Local History
The RELLIS Campus legacy predates its evolution from World War II military installation to 21st century business, research and academic enclave. RELLIS not only carries on the core values from which its name is derived, but also springs forth from the enduring legacy of the State of Texas.
For those who come to RELLIS without an understanding of how Texas was shaped and why Texas is what it is today, this section of the RELLIS Recollections website seeks to offer an overview of the local, regional and state historic landscape.
Upon the dedication of Bryan Army Air Field in 1943, local businessman Travis Bryan proclaimed that those who drank from the waters of the Brazos River were destined someday to return. Bryan was a local banker, business leader and driving force in the creation of the air base. Before him, his grandfather, William Joel Bryan, donated land along a newly-constructed railroad line which soon sprung into a township which today bears his name. William Joel Bryan was nephew to Stephen Fuller Austin, who is called "The Father of Texas" and for whom the state's capital city is named.
The RELLIS Campus is a modern undertaking emerging from an important and storied past. In its very DNA is a heritage of both discovery and accomplishment.
Click on a link below to learn more about this period of RELLIS history.
