Historical Marker
The Colorado County Citizen
Columbus, Colorado County · Texas
Erected 1973
The Citizen backed Sam Houston for president in 1860 and opposed both abolition and disunion, then turned ardently secessionist when Lincoln was elected. All three Baker brothers joined the Confederate army and the paper stopped publishing. After the war, with James ill, it was sold to Fred Barnard and renamed the Columbus Times. In 1869 Barnard, who had sold the Times, revived the Colorado Citizen, which ran the Times out of business. In 1871 he sold it to three law partners, Robert L. Foard, Wells Thompson and George McCormick, who sold it back the next year.
What the plaque says
The Colorado County Citizen Established 1857 by Ben, James, and Hicks Baker, the "Citizens" was named by the Rev. J. J. Scherer, minister-educator. Also published on several sites, by series of owners, as "Colorado Times" or "Colorado Citizens," this is only survivor among the several local 1800s papers. (1973)
Where it stands
29.70530, -96.54102 · Directions
More markers nearby
- Tumlinson Family — steps away
- Colorado County, City of Columbus — steps away
- Dilue Rose Harris — steps away
- William B. DeWees — steps away