fanthorp inn state historic site

Tom, our guide, was a wealth of information as he led us through the rooms of the house and then out to the coach house. Friendly, fun, informative, age appropriate the whole tour, we loved his presentation. The house was filled with the actual furniture and items that were used by the inn keepers including the playing cards, tables, carpet bags, dinnerware and beds. It did not take away from the tour that the coach was a replica. Don't miss climbing aboard the stage coach for a great virtual ride, complete with your host calling directions to the horses and a demonstration of cracking the whip.Open Saturday and Sunday, the tour takes about an hour and we enjoyed every minute. The tour is worth much more than the suggested donation.

In reading about the Fanthorp Inn, my husband and I were so looking forward to riding in an actual stagecoach since rides were to be given the second weekend in October when we were traveling through! Unfortunately, the rain made this impossible. However, we were thoroughly entertained by Tom Scaggs who was dressed as a cowboy and gave a very impressive, lively tour! He demonstrated how a whip was used to drive the stagecoach, taught verbal commands that drove the horses, and actually let my husband and I climb into the stagecoach and rocked it back and forth to give us a demonstration of how it felt to ride in a stagecoach! It was great! The history of the Fanthorp Inn is also amazing as it is furnished with the actual furniture of Mr. and Mrs. Fanthorp which was awesome in itself! There is no fee to visit this site, but a donation is encouraged which I highly recommend you do. Hats off to Mr. Scaggs who made our visit an absolute delight. It's wonderful to still find people so passionate about their work!

The Inn is very interesting, just a little off the main highways of the area. Ranger Tom makes it come alive and just listening to him would be worth a trip in itself. We got more of a feel for the period than at many better known sites.

We were passing through Anderson, TX, saw the signs for the historic Fanthorpe Inn and decided to drive by. We saw the sign indicating the Inn is only open on Saturday and Sunday and since this was a holiday Monday, we planned to just walk around and take a few pictures. We saw the Park Ranger, Tom Skaggs sitting on the front porch and asked him if we could take a look around. He offered to give us the complete tour, and what a tour it was. Tom told the story of the Inn in such a way, we were transported back to Texas in the mid 1800's. It is obvious Tom is passionate about his work, he knew so many interesting details about the inn and the family that started it and owned until it was deeded over to the state. He had even transcribed some old letters from someone who stayed at the inn during its heyday, which he read for us. After touring the house, filled with history and historical pieces, we went to sit in the restored stagecoach. Tom took our picture, then closed the door and rocked the coach so we could experience the feeling of traveling by stage coach. We were duly entertained for over an hour before we had to get back on the road. (After a spotless restroom visit.) The tour is free, but donations are welcome. I cannot encourage you enough to visit this historic spot. I was saddened to learn that, due to funding, the state was planning on shutting the Inn down, but fortunately for us, Tom has volunteered to continue tours on the week-ends. It is so important that our Texas history be preserved, so visit Fanthorpe, take the children (Tom hooks up the horses and gives stagecoach rides the second Saturday of each month.) and enjoy Texas history while helping to keep it alive for others.

This place was closed the first time we went by and we almost decided to skip it on this trip. I'm so glad we went back! Be sure to check the hours before you go. They are pretty limited and the Inn is open only to guided tours. It is free but donations are requested and the tour is well worth a donation. Our guide has worked there his whole career and was extremely knowledgable about the place and family. He really took us back in time to the early 1800's when the Inn was thriving as a Stage Coach stop. This was one of the highlights of our trip. Must see!

There are gems that are preserved because they are overlooked. Located In A Town That Is Still In The 1800's little Touched By Todays World, This Way Side Inn Has Been Preserved By The Fanthorp Family, The State Historical Board And Tom, One Of Those Rare Individuals That Offer His Passion And Research To Any Visitor That Happens To Come By On Weekends. As A Student Of History The Role Of Stage Coaches, Postal services, The Infrastructure Of 1840 And The Operations Of An Inn were Outstanding stories By A Remarkable Individual In A Site That Was Lucky Enough To Be Neglected, Recognized And Preserved. Thank You Tom And Texas Historical Board For Preserving our Values And Way Of Life. Yes Sam Houston Slept Here!!

