The monument marks the tomb of the men that died during the Dawson Massacre of September 1842 and the ill-fated Mier expedition of November 1842, also known as the “black bean” incident. Nearby citizens reinterred their remains here in a common tomb so that they can be honored for their sacrifice. The site is now marked by a 1936 Centennial monument.

In 1849, German immigrant Heinrich Ludwig Kreische purchased 172 acres of land including the Dawson/Mier tomb, now known as Monument Hill. Master stonemason Kreische built a three-story house for his family. In the 1860s, he utilized the spring water from the ravine below his house and started one of the first commercial breweries in Texas. Walk the ruins of this once bustling brewery and envision how Fayette County citizens would come and enjoy a pint of Kreische’s Bluff Beer while looking out towards the beautiful Texas landscape. The Kreische Brewery and home are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1849, master stonemason and German immigrant, Heinrich Kreische built his home and in the 1860s one of the first commercial breweries in Texas. Walk the ruins of this once bustling brewery and see how it remains a lasting example of prosperity by immigrants in Texas. The Kreische Brewery and home are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.