Topic · Page 10
History & Culture
Local Notes
History & Culture notes
Sutton County · Economic History
Sutton County was built on sheep, goats, wool, and mohair
Sheep and goat ranching drove Sutton County's economy for most of the 1900s, and a local wool and mohair cooperative handled millions of pounds of product.
Swisher County · County History
How Swisher County Got Its Name and Why Tulia Is the Seat
Swisher County was carved from the Texas frontier in 1876 and formally organized in 1890, named for a Texas Revolution veteran.
Tarrant County · Cattle History
Fort Worth Grew Up on the Cattle Drives
After the Civil War, millions of longhorn cattle passed through Fort Worth on their way north — the city became a major stop on the cattle trail.
Tarrant County · Fort Worth History
Fort Worth Started as a U.S. Army Post in 1849
The U.S. War Department officially named the outpost Fort Worth on November 14, 1849 — it was built to protect settlers from Comanche raids.
Tarrant County · County History
How Tarrant County Got Its Name
Tarrant County was established in 1849 and named for General Edward H. Tarrant, a Republic of Texas militia commander.
Tarrant County · Population
Tarrant County Is One of the Fastest-Growing Counties in Texas
Tarrant County has grown from 664 residents in 1850 to more than 2 million people today — driven by cattle, railroads, aviation, and technology industries.
Tarrant County · Historic Courthouse
Tarrant County's Courthouse Is a Pink Granite Landmark Built in 1895
The Tarrant County Courthouse, completed in 1895, is built of pink granite and stands in downtown Fort Worth as a symbol of the county's growth in the late 1800s.
Tarrant County · Gas Boom History
The Barnett Shale Boom Brought Gas Drilling Into Tarrant County Neighborhoods
Between 2002 and 2009, an urban natural gas drilling boom changed Tarrant County as companies drilled wells in neighborhoods, parks, and near schools.
Tarrant County · Indigenous History
The Battle of Village Creek Shaped Tarrant County's Early History
In 1841, Republic of Texas militia forces fought Native tribal communities at Village Creek, in eastern Tarrant County near present-day Arlington — the county was later named for the militia commander.
Tarrant County · Stockyards History
The Fort Worth Stockyards Were Once the Livestock Hub of the Southwest
Fort Worth built the Union Stockyards in 1887, and by the early 1900s it had become a major livestock trading and meatpacking center.
Tarrant County · Railroad History
The Railroad Transformed Fort Worth in 1876
When the Texas and Pacific Railroad reached Fort Worth in 1876, the city shifted from a cattle trail stop to a regional trade center.
Taylor County · Education & Culture
Abilene has three private universities within the city
Abilene has three private universities — Hardin-Simmons, Abilene Christian, and McMurry — all inside the city, giving a city of roughly 130,000 an unusually strong college presence.
Taylor County · City History
Abilene was born from a railroad auction in 1881
The City of Abilene was platted and auctioned in two days in March 1881 after the Texas and Pacific Railway bypassed the original county seat of Buffalo Gap.
Taylor County · Historic Site
Buffalo Gap was the county's first seat and is now a historic village
Buffalo Gap, about 13 miles southwest of Abilene, was Taylor County's first county seat. It is now preserved as Buffalo Gap Historic Village.
Taylor County · Military History
Dyess Air Force Base has shaped Abilene's economy since 1956
Dyess Air Force Base was dedicated on April 15, 1956, and has been a major employer and economic anchor for Abilene and Taylor County ever since.
Taylor County · County Origins
Taylor County was named for three Alamo defenders
The Texas legislature created Taylor County in 1858 and named it for Edward, James, and George Taylor, three brothers who died at the Alamo in 1836.
Taylor County · Economic History
Taylor County's economy shifted from cattle to cotton to oil over a century
Taylor County started as open-range cattle country, transitioned to cotton farming by 1910, and added petroleum production after oil was discovered in 1929.
Terrell County · Flood History
Flash Floods Are a Real Danger in Sanderson Canyon
The town of Sanderson was nearly destroyed by a flash flood in 1965, and the canyon geography still makes flooding a serious risk today.
