About
1833
Leman
Kelsey
built
a
story-and-a-half
clapboard
structure
near
this
location.
When
Columbia
became
the
Capitol
of
the
Republic
of
Texas
in
1836,
the
building
was
one
of
two
buildings
which
housed
the
newly
formed
government.
The
first
Republic
of
Texas
Congress
convened
in
Columbia.
Here
Sam
Houston
took
office
as
President
and
Steven
F.
Austin
as
Secretary
of
State.
In
1837,
the
government
moved
to
Houston.
The
storm
of
1900
destroyed
the
original
Capitol
and
a
replica
at
this
site
was
built
in
1977.
