The George Ranch Blog
09 Apr2020
Paper Dolls & Board Games: Simple, Stay-at-Home Entertainment from the 1930s
By ALLISON PARROTT Site Lead, 1930s George Ranch Home As everyone searches for ways to stay entertained at home, we thought it would be a great time to dive into favorite home-based games of the past. Paper Dolls The first manufactured paper was called “Little Fanny” and was produced in London in 1810 by...08 Apr2020
The Families Who Helped Build A Legacy: The Indomitable Uncle Bob
This is a continuation of a blog series on the families who lived and worked alongside the Jones, Ryon, Davis and George families here at the George Ranch. Click here for part one. Click here for part two. Robert H. Jones: The Indomitable Uncle Bob In 1836, Robert “Bob” was born to Virginian enslaved...08 Apr2020
Poultry Profile: Meet Chicken Nugget!
Poultry Profile: 1860s Ryon Prairie Home Name: Chicken Nugget Age: 5 Breed: Blue Andalusian Eggs: Sometimes I work for my food and produce an average of 3 white eggs a week. But sometimes I am lazy and won’t lay anything. Likes: I like to roam far and wide and I can fly really high...02 Apr2020
The Families Who Helped Build a Legacy: The 1890s
This is a continuation of a blog series on the families who lived and worked alongside the Jones, Ryon, Davis and George families here at the George Ranch. Click here for part one. The Edwards Family Cain Edwards — Cain, like his mother Celia, was born into slavery at the Jones River Place in...31 Mar2020
Rationing for Victory: WWII vs. Today
By ALLISON PARROTT Site Lead, 1930s George Ranch Home In 1940, England began rationing food to assist their soldiers with supplies. The following year, the British government requested that the American government also conserve food to help the Allies overseas; other non-food items were also rationed soon afterward, including nylon, tires, gasoline, silk and...27 Mar2020
The History of Toilet Paper
By MEGAN CROMEENS Site Lead, 1860s Ryon Prairie Home With the uncertain health situation happening across the world right now, one of the history questions we’ve been asked a lot is: What was used before the invention of toilet paper? It may surprise you to find out that toilet paper as we know it hasn’t...26 Mar2020
The Families Who Helped Build A Legacy: The 1830s & 1860s
In Fort Bend County, on land that later became known as the George Ranch, the Jones and Ryon families were slave owners. Henry Jones, the Ranch’s founder, had acquired 47 slaves through purchase, trade and birth by his death in 1861. Likewise, Polly Ryon and her husband William owned 16 slaves by the end...23 Mar2020
Victory Gardens
By Allison Parrott Site Lead, 1930s George Ranch Home During World War I, many farmers went off to war, leaving their crops to die in the fields. As the war waged on, a food crisis ensued and people throughout Europe began to starve. To help with the food shortage, American Charles Lathrop Pack created...16 Mar2020
George Ranch Historical Park CLOSED March 17-31
With the uncertain and evolving COVID-19 health situation here in our community and around the world, our top priority is ensuring that our guests, volunteers and staff members stay healthy. In response to the latest guidelines and information from the CDC and local officials, the Fort Bend History Association’s Board of Trustees has decided...11 Mar2020