STEP INTO THE PAST PROGRAM OFFERED AS TOUR GUIDES FOR GROUPS

  

Brenham Main Street has announced that the Step into the Past Tours Program will now be offered as pre-planned tours for groups coming to the county.  Main Street volunteer Sharon Brass said that tour groups seek-out services for planned itineraries, reservations at their desired venues, and experienced guides telling interesting stories of the sites they visit.  In the next few weeks, Brenham will be hosting groups from Beaumont, Cypress, Dallas, LaPorte and Katy.  They will be welcomed by guides Barry Brass, John Dent and Linda Lachenmacher, who are experienced storytellers of local history and attractions.

Brenham Main Street has partnered with the Washington County Convention and Visitor Bureau to include attractions across Washington County.  Some of the county attractions that can be included in guided tours are Washington on the Brazos State Historical Site, Texas Historic Baptist Museum, early Independence homesteads, Chappell Hill Museum and Burton Cotton Gin.

Brenham Main Street Manager Jennifer Eckermann says that the tour groups are willing to pay for the personal touch of pre-planned guided tours, enabling Main Street to cover the costs of personal tour guides.  For more information about the program, go to DowntownBrenham.com, or to book a tour, contact Sharon Brass at 979-451-1459.

Full Press Release From Brenham Main Street:

The Step Into the Past Historic Tours program now offers guided tours in Downtown Brenham and around Washington County. The new guided tours have proven to be popular during the spring tourist season.

“Spring has always been our season for highest visitation,” said Main Street Manager Jennifer Eckermann. “This year tourists are experiencing more attractions with less up-front work, and our entertaining guides ensure that participants enjoy themselves.”

“The new guided tours themselves have become an added attraction!” said Main Street volunteer Sharon Brass. “We’re finding that tour groups seek-out services for planned itineraries, reservations at their desired venues, and experienced guides telling interesting stories of the sites they visit.

“In the next few weeks, we will host groups from Beaumont, Cypress, Dallas, LaPorte and Katy – just to name a few. When I prepare their itineraries, I build-in time for lunches, shopping, restroom breaks and travel time between venues. And I make sure they are paired with guides best suited for the venues and content they want.”

Tour groups are welcomed by guides Barry Brass, John Dent and/or Linda Lachenmacher, who are experienced storytellers of local history and attractions.

“Tourists are amazed by all we have to offer here,” said Barry Brass. “Some tell me it’s the best tour they’ve been part of. They comment on how our guides make the history come alive. They especially like how we connect the content at all venues, with the stories progressing from the community’s start through the colorful eras represented at our attractions.”

Tours often start at The Barnhill Center at Historic Simon Theatre, with the 25-munite movie The Dawn of Washington County.

“People love seeing the spectacular restored theatre.” said Barry Brass. “They comment on how great the movie is, and how much they learn from it. Then, we build on the story and characters throughout the rest of a tour, linking them to the content at other venues.”

Additional Downtown attractions are Toubin Park, the Glissmann Drug Store Museum and Brenham Fire Museum. During their walks between these sites, tourists are shown other historic buildings and told their interesting stories.

“All these attractions are fascinating to tour groups,” said Brass, “especially when we tell the stories that tie them together. Visitors are also introduced to historical forefathers in short, entertaining movies at the Glissmann and Fire Museums.”

While in Brenham, some groups tour Blue Bell Creameries, still one of the most popular attractions.

Some groups also tour the Giddings Wilkin House Museum and/or the Giddings Stone Mansion, both owned by the Heritage Society of Washington County. “At the Giddings houses, tourists get to see how Brenham aristocrats lived in the 19th century,” said Brass. “It’s a wonderful experience, especially after seeing the Downtown attractions where the Giddings families are featured, and their stories told. The house tours complete the stories and the Brenham tourist experience.”

“Main Street expanded the Step Into the Past program to promote tours in Downtown Brenham,” Eckermann added. “But there is so much more to see in our area! We are very pleased to partner with the Washington County Convention and Visitor Bureau (CVB) and attractions across Washington County, so tour groups can visit as many county attractions as possible.”

County-wide attractions that can be included in guided tours are Washington On The Brazos State Historical Site, Texas Historic Baptist Museum, early Independence homesteads, Chappell Hill Museum and Burton Cotton Gin.

The Step Into the Past Historic Tours program is an initiative of Main Street Brenham, supported by the City of Brenham and the CVB. All are working together to offer a united tour service, giving tour leaders easy planning and payment through a single coordinator, Sharon Brass.

Groups are willing to pay for the personal touch of pre-planned guided tours, enabling Main Street to cover the costs of personal tour guides and docents. The CVB helps with payment arrangements needed for attractions outside Downtown Brenham.

“I thought I knew a lot about Texas history, but I learned so much on my Brenham tour!” This comment is often heard by Step Into the Past tour guides.

For more information, go to DowntownBrenham.com, or to book a tour, contact Sharon Brass at 979-451-1459.

 

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