Terrell County · County History
How Terrell County Was Built Around the Railroad
Terrell County was carved out of Pecos County in 1905, and the town of Sanderson grew up as a Southern Pacific Railroad stop in the 1880s.
Terry County · Local History
Terry County Was Built on Cotton and Oil
Terry County was organized in 1904 and built its economy first on ranching, then cotton, and later oil — all three still shape the county today.
Throckmorton County · History
Throckmorton County grew up around cattle ranching
Cattle ranching shaped Throckmorton County from the 1870s onward, and the SMS Ranch became one of the most significant operations in the region.
Titus County · County Origins
How Titus County Came to Be
Titus County was created in 1846 and named for an early Red River County settler; Mount Pleasant has been the county seat since the beginning.
Titus County · Local Hub
Mount Pleasant: The County Seat
Mount Pleasant is the economic and civic center of Titus County, sitting at the junction of Interstate 30 and U.S. Highway 271.
Titus County · Railroad Era
Railroads That Built Titus County
Multiple railroads reached Titus County in the late 1800s, turning Mount Pleasant into a regional trade and shipping center.
Tom Green County · History
A Flood Wiped Out the Original County Seat in 1882
Tom Green County's first county seat was Ben Ficklin — until a catastrophic 1882 flood destroyed the town and killed 65 people.
Tom Green County · History
Fort Concho Founded San Angelo — and It Still Stands
Fort Concho was established in 1867 to protect settlers on the frontier, and the community that grew outside its walls became San Angelo.
Tom Green County · Economy & Resources
Oil Was Discovered in Tom Green County in 1940
Oil was discovered in Tom Green County in 1940, adding petroleum to a local economy already built on ranching and wool.
Tom Green County · Population & Community
San Angelo Is the Urban Core — Nearly the Whole County Lives There
Tom Green County has about 119,000 residents, and almost all of them live in or near San Angelo — the rest of the county is rural ranch land.
Tom Green County · Agriculture & Economy
Sheep, Goats, and Wool Defined This County's Economy
Tom Green County and San Angelo became a major center for wool and mohair processing, built on decades of sheep and goat ranching.
Tom Green County · History
Tom Green County Was Named for a Confederate General
Tom Green County was officially established on March 13, 1874, named for Confederate Brigadier General Thomas Green, who was killed in the Civil War.
Travis County · Capitol & Civic History
Congress Avenue and the Texas State Capitol
Congress Avenue was the main street in Austin's original 1839 city plan, running from the Colorado River to the Capitol.
Travis County · Economic History
How Austin Became a Tech Hub
IBM's arrival in 1967 launched a tech economy in Austin that grew into one of the largest in the country.
Travis County · County History
How Travis County Was Founded and Named
Travis County was created on January 25, 1840 and named for William Barret Travis, the Alamo commander.
Travis County · Dam History
Mansfield Dam and the Making of Lake Travis
Mansfield Dam was completed in 1942 and created Lake Travis, bringing flood control and water supply to Central Texas.
Travis County · Texas Republic History
The Archives War: Austin Fights to Stay the Capital
In 1842, Austin residents blocked President Sam Houston from moving the republic's government records to Houston.
Travis County · Presidential & Cultural History
The LBJ Library and Lady Bird Johnson's Legacy in Travis County
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library opened in Austin in 1971 and sits on the UT campus.
Travis County · Austin Growth History
The Railroad Changed Austin's Economy in the 1870s
The Houston and Texas Central Railway reached Austin in 1871 and doubled the city's population within five years.
Travis County · UT Austin History
The University of Texas at Austin: A County Anchor Since 1881
Austin won a statewide competition to host the University of Texas in 1881, and it has shaped the county ever since.
Travis County · County Boundaries
Travis County Once Covered 40,000 Square Miles
Travis County started huge — nearly the size of Kentucky — and was later carved into more than a dozen other counties.
Travis County · Geography
Travis County's Landscape: East Flat, West Hill Country
The Balcones Escarpment splits Travis County into two distinct landscapes — flat east and hilly west.
