John Neely Bryan and his wife Margaret. (Courtesy of dallaspioneer.org) In 1842 Texas was a republic, a country – not a state, and was only six years down the road from its fight for independence from Mexico, and a few years away from joining the United States. Folks of vision saw the chance to change the landscape. Among them was John Neely Bryan of Tennessee. In 1842 Texas was a republic, a country – not a state, and was only six years down the road from its fight for independence from Mexico, and a few years away from joining the United States. Folks of vision saw the chance to change the landscape. Among them was John Neely Bryan of Tennessee.

Addison Oktoberfest, presented by Paulaner, puts a purely Texan twist on a traditional Oktoberfest celebration and will bring approximately 50,000 fans together in Addison Circle Park from Sept. 17-20 to revel in German culture, food, music and bier. Entertainment spread across four stages throughout the festival grounds will offer something for every musical taste.

The City of Bonham Animal Shelter invites the community to come together for its Tail End of Summer Adoption & Supply Drive on Saturday, August 29, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the City of Bonham Animal Shelter, 500 Industrial Dr., Bonham, Texas 75418.

Ike's History Festival is slated for Friday, September 4 and Saturday, September 5. Join the Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site for two days of hands-on history fun!From 10:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., historic and nature-based organizations from around the state will bring what they do best to Denison!

Texas fragmentation risk index for 2022, calculated using average farm size, change in market value per acre, producers age 65 or older and projected population growth from 2020 to 2060.

1814 – British troops capture Washington, D.C. and set the Presidential Mansion, Capitol, Navy Yard and many other public buildings ablaze. The Burning of Washington, also known as the Capture of Washington, was a successful British amphibious attack conducted by Rear Admiral George Cockburn during Admiral John Warren's Chesapeake campaign. It was the only time since the American Revolutionary War that a foreign power had captured and occupied a United States capital. Following the defeat of American forces at the Battle of Bladensburg on August 24, 1814, a British army led by Major-General Robert Ross marched on Washington, D.C. That evening, British soldiers and sailors set fire to multiple public buildings, including the Presidential Mansion (White House), United States Capitol, and Washington Navy Yard. The attack was in part a retaliation for prior American actions in British-held Upper Canada, in which U.S. forces had burned and looted York the previous year and had then burned large portions of Port Dover. Less than four hours after the attack began, a heavy thunderstorm, possibly a hurricane and a tornado, extinguished the fires and caused further destruction. The British occupation of Washington, D.C., lasted for roughly 26 hours. President James Madison, along with his administration and several military officials, evacuated and found refuge for the night in Brookeville, a small town in Montgomery County, Maryland. Less than a day after the attack began, a sudden, very heavy thunderstorm—possibly a hurricane—put out the fires. It also spun off a tornado that passed through the center of the capital, setting down on Constitution Avenue and lifting two cannons before dropping them several yards away and killing British troops and American civilians alike. Following the storm, the British troops returned to their ships, many of which were badly damaged. There is some debate regarding the effect of this storm on the occupation. While some assert that the storm forced the British to retreat, historians have argued that their intention was only to destroy the city's government buildings, rather than occupy it for an extended period.