Topic · Page 17
History & Culture
Local Notes
History & Culture notes
Washington County · County Origins
Washington County Was One of the First Counties in Texas
Washington County was established by the Republic of Texas in 1836, the same year Texas declared independence.
Webb County · History
Laredo Has Flown Seven Flags Over Its History
Laredo is sometimes called the 'City of Seven Flags' because it has been governed under seven different flags, more than any other Texas city.
Webb County · Border Economy
Laredo Is a Top U.S. Port of Entry for Trade
Laredo handles more international trade truck traffic than any other port on the U.S.-Mexico border, shaping the economy of all of Webb County.
Webb County · History
Laredo Was Founded in 1755 Under Spanish Rule
Laredo is one of the oldest continuously occupied communities in Texas, founded under a Spanish colonial program more than 270 years ago.
Webb County · History
Laredo Was the Founding Site of the Republic of the Rio Grande
In 1840, Laredo was where leaders declared the short-lived Republic of the Rio Grande, a federalist rebellion against Mexico that lasted about 10 months.
Webb County · Agriculture
Ranching Is Deep in Webb County's DNA
Webb County has over 2 million acres of ranch and farm land, mostly used for cattle, goats, and horses — one of the most land-intensive ranching counties in Texas.
Webb County · History
The Railroad Arrived in Laredo in 1881 and Changed Everything
Railroads reached Laredo in 1881, connecting the border city to national markets and launching a period of rapid economic and population growth.
Webb County · Demographics
Webb County Is Overwhelmingly Hispanic
About 95% of Webb County residents are Hispanic, reflecting a deep Tejano and Mexican heritage that shapes local culture, language, and politics.
Webb County · History
Webb County Was Created in 1848 After the Mexican-American War
The Texas legislature created Webb County in January 1848, naming it after a judge, after the Rio Grande became the new international boundary.
Wharton County · County History
How Wharton County Got Its Name and Its Start
Wharton County was created in 1846 and named for two brothers who were leaders in Texas independence.
Wharton County · Historic Courthouse
The Wharton County Courthouse Has Stood Since the 1930s
Wharton's courthouse was built during the 1930s Depression era. It is a landmark in the county seat.
Wharton County · Community & Culture
Wharton County Was Settled by a Wide Mix of People
Wharton County was settled by many different groups. Its population today reflects that long history.
Wharton County · Agriculture & Land Use
Wharton County's Farming Roots: Rice, Cotton, and the Gulf Coast Prairie
Wharton County has a long farming history. It shifted from cotton and sugar to rice, cattle, and oil over more than 150 years.
Wheeler County · County History
Wheeler County Grew Up Around Fort Elliott and Cattle Trails
Wheeler County was the first organized county in the Texas Panhandle, with roots in buffalo hunting, a U.S. Army fort, and open-range cattle ranching.
Wichita County · Higher Education
Midwestern State University Is the County's Public University
Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls began as a junior college in 1922 and is now a public four-year university in the Texas Tech University System.
Wichita County · Military Presence
Sheppard Air Force Base Shapes the Local Economy
Sheppard Air Force Base, just north of Wichita Falls, is one of the largest military training bases in the country and a major economic driver for the county.
Wichita County · Oil History
The 1918 Burkburnett Oil Boom Transformed the County
Commercial oil production began near Electra in 1911 and exploded at Burkburnett in 1918, turning Wichita County into one of Texas's most active oil-producing areas.
Wichita County · Local Landmark
The Waterfall That Named Wichita Falls Was Washed Away in 1886
A flood destroyed the original falls on the Wichita River in 1886, but the city built a 54-foot artificial waterfall in 1987 that now stands beside Lucy Park.
Wichita County · Other Communities
Three Smaller Cities Anchor Different Parts of the County
Burkburnett, Iowa Park, and Electra are incorporated cities in Wichita County with their own histories tied to oil, ranching, and the railroad.
Wichita County · County History
Wichita County Was Organized in 1882 After Decades of Sparse Settlement
Texas created Wichita County in 1858, but the county had fewer than 500 residents until after 1880, when a railroad arrived and formal county government was established.
