Angleton & the Brazoria County Courthouse

Angleton became the seat of Brazoria County in 1896, and the fight over that honor was so heated that county records are said to have been hauled here after dark by residents afraid they might otherwise be destroyed. A courthouse rose the next year, was battered by hurricanes and rebuilt more than once, and was eventually joined by the tall Moderne courthouse that still anchors downtown. This short loop circles the courthouse block and the streets just off it, tracing the buildings, churches, and civic institutions that grew up around Brazoria County's seat of government. You'll pass two courthouses standing side by side, the county's history museum, and a cluster of early Angleton congregations. Wear comfortable shoes — the whole walk stays close to the square.