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History & Culture
Local Notes
History & Culture notes
Hopkins County · County Seat
Sulphur Springs Is the County Seat and the Main Hub on I-30
Sulphur Springs sits at the intersection of Interstate 30 and State Highways 11, 19, and 154 in the center of Hopkins County, about 82 miles northeast of Dallas.
Houston County · Local History
Why Houston County and Its Seat Are Named What They Are
Houston County was one of the first counties created by the Republic of Texas in 1837, and its seat Crockett was named for the Tennessee frontiersman David Crockett.
Howard County · Historic Structure
A Depression-Era CCC Pavilion Still Stands in Big Spring State Park
Civilian Conservation Corps workers built stone structures in Big Spring State Park in 1934-35 that are still in use today.
Howard County · County History
Big Spring Grew From a Water Hole to a Railroad Town to an Oil Boom City
Big Spring and Howard County went through three waves of growth: a natural spring drew travelers, then a railroad brought settlers, then oil brought a boom.
Hudspeth County · Historic Building
The county courthouse is built from adobe
The Hudspeth County Courthouse in Sierra Blanca, built in 1919, is made of adobe and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Hudspeth County · County Origins
This county was born where two railroads met
Hudspeth County formed in 1917 from eastern El Paso County. The town of Sierra Blanca grew up at the spot where two railroads met in 1881.
Hunt County · Agriculture
Beef cattle have replaced cotton as Hunt County's main farm product
Hunt County farms shifted from cotton to livestock over the 20th century, with beef cattle now accounting for more than half of agricultural sales.
Hunt County · Local History
Greenville became an early Texas leader in public utilities
In 1891, Greenville became the first Texas city to own and operate its own municipally owned electricity generating plant, according to the Handbook of Texas.
Hunt County · Local History
Greenville grew into a cotton hub after the railroad arrived
After the first railroad reached Greenville in 1880, Hunt County's cotton output grew from a handful of bales to more than 50,000 bales per year by 1900.
Hunt County · County Origins
Hunt County formed in 1846 and sits 51 miles from Dallas
Hunt County was established in 1846 and sits in the Blackland Prairie region about 51 miles northeast of Dallas.
Hunt County · Higher Education
Texas A&M University–Commerce anchors the county's east side
Texas A&M University–Commerce, located in Commerce in eastern Hunt County, is a public university within the Texas A&M System.
Hutchinson County · Local History
How Oil Shaped Hutchinson County
An oil discovery in the early 1920s turned a quiet ranching county into a booming industrial hub almost overnight — and oil still shapes the local economy today.
Irion County · Agriculture & Land
Sheep and Cattle Ranching Shaped Irion County
Irion County's economy was built on livestock ranching, especially sheep and cattle, and that land-use pattern still shapes the county today.
Irion County · Local History
The Railroad Moved the County Seat to Mertzon
Irion County started with Sherwood as its county seat, but when the railroad bypassed Sherwood and ran through Mertzon, the county seat followed.
Jack County · County History
How Jack County Got Its Name and Grew
Jack County was created in 1856 and named for two brothers who fought in the Texas Revolution, with Jacksboro growing from a frontier settlement into the county seat.
Jackson County · County History
A railroad detour moved Jackson County's seat from Texana to Edna
Texana was the original county seat of Jackson County, but when a railroad bypassed it in 1882, Edna quickly took over and Texana faded away.
Jackson County · Oil & Gas History
Jackson County has been an oil producer since the 1930s
Oil was discovered in Jackson County in 1934 and production has continued for decades, shaping the local economy alongside farming and ranching.
Jasper County · County history
Jasper County was named for a Revolutionary War hero in 1836
Jasper County was created by the Republic of Texas in 1836 and named for William Jasper, a hero of the American Revolution who died planting the American colors at Savannah in 1779.
Jeff Davis County · National Historic Site
Fort Davis National Historic Site preserves a frontier Army post
Fort Davis National Historic Site in the town of Fort Davis preserves one of the best-surviving frontier military posts in the Southwest, known especially for the Buffalo Soldiers who served there.
Jeff Davis County · County History
Jeff Davis County was carved from Presidio County in 1887
Jeff Davis County was created in 1887 from Presidio County. The Southern Pacific Railroad bypassed Fort Davis, which shaped the county's economy for generations.
