Topic · Page 4
History & Culture
Local Notes
History & Culture notes
Ellis County · Industrial Economy
Midlothian is home to major cement and steel manufacturing
Midlothian, in northern Ellis County, grew into a heavy industrial city in the 20th century because of large limestone deposits used for cement production.
Ellis County · Historic Neighborhoods
Waxahachie has a large collection of preserved Victorian-era homes
Waxahachie is called Gingerbread City for its hundreds of well-kept Victorian homes. Many are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Ellis County · Film History
Waxahachie was a filming location for several 1980s Hollywood movies
In the 1980s, Waxahachie's preserved Victorian streets attracted four major Hollywood films that used the town as a period set.
Ellis County · Historic Landmark
Waxahachie's 1897 courthouse is one of Texas's most recognized buildings
The Ellis County Courthouse in downtown Waxahachie was completed in 1897, built of red sandstone and granite in a Victorian Romanesque style.
Erath County · County Origins
Erath County Was Founded in 1856 and Named for a Texas Surveyor
Erath County was carved out of Bosque and Coryell counties in 1856 and named after George B. Erath, a surveyor who mapped much of this part of Texas.
Erath County · Rodeo Culture
Stephenville Calls Itself the Cowboy Capital of the World
Stephenville has a strong rodeo tradition and calls itself a hub for professional rodeo athletes.
Erath County · Historic Courthouse
Stephenville's Victorian Courthouse Has Stood Since 1892
The Erath County Courthouse in Stephenville is a National Register landmark built in 1892 from local limestone and red Pecos sandstone.
Erath County · Higher Education
Tarleton State University Has Been in Stephenville Since 1899
Tarleton State University is based in Stephenville. It is part of the Texas A&M System and has shaped the county's economy and culture for over a century.
Falls County · Local History
Marlin's mineral springs made it a 19th-century health destination
Workers found hot mineral water in Marlin in 1892. That discovery turned the town into a health resort that lasted about fifty years.
Falls County · Local History
Why Falls County is called Falls County
The county is named after a natural waterfall on the Brazos River. Early settlers used it as a landmark.
Fannin County · County History
Bonham Is Named for an Alamo Defender and Has Been the County Seat Since 1843
Bonham, the county seat of Fannin County, was founded as Fort Inglish in 1837 and renamed in 1844 for James Butler Bonham, who died at the Battle of the Alamo.
Fannin County · Notable History
Sam Rayburn, the Longest-Serving House Speaker, Lived in Bonham
Sam Rayburn of Bonham served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and his home and library are open to visitors in Bonham today.
Fayette County · Heritage
Czech and German settlers shaped Fayette County's towns and culture
German and Czech settlers came to Fayette County in the mid-to-late 1800s. They shaped the food, buildings, churches, and community life still seen here today.
Fayette County · History & State Park
Monument Hill preserves a key moment in Texas independence history
Monument Hill and Kreische Brewery State Historic Site in La Grange honors Texans killed during the Mier Expedition and Dawson Massacre of the 1840s.
Fisher County · Local History
How Fisher County and Roby Got Their Names
Fisher County was named for a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Its county seat was chosen in an election where one voter turned out to be a dog.
Fisher County · Local Economy
Oil and Gas Has Shaped Fisher County Since the 1920s
Oil was discovered in Fisher County in 1928 and has been part of the local economy ever since, alongside cotton and cattle.
Floyd County · County History
Floyd County was named for an Alamo defender
Floyd County was created in 1876 and named after Dolphin Ward Floyd, who died at the Alamo in 1836.
Foard County · County History
Foard County Was Carved Out in 1891 and Built on Cattle and Cotton
Foard County was established in 1891, named for a Confederate officer, and grew around cattle ranching, cotton farming, and a railroad that arrived in 1908.
Fort Bend County · Reconstruction Era
Black residents held major county offices in Fort Bend during Reconstruction
After the Civil War, African Americans won elected office in Fort Bend County as sheriff, commissioner, and justice of the peace.
Fort Bend County · County Origins
Fort Bend County was founded in 1837 and named for a bend in the Brazos River
Fort Bend County gets its name from a small cabin settlement built near a sharp curve in the Brazos River in the 1820s.
