Located on the Atacosita Trail nearing the crossing of the Colorado River, families from the Deep South settled here with the Stephen F. Austin 1st and 2nd colony of Mexico. In 1827 the community was named "Egypt" because of biblical associations with plentiful corn & sugar cane when colonist struggled to survive droughts.

Egypt's settlers were noted patriots of the Republic of Texas and young statehood. W.J.E. Heard, Captain of Company F in the Texas Army's decisive, San Jacinto Battle, Gonzales 1836 & again in 1842 during the Woll Campaign. Gail Borden, Surveyor & reknown inventor of condensed milk. Wm Menefee, signer of Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico. Maj. Andrew Northington, Passenger Stage Coach and Freight Operator and Surveyor.

Later generations of Heards, Northingtons, Duncans & Hudgins provided their children with formal educations and developed large herd of cattle, oil & gas, rice, cotton & corn. Former slaves became Tenant Farmers farming their own land, operating their own schools, businesses & churches. Descendents, guest and visitors still enjoy its rural lifestyle, living close to the land, weather, sharing the work load and fruits of their labor with family, neighbors & friends.

EGYPT PLANTATION
1820's
SPADE RANCH
1840's

EGYPT PLANTATION
The Heard's fostered their home as a center of commerce, religion, social life & military strategic planning. By 1849 the existing, story and a half, dormered, Georgian Revival red brick home was built from sun-dried, local clay replacing the log, dog-trot home. George and his brother, William A. Northington, e massed a fortune in land development in Wharton and Glen Flora. Today Egypt Plantation is still owned by Northington descendents who raise cattle & operate numerous business on this historic property.

THE NORTHINGTON & DUNCAN PARTNERSHIP
In the 1880's, George H. Northington's closest friend, Green Cameron Duncan of Eagle Lake purchased adjacent land from John C. Clark. They formed a business partnership in cattle, cotton, corn & general merchandising that lasted 20 successful years.

SPADE RANCH
Green C. Duncan's venture in cattle, cotton, corn proved successful acquiring thousands of acres on which the Duncan family continues to own & operate a large cattle herd, cultivate rice & develop its oil & natural gas reserves. The 1850's one story, brick, Greek Revival home was enlarge in 1900, adding a two story, Classical Revival addition along with tennis courts, swimming pool, stables, formal gardens & a magnolia-lined drive.

EGYPT'S LIFE STYLES and ECONOMY
STORES, SALOONS, SCHOOLS,
RICE DRYER, RACE DRYER,
RACE TRACK,
GOOSE HUNTING,
RAILROAD CENTER and CULTURE

CROSSROADS

Egypt was located at the crossroads where "highways" met railroad lines & river barges hauled cotton, sugar cane & rice down the Colorado River to foreign ports. Heard built a Cotton Gin & Sugar Cane Mill. Later, both Northington & Duncan built Cotton Gins. Duncan built a Rice Dryer that still stands today. There were two general stores, post office, railroad depot, 2 one-room, public school houses & housing for ranch hands, farm laborers & store employees. The Northington Horse Race Track fostered regional horse breeding & racing events. Trailing riding ventures for the Houston Fat Stock Show marked Egypt as a 20th C social center of Texas Cattlemen culture. Abundant Goose hunting continues to lure hunters from near & far.

THE ARTS IN EGYPT, TEXAS

Clarissa Beard Northington (Mrs. Mentor) contributed greatly to Egypt's artistic notority. The "Queen of Egypt" wrote & published poetry, painted watercolors entertaining attracting artists & guest from all over the world to Egypt, Texas.