History

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The first steamboat to land in Jefferson was the Llama, owned by William Perry. The Llama’s route went from what is now Shreveport, LA, through Caddo Lake into Big Cypress Bayou and westward into Jefferson. Soon, cotton and other products destined for market, were being shipped down river, while a large complement of other commodities was brought back on the returning packet boats. By 1845, steamboats were regularly reaching Jefferson, some with as many as 130 passengers or more aboard. During the peak period of the 1870’s, packet steamers on their return trip to New Orleans carried upwards of 425 tons of goods or about 1800 bales of cotton each. At its high point, it was not unusual for Jefferson to receive upwards of 250 paddle boats per year. By the late 1840’s Jefferson had emerged as the leading commercial and distribution center in Northeast Texas and the state’s chief inland port, second only to Galveston in total tonnage. For more than 30 years, the port of Jefferson served as the primary entry point for settlers, immigrants and supplies from the east.

Extraordinary growth was occurring in Jefferson in the years following the establishment of the steamboat lines. Through dependable river navigation, steamboats departing Jefferson boasted a mere 4-5 day trip to or from New Orleans. Not surprisingly, the fashions, customs and architecture that marked the growing town of Jefferson would find great similarities to those in the trendy Louisiana city. The new homes being built in Jefferson began to resemble the Greek-Revival style seen in the refined neighborhoods of New Orleans; defined by their symmetrical, rectangular appearance adorned with balconies and column-lined porches. In fact, the many bed and breakfast inns located throughout Jefferson today are the same beautifully restored and maintained houses that were built during this time.

In 1860, Jefferson’s population had expanded to nearly 4,000. After Abraham Lincoln was elected president, the long, on-going rift between North and South came to a culmination. The voting citizens of Marion County unanimously opted for the secession of Texas from the Union. The men of Jefferson volunteered for military service in great numbers, pledging their allegiance to the Confederacy. During the Civil War, Jefferson served as a vital supply point for the South until the Port of New Orleans fell under blockade by Northern naval forces.

The town had been scheduled for destruction and to be set ablaze by the advancing Northern troops, as had been the eventual fate of many of her sister cities during the last days of the War. Thankfully, Jefferson was spared this indignity, aiding its early return to prosperity, even in the wake of Reconstruction. By 1870, it was recorded that over 200 new buildings were in the works. Funds were made available for town improvements including upgraded wharves, fire equipment and a modern water system. The town reached its peak population just a few years after the Civil War and is reported to have exceeded 30,000. During this time, Jefferson was the sixth largest town in Texas.

Sadly, in 1873 two events occurred that would forever change the future of Jefferson. First, the Red River Raft was finally removed by the US Corps of Engineers, due to it being arbitrarily deemed a navigational hazard. The raft was actually a huge, natural log jam that had clogged the river for centuries, flooding the bayous and raising the water level to a height that made it passable to Jefferson. With the raft’s removal the main course of the Red River was opened, draining the bayous and lakes, making the trip to Jefferson difficult and undependable. The second and decidedly more drastically impactful incident, was the completion of the Texas and Pacific Railway, running from Texarkana to Marshall, bypassing Jefferson altogether. Although another railroad line was extended to Jefferson the following year, the rise of other important rail cities, like Marshall and Dallas, brought an end to Jefferson’s Golden Era. By 1885 the population had fallen to some 3,500 inhabitants, with many of its businesses moving to Marshall, Dallas or Shreveport.

The city proudly boasts many firsts, with two in particular. In 1867, Jefferson became the first town in Texas to use artificial gas lighting, generated from retorts, which extracted gas from burning pine knots and heavily sap laden pine logs locally known as rich lighter pine. A year later, ice was being made artificially in commercial quantities accounting for yet another first. For a short time, Jefferson supported a railed trolley system similar to those in use in New Orleans. The city’s grand hotel, The Excelsior has been and remains in continuous operation since its opening in 1850 and the second oldest in Texas to be in uninterrupted service.