Fort Bend County · Plantation History
Fort Bend County was one of Texas's major plantation and slavery counties
By 1860, Fort Bend County had more enslaved people than white residents, making it one of the heaviest slaveholding counties in Texas.
Fort Bend County · Immigration History
German, Austrian, and Czech immigrants settled small farms in Fort Bend County in the 1890s
About 400 Central European immigrants moved to Fort Bend County between 1890 and 1900, founding towns like Beasley and Needville.
Fort Bend County · Oil & Gas History
Oil was discovered in Fort Bend County in 1919
Gulf Oil drilled the county's first producing oil well in 1919, adding petroleum to a county economy built on sugar and cotton.
Fort Bend County · County Seat
Richmond has been Fort Bend County's seat since 1838
Richmond on the Brazos River has served as the county seat since 1838 and is where county government offices are located.
Fort Bend County · City History
Sugar Land grew from a sugar plantation company town into a major suburb
The city of Sugar Land traces its roots to a 19th-century sugar plantation and the Imperial Sugar Company that once dominated the area.
Fort Bend County · Reconstruction & Race
The Jaybird-Woodpecker War in 1889 ended Black political power in Fort Bend
A violent political conflict in 1889 led to the exclusion of Black voters from Fort Bend County politics for more than 60 years.
Franklin County · County History
Franklin County Was Named for a Judge, Not the President
Franklin County was created in 1875 and named for Judge Benjamin C. Franklin, an early Red River County settler and jurist — not for Benjamin Franklin.
Freestone County · Local History
Freestone County is the birthplace of blues musician Blind Lemon Jefferson
Blues pioneer Blind Lemon Jefferson was born in the Coutchman community and is buried in Wortham, making Freestone County significant in American music history.
Frio County · Local History
A Railroad Built Pearsall and Made It the County Seat
Pearsall was founded in 1882 when the International-Great Northern Railroad arrived, and it replaced the older Frio Town as the county seat within a year.
Frio County · Oil & Gas History
Oil Was Discovered in Frio County in the 1930s
Commercial oil production began in Frio County around 1930, and the Pearsall and Bigfoot fields became significant producers over the following decades.
Gaines County · County History
Gaines County went from open range to oil country in about 50 years
Gaines County was carved from open plains in 1876 and grew through ranching, cotton farming, and then oil — all within a few generations.
Galveston County · Historic Engineering
After 1900, Galveston Built a Seawall and Raised the Entire City
Following the 1900 hurricane, Galveston constructed a seawall — originally six miles long, later extended — and pumped sand from the Gulf to raise the elevation of 2,000-plus buildings.
Galveston County · Geography
Galveston County Is a Mix of Island, Bay, and Mainland
Galveston County includes Galveston Island, mainland cities along Interstate 45, and the large waters of Galveston Bay.
Galveston County · County History
Galveston County Was Established in 1838 Under the Texas Republic
Galveston County is one of Texas's oldest counties, organized in 1839, with deep roots in trade, piracy, and early American settlement on the Gulf Coast.
Galveston County · Local Economy
Galveston County's Economy Mixes Petrochemicals, Port Trade, and Tourism
Galveston County's economy is built on five main pillars — port trade, oil and petrochemicals, medical services, financial services, and tourism — that have defined the county since the mid-twentieth century.
Galveston County · Industry
Texas City Is a Major Industrial and Petrochemical Hub in Galveston County
Texas City, on the mainland, has large oil refineries and chemical plants. They are a major part of Galveston County's economy.
Galveston County · Historic Disaster
The 1900 Galveston Hurricane Remains the Deadliest U.S. Natural Disaster
A hurricane on September 8, 1900 killed between 6,000 and 8,000 people in the city of Galveston, with island-wide casualties estimated between 10,000 and 12,000, and reshaped the county's history.
Galveston County · Healthcare & Economy
UTMB Is a Major Employer and Medical Center in Galveston County
The University of Texas Medical Branch on Galveston Island is one of the county's biggest employers and a major source of medical care for the region.
Garza County · Local History
How C.W. Post built the town of Post and shaped Garza County
Garza County's county seat was built by cereal magnate Charles William Post, who bought a large stretch of land to create a planned farming colony in the early 1900s.
