Only an hour west of Houston's crawl and sprawl, Washington County's open spaces and rolling hills are just the place to get in touch with your inner Texan. It was here on the banks of the Brazos River that the Republic of Texas was born in 1836.

Although the county's current residents revel in its roots, celebrating local heroes such as Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and Presidents Anson Jones (of the Republic of Texas) and George Herbert Walker Bush (of the USA), this is not the wild, wild West. According to Contributing Editor Sharon Cavileer, "There's a saddle of sophistication that rides the range, ranches, and engaging small towns."

To taste the sophisticated side of Texas, Sharon suggests starting at Pleasant Hill Winery just outside Brenham, where owners produce surprising Italian-style vintages in a restored barn. The wines are a great accompaniment to the eclectic local cuisine. Volare Restaurant (979-836-1514) serves up fresh pasta worthy of Roma. Or try SoHo-style sophisticated cuisine at Funky Art Café (979-836-1199). Locals flock to an unassuming Mexican restaurant at 4 Corners Shopping Center. Don't let the location fool you; Mariachi's serves up magnificent Tex-Mex. And to finish any meal, order ice cream. Blue Bell Creameries is famous for its creative dairy confections. Don't miss the US Cookie Cone or the Pecan Pralines 'n' Cream flavors. Sharon says they'll make you wish you were a Texan.

Shop for treasures at the Round Top Antiques shows in April and October or the Brenham Antiques Show in June. Festival Hill at Round Top (979-249-3129) celebrates the arts with summer symphony on an international scale, and Unity Theater (979-830-1460) plays on throughout the year in Brenham.

Although inhabitants still make hay when the sun shines, Washington County is the home of some civilized horticultural pursuits. A stroll through Ellison's Greenhouses is a visual delight, with Easter lilies, hydrangeas, poinsettias, and summer favorites. Owners of the Antique Rose Emporium (979-836-9051) rustled hardy species found growing in old gardens and cemeteries by taking cuttings.

"If dead people can grow roses," said owner Mike Shoup, "anybody can." The Emporium is far more than a garden center. It's an attraction in its own right, with acres of blooms and companion species so visually arresting it's become the place for many a modern Texas bride to say, "I do."

Horses are still big business in Washington County, although the ranches are smaller than they once were. Shiloh Ranch (979-836-0599) offers lessons and trail rides through quiet countryside. Little buckaroos show up the adults, sporting skills learned at summer horse camp. The Saint Clare Monastery (979-836-9652) welcomes visitors daily to see the herd of miniature horses. Starting with a gift from a grateful parishioner, the sisters sustain the convent's earthly needs with a breeding program and maintain a herd of more than l00 prize-winning miniatures. Sister Angela is the Pied Piper of ponies, drawing nuzzles and whinnies from her pint- sized charges.

Living off the land is a tradition in Washington County. The tradition continues in new ways. Pamela Murski turned her family's home into a charming guest house. Cattle still roam the property of the three-bedroom dogtrot house built in the l880s. Ms. Murski comes daily to stock the pantry and tend the herb and flower gardens that replaced the cotton crop of previous days. The mint, hibiscus, lavender, lemon grass, and roses become ingredients in her handmade soaps. She learned the art from her grandmother, making lye outdoors with wood ashes. Today Pamela crafts more than 5,000 bars annually for guests of the Murski Homestead and Internet customers (www.soapsbyhand.com; e-mail info@soapsbyhand). Try a bar of the summertime mint, able to cool even the hottest Texas day.

To touch the soul of Texas, visit Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park (936-878-2214). It was here that delegates from the early settlements met during a "blue norther" in March of l836. Despite the wind and cold sweeping the unfinished building, the delegation drafted a Declaration of Independence that passed on the first vote. While the delegates wrote the constitution for their new republic, Santa Anna's army gathered in San Antonio. Texas independence was won in a decisive victory at San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. Although the Alamo had fallen, Texas endured.

Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park includes three important sites: Independence Hall, the Star of the Republic Museum, and Barrington, the home of Texas' fourth president, Anson Jones. Preserved as a working farm, Barrington offers a glimpse into life on the Texas frontier in the early l800s. Settlers came to build a new life with little more than a wagon, oxen, a rifle, gunpowder, plow, seeds, and a few pots and pans.

This Texas culture is pervasive in the George Bush Presidential Library (979-260-9552) in nearby College Station. From the bronze sculpture of wild mustangs on the plaza to the scrapbooks kept by Barbara Bush of her children and grandchildren, there is a celebration of place. Sharon says the 69,000-square-foot facility includes an amazing 80,000 artifacts, two million photographs, and 5,000 video cassettes. There are more than 28,000 pages of documents from the Gulf War alone. Regardless of one's political leanings, the Bush Library represents another fascinating chapter in the saga that is Texas.

Texas Tips

Washington County Convention and Visitor's Bureau 888-273-6426; www.brenhamtexas.com

Where to Stay

Ant Street Inn
107 West Commerce Street, Brenham
$105-$235; 800-481-1951
www.travelassist.com/reg/tx713.html
For a more urban experience, Ant Street Inn in downtown Brenham serves up city-side sophistication in a Gay Nineties revival hotel. Its 13 guest rooms are replete with American antiques, stained glass, and luxurious soft goods, but the bar retains an Old West flavor and is the place to gather for conversation and cocktails by gaslight.

Mariposa Ranch Bed & Breakfast
8904 Mariposa Lane, Brenham
$85-$175 (but check for specials on the web site)
877-647-4774; www.mariposaranch.com
Guests are welcomed in eight buildings on the l00-year-old working ranch. Stay in an 1825 log cabin, an 1870 plantation home, or a Texas farmhouse or cowboy cabin. Live oaks, bluebonnets, and cozy fireplaces make this feel like home.

Murski Homestead
1662 Old Independence Road, Brenham
$90-$135; 877-690-0676;
www.murskihomesteadbb.com
This very private guest house is surrounded by flower and herb gardens and lowing cattle. Once a cotton farm, it's now a piece of Texas history. The four bedrooms with private entrances and baths are decorated with distressed country furniture straight off the farm.

Texas Ranch Life
PO Box 803, Bellville
$135-$500; 866-TEXASRL;
www.texasranchlife.com
John and Taunia Elick of Texas Ranch Life still run longhorn cattle, but they also welcome guests on their 1,400 acres for riding, relaxing, bass-fishing, or bird-hunting. They've moved five historic homes to the ranch and restored them just for "company." The luxuriously appointed cottages would pass for decorator showhouses, but they're comfortable enough for just-folks.

December 2002