Cotton Once Dominated Williamson County's Economy

In the late 1800s, cotton was the biggest crop in Williamson County. Farmers grew it mainly on the flat, dark soil east of the Balcones Escarpment. That soil is called blackland prairie. It holds water well and is good for row crops.

Cotton output hit its peak in 1900 at 80,514 bales. The county was also a big area for cattle ranching. Sheep and wool were important too.

Railroads arrived in the 1870s and 1880s. That made it possible to ship goods out of Central Texas to wider markets. Today farming still exists in the county, but technology companies and suburban growth have changed the local economy.