The Mary Terrell

The Brazos River was a significant transportation corridor during the 19th and early 20th centuries but few boats built for river transport survive. The Mary Terrell is a notable exception. It is a 22 foot cypress skiff built in the North Atlantic fishing-craft style in 1914 by Jesse Youens, a Navasota lumberyard owner, for J.P. and E. H. Terrell, owners of a Millican cotton farm. Named for their sister, the Mary Terrell was built to rescue tenant farmers and families from the Brazos River bottomland when periodic flooding placed them at risk. The boat, a replica of her Model T engine, and details of her history can be viewed and explored at the Museum.