After Kelly and Christel Burmaster acquired and studied the history of the property where the 2920 Roadhouse is located today, it was during the cleanup of the property that that a deep desire built within them to restore the beauty of this old house that resided on it. They knew that they must restore it in a way that reflected the historical setting in which it laid. After visiting with family and friends, they contacted their long-time friend John Pierce and it didn’t take long, the decision was made to renovate it into a restaurant. After two years of cleaning, planning, building, and organizing 2920 Roadhouse Restaurant Bar and Grill was complete. The site of 2920 RoadHouse is located on FM 2920 midway between Waller and Tomball. It was at this very spot on the Texas road map that stood a small but prominent township called “New Kentucky”. Established before 1831, a thriving town where trade goods were bought and sold and lonesome and weary travelers found rest for the night making camp under the large oaks, until its trade was captured by the present city of Houston, established 30 miles away in 1836. However, it was here at the crossroads of New Kentucky, on April 16, 1836 where two wagon trails crossed, the path of independence was chosen which lead to the birth of the Nation of Texas. Abraham (Abram) Roberts (1773-1850), a native of Georgia, came to Texas as a widower in 1827 and settled at this site on Spring Creek about 1829. His home was located just a few yards across the street from where you are now seated. The interim government of the Republic of Texas stayed at Roberts’ home overnight while enroot to Harrisburg to establish the Texas Republic’s new capital. On April 16, 1836, the Texas army under Sam Houston left the McCarley’s plantation home about three miles east of here arriving at midday at the prominent crossroads in the sparsely populated community of New Kentucky at this point. Houston’s soldiers, aware that the Mexican army was advancing on Harrisburg, were concerned that Houston would continue to retreat east to the Trinity River. Still uncertain about Houston’s chosen route, the Texas army paused upon reaching the crossroads. Soldiers in the army asked Roberts, who was standing on his gate, to show the way to Harrisburg. A great shout arose as Roberts pointed southeast. Houston turned to take the Harrisburg Road and on April 21 his army defeated the Mexicans at the Battle of San Jacinto. The decision to take the Harrisburg Road became famous as a turning point in the campaign for Texas independence and the establishment of a new nation, “The Republic of Texas”.
