Located in Grimes County, Texas, Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site is a state park. It sits roughly 14.5 km (9.0 mi) NE of Navasota.
Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site is a historic hotel in Anderson, Texas. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department acquired the 6-acre (2.4 ha) site by purchase in 1977 from a Fanthorp descendant. Ten years were spent researching and restoring the Inn to its 1850 look. The site was opened to the public on October 4, 1987. The clapboard-covered log house was built in 1834 by an English immigrant, Henry Fanthorp, as a home for his third wife, Rachel Kennard. He bought 1,100 acres (450 ha) and built his house in 1834 along the road that crossed his land. The building was enlarged in about 1850 to accommodate its usage as a hotel and store. Henry Fanthorp was appointed postmaster by the Provisional Texas Government in 1835. The building was the first post office in the region. Fanthorp Inn became a well-known stopping place for stagecoaches, travelers, and the community. On July 3, 1845,...From the Wikipedia article “Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:29 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:23 AM | 62° ENE | 8:30 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 117° ESE | 5:28 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 10m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 23m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 7:11 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:07 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:57 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:33 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:17 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 6:04 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 41m |
| June | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 06m |
| July | 6:06 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 56m |
| August | 6:26 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 16m |
| September | 6:45 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 37m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 11m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:44 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:53 AM – 6:13 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:56 AM – 5:26 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:53 PM – 4:53 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:06 PM – 4:36 AM | 6.5 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:03 PM – 3:13 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 1:14 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 11:12 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:14 PM – 9:14 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.24 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 79 | 86 | 90 | 97 | 102 | 107 | 107 | 108 | 106 | 97 | 89 | 83 |
| Low °F | 18 | 18 | 21 | 34 | 43 | 62 | 66 | 62 | 50 | 35 | 25 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this state park
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site?
What time is golden hour at Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site?
How far is Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site from Navasota?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.