Hill County was once a top Texas cotton producer, boosted by a railroad in 1881

By 1916, Hill County was one of Texas's top cotton-producing counties. Farming ran the economy for decades. The county's population peaked above 46,000 around 1910. A big reason for that growth was the railroad. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad arrived in September 1881.

The railroad brought new settlers to southeastern Hill County towns like Abbott and Mertens. German and Eastern European immigrants moved in and farmed the land. Farming has changed since then. Today, cattle, sorghum, dairy, and wheat are more common than cotton. But the small farm towns and rural feel still reflect that history.