The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Colorado (river of Texas)
COLORADO, a river of Texas, rising in Bexar district, between the 32d and 33d parallels, about lon. 102° W. It flows successively S. E., E., S., and again S. E., and empties into Matagorda bay. Its length is over 900 m.; average width 250 ft. The only important tributaries are in the upper part of its course, where it receives from the S. W. the Rio Concho, San Saba, and Llano, and from the N. W. Pecan bayou. In winter it is navigable for steamboats to Austin. It flows for more than two thirds of its length through a highly fertile region, and is a beautiful clear stream. It owes its name to an interchanging of the names of Colorado and Brazos, which the first discoverer bestowed on these neighboring streams, calling the present Colorado the Brazos de Dios, and the present Brazos the Colorado or ruddy.