Travis County · Demographics
Travis County's Population and Diversity
Travis County grew from a small farming region to a metro area of over a million people, with significant Hispanic, Black, and Anglo populations.
Travis County · Early Settlement
Travis County's Roots in Stephen F. Austin's Colony
The land that became Travis County was part of Stephen F. Austin's third land grant from the Mexican government in 1827.
Travis County · Austin History
Why Austin Became the Capital of Texas
Austin became the Texas capital in 1839 after Republic President Lamar picked a site on the Colorado River.
Trinity County · County History
Groveton: How Trinity County Settled on Its County Seat
Trinity County had three county seats before Groveton took the role in 1882. The railroad and a lumber boom drove the move.
Tyler County · County History
Tyler County Grew Up on Timber, Not Oil
Tyler County was built by the timber industry in the late 1800s, with railroads and sawmills turning it into one of East Texas's busiest logging areas.
Upshur County · Local Tradition
Gilmer's East Texas Yamboree Has Roots in the 1930s
The East Texas Yamboree, a fall festival centered on the sweet potato harvest, was established in Gilmer in 1935 and is one of the county's most recognized annual events.
Upshur County · Economic History
Timber, Cotton, and Oil Shaped Upshur County's Economy
Upshur County's economy moved from cotton and timber in the 1800s to oil after a 1931 discovery that helped the county survive the Great Depression.
Upshur County · County History
Upshur County Was Created in 1846 and Named for a Cabinet Official
Texas established Upshur County on April 27, 1846, naming it for Abel Parker Upshur, the U.S. Secretary of State who died in a cannon accident in 1844.
Upton County · Local History
Rankin became the county seat after a railroad reroute
Rankin replaced Upland as the county seat after a railroad changed its route in 1911, then oil booms shaped the town into what it is today.
Uvalde County · Military History
Fort Inge protected this region in the 1800s
Fort Inge was a U.S. Army frontier post on the Leona River that helped open Uvalde County to settlement.
Uvalde County · Agriculture History
Uvalde County built an economy on goats and bees
By the early 1900s, Uvalde County was a major producer of mohair and honey, earning recognition at an international exposition.
Uvalde County · County History
Uvalde County was established in 1856
Uvalde County was carved from Bexar County in 1856 and named its seat after a Spanish colonial governor.
Val Verde County · County History
How Val Verde County Got Its Name and Was Formed
Val Verde County was formed in 1885 from three other Texas counties, and its name comes from a Civil War battle that means 'green valley' in Spanish.
Val Verde County · Military / Economy
Laughlin Air Force Base Is a Major Presence in Del Rio
Laughlin Air Force Base, located seven miles east of Del Rio, is one of the largest employers and economic drivers in Val Verde County.
Val Verde County · Rock Art / State Park
Seminole Canyon: Ancient Rock Art Near Del Rio
Seminole Canyon State Park near Comstock protects pictographs painted by people who lived in this region thousands of years ago, and offers guided tours to see them up close.
Val Verde County · Agricultural Heritage
Sheep and Goat Ranching Shaped Val Verde County
Val Verde County has a deep history in sheep and goat ranching, and that tradition still shapes land use and agriculture in the county today.
Van Zandt County · County Seat
Canton fought to keep its status as county seat
When the railroad bypassed Canton in 1872, a rival town tried to take the county seat — and Canton's residents armed themselves to fight back.
Van Zandt County · Local Tradition
First Monday Trade Days: a long-running Canton tradition
Canton's First Monday Trade Days grew from 19th-century livestock swapping into one of the largest monthly outdoor markets in Texas.
Van Zandt County · County Origins
Van Zandt County was carved out in 1848 and named for a Republic leader
The Texas Legislature created Van Zandt County in 1848 from part of Henderson County and named it for Isaac Van Zandt, a key Republic of Texas figure.
Van Zandt County · Local History
Why Van Zandt County is called the Free State
Van Zandt County has long carried the nickname 'Free State of Van Zandt,' rooted in several historical acts of independence.