Wilbarger County · History
Doan's Crossing Was a Major Stop on the Western Cattle Trail
In the late 1800s, millions of cattle crossed the Red River at Doan's Crossing in what is now Wilbarger County, making it one of the most important points on the Western Cattle Trail.
Wilbarger County · Oil and Gas
Oil Production Has Shaped Wilbarger County for Over a Century
Wilbarger County has produced oil since 1915, and the Railroad Commission of Texas regulates all active wells and operations in the county.
Wilbarger County · College
Vernon College Started With a County Vote and 608 Students
Wilbarger County voters created a junior college district in 1970; just over two years later, 608 students met for the opening Vernon campus classes.
Wilbarger County · Downtown Art
Vernon's Murals Pair Roy Orbison With Tamales, Hibiscus, and Bacon
A few downtown walls hold an unusually local mix: Roy Orbison, hibiscus research, Harvey Dean's tamale sales, and a century of Wright Brand bacon.
Willacy County · Courthouse
Raymondville's Courthouse Arrived With a New County Map
The 1923 courthouse marks a county-line shuffle that left Sarita in Kenedy County and gave a newly configured Willacy County its seat in Raymondville.
Willacy County · Port history
Red Fish Landing Became Port Mansfield Before the Gulf Channel Arrived
Red Fish Landing gained a bay channel and the Port Mansfield name before a storm-damaged private pass led to today's federal Gulf channel.
Willacy County · Labor History
The 1927 Peonage Cases Exposed Forced Labor in Willacy County
In 1927, federal prosecutors tried nine Willacy County residents for forcing laborers to work off debts under armed guard, in the first peonage prosecutions in Texas history.
Willacy County · County History
Willacy County Was Carved Out of Two Larger Counties in 1911
Willacy County was formed in 1911 from Cameron and Hidalgo counties and was reorganized in 1921 when much of its land became Kenedy County.
Williamson County · Agricultural History
Cotton Once Dominated Williamson County's Economy
Williamson County was one of Texas's top cotton-producing counties in the late 1800s, with production peaking at over 80,000 bales in 1900.
Williamson County · County Seat History
Georgetown Was Named for a Land Donor, Not the President
Georgetown, the Williamson County seat, was founded in 1848 and named for George Washington Glasscock, who donated land for the townsite.
Williamson County · Local Identity
Hutto's Hippo Story Became Civic Identity
Hutto's official city history treats a 1915 hippo story as a local legend that grew into a school mascot and a town identity.
Williamson County · Local History
Old Town Round Rock Grew Around the Actual Round Rock
Round Rock's official history says Old Town grew around a low-water crossing marked by the actual round rock in Brushy Creek.
Williamson County · Cities & Growth
Round Rock Is the Largest City in Williamson County
Round Rock, in the southern part of the county, is its largest city with over 110,000 residents, larger than the county seat of Georgetown.
Williamson County · Education & History
Southwestern University Has Been in Georgetown Since 1873
Southwestern University, a private liberal arts school, has operated in Georgetown since 1873 and helped shape the town's identity.
Williamson County · Indigenous History
The Tonkawa People Lived Along the San Gabriel Before Anglo Settlement
Tonkawa people had a village near what is now Georgetown before Anglo settlers arrived in the 1830s and 1840s.
Williamson County · County Overview
Williamson County Covers 1,137 Square Miles and Has Nearly 500,000 Residents
Williamson County is a large Central Texas county at 1,137 square miles, with a population that has grown dramatically since the 1970s due to Austin's expansion.
Williamson County · County History
Williamson County Was Established in 1848 and Named for a Colorful Judge
The Texas Legislature created Williamson County on March 13, 1848, naming it for Robert M. Williamson, a judge, soldier, and early Texas leader.
Wilson County · Local Identity
Floresville's peanut nickname became an official Texas title in 2023
A crop planted around 1915 grew into a 1938 festival and, much later, the official Peanut Capital of Texas designation.
Wilson County · County History
Wilson County moved its seat until Floresville finally held it
Created in 1860 and named for Mier Expedition veteran James Charles Wilson, the county spent years deciding where its courthouse belonged.
