How Randall County Was Founded — and How It Got Its Name

The Texas Legislature created Randall County in 1876 from part of Bexar County. The county was named for Confederate General Horace Randal. But the legislature spelled his name with two L's by mistake, and that spelling has stayed ever since. The county was officially organized in 1889.

People have lived in this area for roughly 10,000 years. The 1541 Coronado expedition is believed to have camped in or near Palo Duro Canyon. Charles Goodnight founded the JA Ranch in Palo Duro Canyon in 1876. That was the first major European-American settlement in the county.