THE HISTORY- This pathway was originally a railroad line nicknamed the Columbia Tap, but is now a hike and bike trail in EADO, or East Downtown. Since the trail was built where there was once a railroad track, the path is very level and it's also 10 feet wide so it's easy to traverse and you have plenty of room for users to go around each other. The railroad was built in 1856 making it over 150 years old, and one of 11 railroads built in Texas before the Civil War. It got it's nickname of Columbia Tap from combining the name of the original railroad "Houston Tap and Brazoria Railway" with the town that it was run to, West Coumbia, only back then it was called Columbia. In the early part of the Civil War iron was desperately needed, so some of the rails were removed and melted down for gunmakers. The Dance Brothers were one of the gunmakers, and they made pistols for the confederate soldiers which are still collectible today. When the iron tracks were removed they were replaced with wooden tracks, but by the end of the war the rail line was deemed unsafe and it was abandoned by it's owners. In 1869 W.J. Hutchins purchased the line and started moving passengers in a light rail car that was pulled by mules. In some places there were culverts similar to what we know as cattle guards today, and the mules had to be unhitched from the rail car and driven around this obstacle since they could not walk across it, and then hooked back up again to continue on. The trip from Columbia to Houston would take a full day on a good day, and sometimes longer! At one time when passengers reached Sandy Point they would disembark and ride by stagecoach to an inn where they spent the night, and then the stagecoach would return them to the train the next morning to complete their journey. The Columbia Tap earned a place in railroad history as one of the most eccentric means of transportation available anywhere.
THE CACHE- Close parking is available at both of the caches I have placed on the trail, or if you want to stretch your legs you can park on one end and walk to the other. There is some shade along the way and maybe a couple of benches, but also a lot of sun! At times I have seen many muggles and at other times I have been the only one here, so please be stealthy when needed and replace the cache as found. I work pretty close to here and there are many nice townhomes in the area so I feel this end of the hike and bike trail is a safe area to search in, but I wouldn't recommend looking at night unless you are in a group. This is downtown Houston after all!