Georgetown Was Named for a Land Donor, Not the President

Georgetown was established in 1848 as the county seat of Williamson County. The name comes from George Washington Glasscock, who donated the land for the site along with his business partner Thomas B. Huling. The town is about 25 miles north of Austin on Interstate 35.

Two major events shaped Georgetown's growth in the 1800s. Southwestern University opened in 1873. A railroad reached town in 1878. Cattle drives through Georgetown connected to the Chisholm, Western, Dodge City, and Shawnee Trails, making it an important stop in the cattle trade era.