The Rev. Joseph Pelnar of Bryan's St. Joseph Catholic Church erected a parish school building here in the early 1890s. The children of East European immigrant families dominated student enrollment at St. Joseph's until about the 1930s. Teachers included M. Elizabeth Carr (1890s), Nuns of the Ursuline Order (1901-1930), and Nuns of the Incarnate Word (1930-1981). Facilities were constructed or acquired at various times to meet increased enrollment which reached its highest level in 1957 with 498 students. The school continues to offer local students general and Catholic educational classes.

Earliest large community in Robertson's colony. Settled by Irishmen who came to America in 1821; lived in South Carolina and then in Alabama; and in 1829 sent west an emissary, Robert Henry, to find a permanent location. In 1833, their ox-wagon train arrived, and log cabins were built. By 1836, kinsmen had joined early arrivals to strengthen settlement. Community name, meaning "Strivers' Point" in dialect, was probably given for rugged zeal of settlers in face of hardships. James Dunn built a fort, to give neighborhood a refuge during Indian raids. In War for Independence, 1835-36, Staggers Point men fought in major actions, including the April 21, 1836, Battle of San Jacinto, which freed Texas from Mexico. In 1830s and 40s, the Irish were compelled to keep up their defenses against the Indians. Women as well as men earned respect for skill with "long guns." In time their village had a church, stores, cotton gin, race track, and taverns, and was invaded by gamblers and ruffians drawn to the races. Until the settlers subdued the lawless, duels and gunplay were common. This remained a progressive community until 1868, when Houston & Texas Central Railway bypassed it, and business waned. Descendants still honor the settlers.

Anglo settlement in this area can be traced to 1851. Henry B. Steele built a general merchandise store in 1855 to serve residents of the rural community, originally called Mudville because of frequent Brazos River floods. The store became the center of the community, and when a post office was established there in 1878 the settlement was renamed Steele's Store. Italian immigrants, primarily from the provinces of Trapani and Palermo, began settling here in the 1870s. Many of the families established large farms, and by the early 20th Century the Italian community here was one of the largest in the United States. A one-room schoolhouse built in 1889 was later replaced with larger structures as the population grew. The school eventually was consolidated with the Brazos County Independent School District. Predominantly Roman Catholic, the settlement was served by priests from St. Anthony's Church in Bryan until 1903, when San Salvador Catholic Church was built. The church became the focal point of the community, with traditional Sicilian celebrations held each March to honor St. Joseph. Many descendants of the area's pioneer Italian families still reside in the vicinity.

This burial ground was part of the Steep Hollow community, named for the valley of the Steep Hollow Branch, a tributary of Wickson Creek. Residents were ranchers and farmers, and the community had a general store, cotton gin, gristmill and schoolhouse. Saint's Rest Baptist Church (later Steep Hollow Baptist Church), organized in 1873, was associated with the cemetery, which first served as a private family burial ground. In 1874, Charles and Evaline Peters conveyed property for the cemetery and surrounding land to the church. The earliest interments were those of James Peters, (d.1870) son of Charles and Evaline, and Robert Martin (d.1871), son of Sarah Ann (Cheshire) and Rev. Samuel Crawford Martin (d. 1902), the first pastor of Saint's Rest Baptist Church. The Martins are also buried here with four other ministers of the church. Other burials include teachers, businessmen, farmers, ranchers and veterans of military conflicts dating to the Civil War. The cemetery is located in a naturalistic setting and features curbing, interior fencing, vertical stones, obelisks, and woodmen of the world grave markers. In its early years, family members cared for grounds. By 1926, the Steep Hollow Cemetery Association (SHCA) had formed to maintain the cemetery. In 1966, the church officially transferred ownership of the burial ground to the cemetery association. Today, Steep Hollow Cemetery continues to serve the area and persists as a reminder of the pioneering men and women whose hard work and sacrifice contributed to the establishment of the Steep Hollow community.

Soon after its opening in 1876, the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (Texas A&M) established the Corps of Cadets to fulfill its mandate to instruct its students (all-male until the early 1960s) in military science. A&M contributed more officers to America's WW II effort than any other institution, including the U.S. Military Academy. Many of the Corps' traditional activities, such as the Aggie Band, Fish Drill Team, and Ross Volunteers, have gained national and international recognition. A&M's elite Corps of Cadets continues to dominate the University's unique public image.