Our History

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Brazoria County Day in Austin was established in 1973 by a hand full of Brazosport Chamber of Commerce board members to show support for and to our Representatives and Senators in Austin. While at the same time exposing Brazoria County to all legislators and its location on the Texas Gulf Coast.
 
Some counties were showing off their area with cook-out items that were special to their respective areas, like B-B-Q, Sausage, Chili, Fish, etc.
 
Remember about fifty years ago, Freeport ranked very high in the Shrimp World as far as tonnage of shrimp caught.
 
We wanted to see what Brazoria County could do to get the attention of those in Austin as well, and let them know who, what and where we are.  Wayne Shaw came up with the idea of taking a boat load of our famous shrimp to Austin. And we would call it the "World’s Largest Shrimp Cocktail" with all the trimmings, i.e., boiled shrimp, homemade red sauce, crackers, beer, and soft drinks.
 
The first year of the event the whole committee consisted of maybe 10 workers and 10 to 15 helpers. We started early in the morning on the day of the event to decorate so we would still have time to get back to the hotel and clean up before the legislators, Governor, and the round-trippers from Brazoria County started arriving. Residents came by busses, planes, cars, RV's, beer trucks, or whatever was coming to Austin.
 
After the party was over, they would leave just as fast as they arrived and guess who was left, you got it, the 10 workers and 10 to 15 helpers.  It was clean up time.  It was always midnight before we got back to the hotel.
 
Cleaning up shrimp shells, empty drink cups, plates with red sauce all over them after hundreds of your closest governmental friends and neighbors is not the most fun thing you want to do.
 
All of that has changed.  We have more people than we have things to do.  Everyone is eager to work and it's a real pleasure to be a part of this county-wide event.
 
Over the past fifty-two years "Brazoria County Day in Austin" has become a tradition in Austin as well as Brazoria County.  Most "Theme Days" at the capital have come and gone, but our county event seems to get bigger and better.  Brazoria County Day has evolved into one of the most attended (percentage of officials) events of the legislative session.
 
There ARE SOME STORIES to be told, but the rule is they stay in Austin. You will have to come to Austin to see and hear for yourself.
 
Just be sure to tell the last person that leaves the county for Austin to be sure to turn out the lights.

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