Winkler County · Local History
One Oil Well in 1926 Changed Everything in Winkler County
Before oil was discovered on July 16, 1926, Winkler County was nearly empty; after it, the region became one of Texas's leading petroleum producers.
Wise County · County Seat
Decatur Has Been the County Seat Since the 1850s
Decatur sits at the center of Wise County and has served as the county seat since the county was organized in the 1850s.
Wise County · Historic Courthouse
The 1896 Wise County Courthouse Was Restored to Its Original Design
The Wise County Courthouse in Decatur dates to 1896 and was restored with an $8.4 million grant through a Texas state preservation program.
Wise County · Transportation History
The Butterfield Overland Mail Route Passed Through Wise County
Before the Civil War, the Butterfield Overland Mail, one of the first transcontinental mail services, ran through Decatur on its way west.
Wise County · County History
Wise County Was Created in 1856 and Named for a Virginia Congressman
Wise County was officially established on January 23, 1856, named for Henry A. Wise, a U.S. Congressman from Virginia who supported Texas annexation.
Wood County · Transportation & Community
Mineola: Wood County's Railroad Town With Amtrak Service
Mineola is Wood County's largest city and still has an active Amtrak stop, making it one of the few rural Texas towns with passenger rail service.
Wood County · County Seat
Quitman: The Small Town That Is Wood County's Seat of Government
Quitman has been Wood County's county seat since 1850 and is where you go for deeds, court filings, and most county government services.
Wood County · County History
Wood County Is Named for a Texas Governor
Wood County was created in 1850 and named for George T. Wood, who served as governor of Texas from 1847 to 1849.
Yoakum County · County History
Yoakum County went from nearly empty rangeland to an oil and cotton center
Yoakum County was established in 1876 but had fewer than 30 residents by 1900. Oil and irrigation farming transformed it in the 20th century.
Young County · Ranching History
A Graham Oak Ties Young County to Texas Ranching
A Graham oak marks the meeting place where local ranchers organized the group that became the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.
Young County · History
Fort Belknap Was a Major Frontier Post in What Is Now Young County
Fort Belknap, founded in 1851 near today's Newcastle, was a key U.S. Army outpost on the Texas frontier and is now a museum and archives site.
Young County · Loving
Loving Carries a Cattle-Trail Name North of Graham
Loving carries a cattle-trail name in a quiet farming community north of Graham.
Young County · Coal History
Newcastle Carries Young County's Coal Chapter
Newcastle began as a coal camp and carried that mining story until the nearby coal work faded in the 1940s.
Young County · Oil and Gas History
Oil Has Shaped Young County's Economy Since the 1920s
Young County struck oil in the 1920s, and production peaked in the 1950s, driving a population and economic boom that still shapes the county today.
Young County · Olney
Olney's Story Runs Through Rail, Oil, and Open-Field Work
Olney's story bends from ranch settlement to railroad timing, then to oil and small-city manufacturing.
Young County · Courthouse Square
The Arch on Graham's Square Is a Courthouse Survivor
The arch on Graham's square is not decoration; it is the east doorway from the 1884 courthouse that stood before the 1930s building.
Zapata County · Historic District
San Ygnacio: A National Register Historic Town
San Ygnacio, about 14 miles northwest of Zapata on US 83, has some of the oldest stone buildings in Texas and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Zapata County · County History
Zapata County's Roots: A 1750 Spanish Land Grant
Zapata County traces its roots to a 1750 Spanish land grant on the north bank of the Rio Grande — one of the earliest permanent European settlements in what is now Texas.
Zavala County · History
A WWII internment camp once held thousands in Crystal City
The U.S. government ran one of its largest WWII civilian internment camps in Crystal City from 1942 to 1948, holding Japanese, German, and other civilians.
Zavala County · Local History
Crystal City built its identity on spinach farming and the Popeye statue
Crystal City earned the name Spinach Capital of the World in the 1930s. The county still has a Popeye statue from that era.
Zavala County · Political History
Zavala County was the center of a major Mexican American political movement in the 1960s and 70s
In 1963, Mexican Americans in Crystal City organized and won city council seats. That win, called the Crystal City Revolt, sparked a broader civil rights movement.