Couple donate river land near river to Goliad
Elizabeth Branch, left, donated land in Goliad near the San Antonio River to the San Antonio River Authority. She is shown with Claude Harding, manager, San Antonio River Authority Real Estate Department, and Adair Sutherland, Goliad County representative to the SARA board of directors.
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WHERE IT IS
The property donated is at 445 S. Commercial St. in Goliad.
GOLIAD - The community of Goliad influenced Elizabeth Branch to donate property to the San Antonio River Authority.
David Branch, Elizabeth's late husband, became involved in the Goliad community after the couple moved to the city in 1996.
The two moved from Houston to Goliad upon retirement, bought a ranch and began to raise goats.
Because of the distance from town, they wanted to live closer to the city of Goliad.
"We decided to build in town so we could be more active in the community," she said.
The Branches found the 4.2 acres property, on the southeast corner of Fannin and Commercial Streets, which had a house and carriage house.
"The house was not salvageable," she said.
So they decided to renovate the carriage home, replacing the roof. They tore down the home that is said to have once belonged to Effie Pettus.
Plans for the property changed, and the two decided not to build a home on the property.
In 1998, Elizabeth's husband died.
Elizabeth continued to live in the area and raised goats, until she moved to Dallas in 2002.
The carriage house was renovated once again after a flood in 2002.
Although Branch travels from the Dallas area to Goliad and continues to have her ranch in the area, she decided to donate the land in town to the river authority.
"One of the things David and others had proposed was more of a linkage between the river and community," she said.
The property is about 300 yards from the San Antonio River, said Dale Bransford, manager of the river authority's parks department.
"We're very excited about the gift and the potential to develop property for several reasons," Bransford said.
Although no plans have been set for the property, the river authority plans to receive input from the community.
The carriage house, which remains on the property, would play a role in whatever is developed on the property, he said.
Bransford hopes to begin getting community input early next year.
The initial input will allow for the river authority to create a budget.
Comments
Elizabeth Branch is probably one of the most generous ladies in our fine town.
November 25, 2009 at 10:03 p.m.David was a great man and he is surely missed.
Thank you Elizabeth, once again you have made Goliad a better place.