First Friday at Fanthorp Inn

ANDERSON –– History comes alive at Fanthorp Inn in Anderson this summer as guides portraying actual historical figures will regale guests with their stories of life and travel in early Texas.

“We are excited to offer this unique living history opportunity to our visitors this summer,” said Jon Failor, Site Manager at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Complex. “This event is the closest you can get to speaking with someone who walked these rooms 170 years ago.”

On the First Friday of June, July, and August, visitors to Fanthorp Inn will be treated to special tours given by guests who stayed at the inn during its heyday in the 1850s. Friday July 2, at 1, 5, and 7 p.m., Jane Alcott Beardsley will give guests a glimpse into the life of a merchant’s wife and mother of three in Antebellum Texas. Friday August 6, Grimes County Judge John R Kennard will close out the season with stories of Anderson after the Civil War. Admission is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated.

Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site, a Texas Historical Commission property, is a stagecoach stop and inn located at 579 South Main Street in Anderson. Henry Fanthorp had the inn constructed in 1834 as a home for his wife Rachel Kennard. Notable guests include Henderson K Yoakum, Kenneth Anderson, Dr. Anson Jones, and Sam Houston. Step into the inn’s past and gain a true sense of travelers’ experiences in Texas in the 1850s.

Fanthorp Inn’s regular hours are Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. For more information visit www.visitfanthorpinn.com.