Jefferson County · Civil War History
A Handful of Men Repelled a Federal Invasion at Sabine Pass
On September 8, 1863, about 47 Confederate soldiers under Lt. Dick Dowling defeated a Union fleet of gunboats and 4,000 troops at the mouth of the Sabine River.
Jefferson County · Indigenous History
Atakapa People Lived Here for Centuries Before European Settlement
The Atakapa Indians lived in the Neches and Sabine river valleys for roughly 2,000 years before European contact. Archaeologists have found pottery and village sites from that time.
Jefferson County · County History
Jefferson County Is One of Texas's Original Counties
Jefferson County was established in 1836 as one of the original counties of the Republic of Texas. Beaumont replaced an earlier county seat by 1838.
Jefferson County · Regional Identity
Jefferson County Is Part of the Golden Triangle
Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange form the 'Golden Triangle.' This southeast Texas hub grew up around oil refining, petrochemicals, and port shipping.
Jefferson County · Historic Site
Sabine Pass Battleground Is a State Historic Site Run by the THC
Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site marks where 47 Confederate soldiers turned back a Union invasion in September 1863. The Texas Historical Commission has managed it since 2008.
Jefferson County · Oil Discovery
Spindletop Changed the World — and Started in Jefferson County
On January 10, 1901, a well drilled on a salt dome south of Beaumont blew in as one of the most powerful gushers ever seen. It launched the modern petroleum industry.
Jim Hogg County · County Seat
Hebbronville: A Town Built Around a Railroad Stop
Hebbronville began in 1883 as a railroad stop and became the county seat when Jim Hogg County was formed in 1913.
Jim Hogg County · Oil and Gas History
Oil Changed Jim Hogg County in 1921
The first commercial oil well in Jim Hogg County came in on April 17, 1921, and set off an economic shift that still shapes the county today.
Jim Wells County · Political History
A Disputed 1948 Election Put Alice on the National Map
Alice and Jim Wells County became nationally known after a controversial vote-count in the 1948 Democratic Senate primary involving Lyndon Johnson.
Jim Wells County · County Seat History
Alice Was Once Called the Hub City of South Texas
Alice, the county seat of Jim Wells County, grew from a railroad stop into a major cattle-shipping and oil-boom town in South Texas.
Jim Wells County · Early History
Jim Wells County Has Spanish-Era Roots Going Back to the 1750s
Spanish ranchers settled what is now Jim Wells County around 1754, making it one of the older continuously settled areas of Texas.
Johnson County · City History
Cleburne Grew Fast After the Railroad Arrived in 1881
Cleburne became Johnson County's permanent county seat in 1867 and boomed after the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad arrived — the repair shops nearly doubled the city's population.
Johnson County · County History
Johnson County Was Organized in 1854 from Three Older Counties
Johnson County was carved from parts of Ellis, Navarro, and Hill counties in 1854 and has grown from a small frontier settlement to over 150,000 people.
Johnson County · New Deal History
The CCC Built Cleburne State Park During the Great Depression
Local residents donated the land for Cleburne State Park in 1934, and Civilian Conservation Corps workers constructed the dam, roads, and stone structures still in use today.
Jones County · Agricultural Heritage
Cotton, Cattle, and the Land: Jones County's Agricultural Roots
Jones County's economy was built on cattle ranching in the 1870s and cotton farming by the early 1900s — land use that still shapes the county today.
Jones County · Local Tradition
Cowboys' Christmas Ball: An Anson Tradition Since the 1880s
Anson hosts one of Texas's oldest continuing Western dances, most often traced to December 1885 at a local hotel.
Jones County · Historic Site
Fort Phantom Hill: A Free Historic Site Near Anson
Fort Phantom Hill is a preserved frontier army post from 1851 that is open to the public at no charge.
Karnes County · History
Helena Was Once the County Seat — Then the Railroad Bypassed It
The original county seat of Karnes County was Helena, a town that declined after the railroad passed it by in 1886.
Karnes County · History
Karnes County Is Home to Panna Maria, Texas's First Polish Settlement
The small community of Panna Maria, founded in 1854, is documented as the first Polish colony in the United States.
Kaufman County · Community History
African Americans have deep roots in Kaufman County dating to before the Civil War
The 1860 census counted 533 enslaved people in Kaufman County; the Black population grew substantially after the Civil War and made up nearly a third of county residents by 1930.
