Republic of Texas Legation Memorial Monument Being Built
by Kelly Tyus
The Daughters of the Republic of Texas has been granted permission by the United States Congress in Public Law 116–248 to establish a commemorative memorial in Washington, DC, to honor the Republic of Texas Legation to Washington.
It is envisioned that a modest size memorial at or near a cluster of five of the known eight sites where the Republic of Texas Legation lived and worked. To accomplish this, there is a 24-step process that must be achieved that includes a site selection study, environmental analysis, design of the memorial, and landscaping, with ten percent of design and construction costs going to future maintenance. The work is about ready to set the monument.
A teaspoon of actual dirt was collected from the Freestone County homesteads of Robert Malone Tyus – 1847; William Thomas Tyus – 1876; Walter Atlee Tyus – 1942; Haynie Barns Tyus – 1947; Glynn Ray Tyus – 1957; and Ronnie E. Brewer II – 2007.
The DIRT will be placed under the monument so it can be said “setting on Texas soil”.
The Sterling C. Robertson Chapter, Waco, will make a list of where the soil was collected and submit it to the DRT state chapter which will later be sent to Washington D.C.
(at top): DRT Sterling C. Robertson Chapter, Waco members Mary Dixon Neal, Gail Tyus, Kelly Tyus and Emilee Brewer submitted Freestone County DIRT to DRT Chapter Committee Chairman Nancy McSwane at their June 5 monthly meeting. (Submitted Photo)