Gillespie County · Local History
Gillespie County Was Built by German Immigrants in the 1840s
German settlers founded Fredericksburg in 1846 and shaped the county's culture, architecture, and farming traditions in ways still visible today.
Glasscock County · County History
Glasscock County was built on sheep, cotton, and oil
This small West Texas county was organized in 1893 and shifted from ranching to farming to oil production over its first century.
Goliad County · Local History
Goliad's name is an anagram — here's why that matters
The town of Goliad was renamed in 1829 as a tribute to Father Hidalgo, the priest who sparked Mexican independence.
Goliad County · Historic Site
Presidio La Bahia is a nationally recognized Spanish fort in Goliad
A Spanish colonial fort built in 1749 still stands in Goliad and holds status as a National Historic Landmark.
Gonzales County · Texas History
Gonzales Fired the First Shot of the Texas Revolution
On October 2, 1835, colonists in Gonzales refused to hand over a cannon to Mexican troops, starting the Texas Revolution.
Gray County · Local History
Pampa Became the County Seat Because of an Oil Boom
Gray County was organized in 1902 with Lefors as its seat, but a 1926 oil discovery made Pampa grow so fast that it took over as county seat in 1928.
Grayson County · Historic Site
Denison Is the Birthplace of Dwight D. Eisenhower
Denison, Texas is where the 34th U.S. President was born in 1890, and the Texas Historical Commission operates his birthplace as a public historic site.
Grayson County · County History
Grayson County Was Created in 1846 from Fannin County
Grayson County was established by the Texas legislature in 1846 and named for Peter W. Grayson, an attorney general of the Republic of Texas.
Grayson County · Water History
Lake Texoma Was Created by a Federal Dam Authorized in 1938
Denison Dam on the Red River created Lake Texoma. It is a major federal water project that changed the county's economy and landscape.
Grayson County · Military History
Perrin Air Force Base Operated in Grayson County from 1941
Perrin Air Force Base near Sherman opened in 1941 and was a major military presence in Grayson County for decades. It shaped the local economy.
Grayson County · County Seat
Sherman Is the County Seat and Largest City in Grayson County
Sherman serves as the county seat of Grayson County, where county government offices, courts, and the appraisal district are located.
Grayson County · Civil Rights History
The 1930 Sherman Riot Destroyed the Courthouse and Left a Mark on Local History
On May 9-10, 1930, a mob attacked the Grayson County courthouse, burned it, and lynched a Black man awaiting trial, one of the most violent racial incidents in Texas during that era.
Grayson County · Economic History
The Railroad Arrived in 1872 and Transformed Grayson County
When two railroads reached Grayson County in 1872, the region's population and economy expanded rapidly over the next decade.
Gregg County · Communities
Gregg County has several cities beyond Longview
Gregg County includes Longview (the county seat) plus several other incorporated cities — each with its own government, services, and school district.
Gregg County · County History
How Gregg County got its name
Gregg County was created in 1873 and named after John B. Gregg, a Confederate general killed during the Civil War.
Gregg County · Early History
Indigenous peoples lived in Gregg County before Anglo settlement
The area that is now Gregg County was home to Caddo peoples and later Cherokee immigrants before Anglo settlers arrived in the 1840s.
Gregg County · Industrial History
Industry came to Gregg County after World War II
After World War II, major industrial employers — including LeTourneau and Texas Eastman — set up in Gregg County and built an economy beyond oil.
Gregg County · Railroad History
Railroads built Longview — and Gregg County
Longview was founded in 1870 as a railroad town, and the arrival of multiple rail lines shaped the early economy of Gregg County.
Gregg County · Oil Boom History
The East Texas Oil Field transformed Gregg County
The discovery of the East Texas Oil Field in 1931 turned Gregg County from a quiet farming area into one of the most active oil regions in U.S. history.
Grimes County · County History
Grimes County Was Named for a Signer of Texas Independence
Grimes County was formed in 1846 and named after Jesse Grimes, who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence and represented the area in the first state senate.
Guadalupe County · Agricultural History
Cotton, Cattle, and Crops: Guadalupe County's Farm Roots
Farming and ranching shaped Guadalupe County from its earliest days, with cotton once dominating and diversified agriculture continuing today.