Kaufman County · Growth & Change
Kaufman County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the U.S.
Kaufman County added more than 50,000 residents between 2020 and 2024 — a growth rate that made it the fastest-growing county in Texas and second-fastest in the country.
Kaufman County · County Origins
Kaufman County was settled in 1840 and named for a Texas congressman
The county was formally established in 1848 and named for David Spangler Kaufman, a diplomat and congressman who represented Texas in both the Republic and the United States.
Kaufman County · Historic Institution
Terrell State Hospital opened in 1885 and became a landmark employer
The state chose a site near Terrell in 1883 for Texas's second psychiatric hospital — it grew into a major regional facility and for decades was the largest employer in the area.
Kaufman County · Agricultural Innovation
The first USDA farm demonstration in the U.S. happened near Terrell in 1903
Walter Porter's farm near Terrell was chosen by the USDA in 1903 as the site of the nation's first agricultural demonstration farm — the model that led to today's Cooperative Extension Service.
Kaufman County · Railroad History
Two railroads shaped Kaufman County's towns in the 1870s and 1890s
The Texas and Pacific Railway arrived in 1873 and helped Terrell grow; the Texas-Midland Railroad added a second line in the 1890s, bringing shops and jobs to the county.
Kendall County · Local History
Boerne was founded by German immigrants in the 1850s
German settlers laid out Boerne in 1852 and named it after a German writer. The town became the county seat of Kendall County in 1862.
Kendall County · Historic Courthouse
Kendall County's 1870 courthouse is one of Texas's oldest still in use
The limestone courthouse built in Boerne in 1870 is still standing and has served the county for more than 150 years.
Kenedy County · County History
How Kenedy County Got Its Name — and Why Ranching Still Shapes It
Kenedy County was formed in 1921 and named for rancher Mifflin Kenedy, and just a handful of large ranching families have held most of the land ever since.
Kent County · Local History
Jayton Became the County Seat in 1954
Kent County's original county seat was Clairemont, but Jayton won a contested election in 1954 and has been the seat of government ever since.
Kerr County · County History
Kerr County was carved from the Hill Country in 1856
Kerr County was established January 26, 1856, named for James Kerr, a colonist and figure in the Texas Revolution.
Kerr County · Ranching Heritage
Kerrville was once called the Mohair Capital of the World
Sheep and Angora goat ranching dominated Kerr County's economy for decades, and the county shipped over a million pounds of wool in a single year.
Kimble County · County History
Kimble County: Named for an Alamo Defender, Built on Wool and Mohair
Kimble County is named for George C. Kimbell, who died at the Alamo, and grew its economy on cattle, sheep, and Angora goats on the Edwards Plateau.
King County · History
King County was built on cattle ranching, and still is
King County is one of the most rural counties in Texas and has been dominated by large cattle ranches since the 1880s, including the famous Four Sixes Ranch.
Kinney County · History
Fort Clark: From Army Post to Private Community
Fort Clark was a U.S. Army post established in 1852 that shaped the growth of Brackettville and is now a private community listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Kinney County · History
The Black Seminole Scouts and Their Cemetery Near Brackettville
The Black Seminole scouts served the U.S. Army at Fort Clark for decades, and four of them earned the Medal of Honor — their cemetery still stands west of Brackettville.
Kleberg County · Local History
The King Ranch Shaped Kleberg County
The King Ranch, founded in 1853 on a Spanish land grant, drove the settlement and growth of nearly everything in Kleberg County.
Knox County · Local History
Knox County grew from open range to cotton country
Knox County started as open cattle range in the 1880s and shifted to cotton farming by the early 1900s — a pattern that still shapes the land today.
La Salle County · Historic Connection
Lyndon Johnson Taught in Cotulla Before Becoming President
In 1928, the future U.S. president taught at a segregated school for Mexican-American children in Cotulla.
La Salle County · Local History
Ranching Built La Salle County
Cattle ranching has driven the economy of La Salle County since the 1870s and still dominates today.
Lamar County · County Origins
Lamar County Was Founded in 1840 and Named for a Republic President
Lamar County was created by the Republic of Texas in 1840 and named for Mirabeau B. Lamar, the fourth president of the Republic.