Marker Inscription
[Part of the special series of 23 markers produced to fulfill SB667 The Texas Black Reconstruction Legislators Recognition Act]
Historical Marker
Matthew Gaines
The roadside stories worth pulling over for.
About this site
Matthew Gaines is a historical marker in Burton, Washington County, dedicated in 2023. It is one of 156 historical markers documented in Washington County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 368 historic sites cataloged across the county.
The site sits at 30.1782, -96.5904 near Burton. The nearest cataloged historic site is Sanders, William Edward, House (historic place), about 0.1 miles away. Others within a short drive include Wehring Shoe Shop and Residence, Burton Farmers Gin, and Hodde Drugstore.
This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5000024642. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
History
Matthew Gaines (1840-1900) was a formerly enslaved minister and community leader who settled in Burton after emancipation and became one of the first two African Americans elected to the Texas Senate. Serving from 1870 in the 16th district, he championed free public education, civil rights, and prison reform, and pushed Texas to accept the federal land grant that made Texas A&M University possible. His life is honored by a Texas historical marker dedicated in Burton in 2026.
Sources: tshaonline.orgkwhi.com
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Nearby in Washington County
Historic Place
Sanders, William Edward, House
Burton · 1991
Historic Place
Wehring Shoe Shop and Residence
Burton · 1991
Historical Marker
Burton Farmers Gin
Burton · 1988
Historic Place
Hodde Drugstore
Burton · 1991
Museum
Texas Cotton Gin Museum
Burton · 1999
Historic Place
Laas, Dr. Charles, House
Burton · 1991
Historical Marker
St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church
Burton · 1994
Historic Place
Nienstedt, William, House
Burton · 1991