The Tonkawa People Lived Along the San Gabriel Before Anglo Settlement

Before Anglo settlers came, the Tonkawa people had a village along the San Gabriel River. It was near where Georgetown stands today. Early settlers wrote that the land's water, timber, and rich soil had drawn people to this area long before they arrived.

Anglo settlement began during the Texas Revolution and the early days of the Republic of Texas. Kenney's Fort was built in 1838. The first settlers who came in large numbers were from Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Illinois. Williamson County was officially created in 1848.