Railroads in the 1880s turned Denton County into a major wheat producer

Before railroads, Denton County farmers grew mostly subsistence crops. Trains changed that. Rail access after the 1880s let farmers ship wheat and cotton to outside markets. Denton County ranked first or second in Texas for wheat production from around 1890 to 1920.

Cattle ranching was also important early on. John S. Chisum, a well-known rancher, ran cattle operations in the county starting in 1854 before moving his operations west. The mix of Black Prairie soil and Cross Timbers terrain shaped what could be grown where.