East
Columbia
(originally
named
Marion)
is
one
of
the
oldest
Angelo
settlements
in
Texas.
It
was
established
in
1824
by
Josiah
H.
Bell
on
the
third
land
grant
issued
by
Stephen
F.
Austin.
Beginning
as
a
major
river
port
and
commercial
center
for
Austin's
original
colony.
Marion
(or
Bell's
Landing
as
it
was
called)
continued
as
a
major
business
around
1900.
The
Republic
of
Texas
was
born
at
Columbia
(now
called
West
Columbia)
on
October
3,
1836
with
the
inauguration
of
Sam
Houston
as
the
Republic's
first
President
and
Stephen
F.
Austin
as
Secretary
of
State
and
the
Swearing
in
of
the
Republic's
first
congress.
Columbia
was
established
in
1826,
also
by
Josiah
H.
Bell.
