Anderson

History

Long occupied by indigenous peoples, this area was initially settled by Europeans and creole Spanish during Spanish colonial rule. Anglo-Americans began to enter the area in the 1820s from the Southern United States. After Mexico achieved independence, it accepted additional settlers from the United States into eastern Texas. It allowed them to practice their own religion, if they swore loyalty to Mexico. A few structures in town date from this period. Texas achieved independence in 1836 and settlers continued to arrive from the United States. As they came mostly from the South and brought slaves with them, Grimes and other eastern counties had the highest proportion of slaveholders and slaves in the republic. Grimes County was organized in 1846, soon after the Republic of Texas was annexed by the United States. Henry Fanthorp, a new Anglo-American settler in Texas, offered land for the county seat. The town grew quickly between 1846 and 1885, reaching a peak population of about 3,000 people. County population was majority-black and enslaved by 1860. The black majority continued until many African Americans left during the 20th century in the Great Migration, to leave behind Jim Crow conditions. Anderson in 1859 rejected being connected to the Texas and Central Railroad, and was soon surpassed in population and economic growth by Navasota. Anderson could not catch up again, although it accepted a railroad in 1903. The town was incorporated, but records show elected officials only for the years 1867 and 1875. In 1983 a movement to revive city government was defeated at the polls.

Geography

Texas State Highway 90 passes through the city, leading north to Roans Prairie and southwest to Navasota, the largest city in Grimes County. College Station is to the northwest, and Houston is to the southeast. According to the United States Census Bureau, Anderson has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,919
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  1,591
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,538
• Black Vulture

  Coragyps atratus (Bechstein, 1793) · Aves
  1,452
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  1,451
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  1,430
• Great Egret

  Ardea alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,039
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  1,017

Largest nearby schools

• NAVASOTA H S
  High · NAVASOTA · 884 students · 12.3:1 ratio
• NAVASOTA J H
  Middle · NAVASOTA · 664 students · 12.5:1 ratio
• JOHN C WEBB EL
  Elementary · NAVASOTA · 597 students · 14.2:1 ratio
• ANDERSON-SHIRO JR/SR H S
  High · ANDERSON · 474 students · 11.8:1 ratio
• ANDERSON-SHIRO EL
  Elementary · ANDERSON · 460 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• BRULE EL
  Elementary · NAVASOTA · 327 students · 13.6:1 ratio
• RICHARDS H S
  Other · RICHARDS · 222 students · 11.7:1 ratio
• W B BIZZELL ACADEMY
  High · NAVASOTA · 27 students · 27:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.1 — 2026-06-04
  7 km NE of Marquez, Texas
• M 3.4 — 2026-06-04
  8 km ENE of Marquez, Texas
• M 2.5 — 2024-04-02
  4 km SSW of Round Top, Texas
• M 2.7 — 2007-09-15
  11 km ENE of Milano, Texas