Archeological materials show that prehistoric people visited this area, possibly as early as 300 BC; in early historical times, the Capoque band of the Karankawa Indians roamed between the mouth of the Brazos River and Galveston Bay and may have traveled inland as far as Brazos Bend. In the early 19th century, this area of Texas was the site of Stephen F. Austin's first colonial land grant from Mexico, and present park land was included in a grant to Abner Harris and a partner named William Barrett in 1827. Most of the riverfront was sold shortly after the Texas Revolution, and records show that in 1845, part of the park and 2400 feet of river frontage were in the hands of cotton brokers who lived in Brazoria. At the time, the Brazos River was one of the principal routes of commerce, and it may be that the brokerage firm used the area for one of its riverboat landings. In recent times, the land on which the park is located was used for cattle grazing, pecan harvesting, and as a private hunting preserve. Among the many nearby attractions are the San Jacinto Battleground Historical Complex including the San Jacinto Battleground, the San Jacinto Monument, and the Battleship TEXAS; Galveston Island State Park; Brazoria County Access Point (San Luis Pass County Park); Sea Center in Lake Jackson; the George Ranch; Houston's attractions; and West Columbia, which was founded in 1826 and served as the Capital of the Texas Republic for a brief period in 1836.