The Fanthorp Inn is worth a visit! If you live in the area (Navasota, College Station, or Bryan), are driving to or from Houston, or headed east or west between Huntsville and Brenham on a Saturday or Sunday, plan a stop at the Fanthorp Inn in Anderson, TX. It is a genuine jewel!The inn is original – original building, original furnishings, and set up as it might have looked in the 1850s or 1860s. You’ll see the furnishings actually used by the family, and see the inn as a traveler might have seen it almost 150 years ago. The condition of the house, meticulously brought back from near ruin over a period of years, is exceptional. It is an excellent learning experience and shows what life was like “back then.” The dining room table is set for a hearty dinner; the white clothes over the table are operated by a pulley, and would have provided state-of-the-air conditioning and insect control. The inn’s rooms upstairs are ready for guests – check them out! Travelers, for example, often shared beds, with three or even four to a bed.Henry Fanthorp, the inns owner, was born in England and settled in Texas about 1832. The next year he purchased a large tract of land in central Grimes County in what is now Anderson. A widower, he built the house for his bride, Rachel. The property was at a major road intersection, and people stopped for a meal and for the night. Fanthorp was a canny businessman, merchant and land speculator. He was appointed Grimes County postmaster. The inn prospered until the untimely deaths of the Fanthorps in 1867 from typhoid. They are buried in the cemetery across the street.Another attraction is the stagecoach in the barn next to the inn (also modern restrooms). Visit on a day when special events are scheduled and you can take a ride around Anderson in the coach – you’ll get a good idea of just how uncomfortable travel was in the 19th century! The Inn tour is free, but there is a charge for the coach rides. Tom Skaggs, Fanthorpe’s Park Service manager, gives a fascinating tour and really takes you back to the mid 19th century. Truly worth a visit! For more information and for special events visit the website at http://www.birthplaceoftexas.com/FanthorpInn.htm. Note: there is ample parking. The first floor is wheelchair accessible, the second floor is not.

This historic inn played an important part in communication and travel in frontier Texas. Check with the park for dates and times of stagecoach rides. Riding in a replica Concord stage coach is an experience you will always remember.

Beautiful home and grounds. Easy to find. Only have tours on weekends. But otherwise you can walk the grounds.

The farm is very well kept, with objects and furniture from 1850's. Unfortunately, during my visit, the staff of the farm (in historical clothes) was having lunch...

How often do you get to see an inn that Sam Houston visited so often that he had his own designated room? We were the only visitors at the time and got an impromptu tour of over an hour. Great insight on how people lived day to day during that time period. Really made us think about the hardships of travel in those days. Just a short distance away from College Station and totally worth the trip. Bring the children for sure!

Toured for the first time last week. The tour guide was full of knowlege about the history of the place.

This was WAY better than I expected it to be, and if you like learning about how people used to live--this is going to make your day. My family was really enthralled! It's an old inn that was in the Fanthorp family until the 1970s when they sold it to the state. I learned a lot of stuff that I've never heard before--and I have been to a lot of these things over the years. The tour is free (there's a donation jar), lasts about an hour, and the guide is really enthusiastic, entertaining, and informative. He tells you about the family, the restoration process, and a lot of stuff about how people lived and society functioned in the 1800s. Traveling in that day is covered extensively, and you will really appreciate how much better we have it today. Also, if you have questions about anything you see, he's real happy to talk with you about it. I can be shy about asking, but I felt comfortable chatting away.You can see how tiny the inn rooms were and the moss/straw stuffed mattresses. A shoe-fly apparatus is set up and works. Food, furniture, building methods, etc. are explained. Also, you get to hear how mail was handled since that involved significant travel. There's a replica of the type of stagecoach used in that time that you get to sit in and feel the motion of the ride. Also, the guy has a very long whip that he will crack and it is very LOUD! FYI: Washington-on-the-Brazos is just a few minutes if you are in the area--more historical stuff there. The inn is close-ish to Bryan/College Station and Navasota and Brenham, if you happen to be visiting the area and are looking for something to do.