6,642 acres.

The town was heavily promoted in newspapers across the United States and Europe. The advertising described the vegetation, climate and opportunities of the new city, when tents were the only construction at the time. In their advertisements, the Allen brothers wrote that Houston would generate $1 million with employment and they referred to the city as the "great interior commercial emporium of Texas."

Gail Borden, dairy entrepreneur and condensed milk developer and Thomas Borden were hired to lay out the city. The Allen brothers wanted a large street in the center that could handle being the center of business. Main Street was designed to be the busiest street in town.

From Main Street, the rest of the city was drawn. San Jacinto Street, Fannin Street, Milam Street, Travis Street, Louisiana Street and Austin Street were street names chosen in connection with the Texas Revolution.

Commerce Street, Congress Avenue, Brazos Street and Franklin Street were chosen because of commercial and political activities in town. Preston Street, LaBranch Street and Carolina Street got their named from public figures or states that supported the annexation of Texas by the United States.

The block by Main Street, Texas Street, Fannin Street and Capitol Avenue were sold for $131.

Other towns were in competition to become the republic's first capitol. The list included Nacogdoches and San Antonio. The Allen brothers offered a deal to Congressmen: if Houston was chosen, they would construct the capitol and places for the representatives to live for a very small rent fee of $75 a month. The brothers would also provide government offices, a public house and a sawmill.

On April 1, 1837, Congress voted, and in May 1837, the Texas government was moved to Houston.

Houston was the capitol until 1840, when Austin was chosen as the permanent capital of Texas.

Houston would probably not be as important as it is today if it were not for the Allen brothers and their will to build the city. Few people believed, at first, that the area of swampland with hot and humid weather would grow to become what it is today -- a land of strong powers in economics, technology, medicine, energy and space programs.