hile the site of Spring Creek Ranch is close to Houston and all its modern conveniences, it has a historical significance dating back over 150 years.

The land on which Spring Creek Ranch now sits played a key role in Texas' battle for independence from Mexico. The land was part of Stephen F. Austin's original Texas colony in the 1820s. In 1831, Samuel McCarley, his wife Celia and their ten children settled on the site. By 1836, their home sat on a well-traveled road between Washington-on-the-Brazos, the birthplace of Texas Independence, and the community of Harrisburg, now a part of Houston.

In April of 1836, General Sam Houston was leading an army of 1,100 soldiers through Texas, buying time to train and organize his troops before engaging the Mexican army of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. The Alamo had fallen just a few weeks earlier and the Army of Santa Anna was marching through Texas, intent on destroying the rebel Texans.

On April 15, 1836, the Texas Army camped at the McCarley homestead. According to reports, the soldiers consumed cattle, corn and bacon belonging to the McCarley's and burned 4,000 fence rails for fuel. The next day, the army marched towards Harrisburg, and on April 21, defeated the forces of Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto.

According to the state historical marker now located on the site of Spring Creek Ranch "Samuel McCarley died in 1838 and in 1858 the state of Texas awarded his widow, Celia, $460 as compensation for damages caused by the Texas army."