VISITORS GUIDE: FORT BEND COUNTY
Natural Attractions 
Fort Bend County has five sites on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail including Brazos Bend State Park (No. 117) which offers free nature programs every weekend. Astronomy buffs will want to visit the park's George Observatory for some stargazing (open 3 to 10 p.m. Saturdays). Phone for information on stargazing programs, and passes.
Austin Colony
The Fort Bend Museum portrays Fort Bend history from Austin's Colony in 1822 to 1945. Included are the 1821 settlement of Spanish Texas by Anglo American colonists, the role of Stephen F. Austin, the Texas Revolution, and encampment of the Mexican Army during the battle at San Jacinto.
The George Ranch Historical Park FM 762 near Richmond is a 480-acre site originally settled in 1824. Here visitors can experience hands-on activities of more than a century of rural Texas history. Attractions include an Austin Colony log cabin farm of the 1830s, an African-American sharecroppers farm of the 1890's and working ranches of the 1890's to the 1930's plus two historic homes open for tours. Hours are 9 to 5 p.m. daily. The annual Texian Market Days is a not to be missed event complete with numerous re-enactments. Phone for information or check web site: www.georgeranch.org.
German-Czech
German and Czech settlers were among many immigrants that settled in Fort Bend County during the 1880's and 90s. An exhibit at the Fort Bend Museum depicts their contributions to the county. The George Memorial Library, Genealogy and Local History Section, at Richmond is a treasure trove for those doing genealogical research with its extensive collection of reference, periodicals, genealogy and historical collections, as well as various exhibitions.
Railroads
Exhibits in the newly-opened Rosenberg Railroad Museum in the Rosenberg Historic District include artifacts from each of the eight railroads that traversed Fort Bend County and items from Tower 17. Other exhibits depict jobs on the railroad, railroad signaling, the 1879 Quebec railcar, express companies and railroad advertising. The museum is in a replica of the Union Depot, built next to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific lines. A half dozen or more trains may pass the museum during your stay. Tower 17, the last staffed railroad interlocking tower, is located just one mile to the west. Phone or check website: http://kstavino.home.texas.net/RosenbergRailroadMuseum.htm
The Fort Bend Museum in Richmond also has a railroading exhibit, The Little Depot that Could that includes railroad memorabilia. Nearby is the 1901 Southern Pacific Railroad Depot and the 1850's McNabb House, home of Prohibitionist Carrie Nation's daughter.
Other
The Richmond Historic District includes the Fort Bend Museum, a cottage that was once owned by Jane Long, the Mother of Texas, the 1901 Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, historic homes, and markers, the Fort Bend County Courthouse restored in 1980; and Morton Cemetery that is the final resting place of may of Fort Bend's and Texas' early settlers including Jane Long and Mirabeau B. Lamar and others. A walking tour map is available at the Fort Bend Museum, .
In addition to its Austin Colony and Texas Revolution exhibits, the Fort Bend Museum also has exhibits on the plantation period of the 1850s and 60s, the importance of the sugar and cotton industries and Civil War interpretation centering on the role Terry's Texas Rangers. Their website is www.fortbendmuseum.org.
Additional information on Terry's Texas Rangers can be viewed at Museum of Southern History at Sugar Land. Other exhibits there include Western paintings, Civil War memorabilia, artifacts and tape-recorded histories. Phone for information.