The city is the county seat for Washington County, which is home to some 120 historic sites and markers, many from the Texas Revolution. Brenham is home to Blinn College, the state's first county-owned junior college, which was founded in 1883.
Chappell Hill, 10 miles east, is the first town in Texas planned and laid out by a woman. Many of the original 19th-century structures remain, including the 1850s Stagecoach Inn, the 1869 Old Rock Store and the Browning Plantation of about 1857. The Masonic Cemetery contains the graves of Col. William Travis' family and Confederate soldiers. A museum and visitor center displays area artifacts.
Blue Bell Creameries, 1101 S. Blue Bell Rd., offers tours of the ice-cream plant Monday through Saturday, excluding holidays. Samples are served following the tour; phone (800) 327-8135.
Visitor Centers
Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau 115 W. Main St. Brenham, TX 77833. Phone:(979)836-3696 or (888)273-6426
Self-guiding Tours
Visitors to the area can view the bluebonnets and other wildflowers that bloom in profusion along country roads in the spring. The convention and visitors bureau provides a free map outlining the most scenic routes.