Hays County, Texas

Alexander Gates & Lillian Johnson Thomas House Antioch Colony Augusta Hofheinz House Barton Cemetery Basil Dailey House Beef for the Confederacy Belvin Street Historic District Beverly Hutchison House Blanco Chapel Buda Buda Christian Church Buda School Buda United Methodist Church Bunton Branch Bridge Burleson Home Burleson Homestead Burns Sons' Gravesite Butler Cemetery C.W. Burdett Caldwell-Kone-Hyatt House Calhoun Ranch Camp Ben McCulloch No. 946, United Confederate Veterans Carpenter Log Home Cementerio del Rio Cemetery Chapel Charles Cock Home Charles Lewis McGehee Cabin Cheatham-Hohenberg Cemetery Claiborne Kyle Log House Cora Jackman Donalson House Coronado Cemetery Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Fort Street Presbyterian Church) Czichos House Don Felipe Roque de la Portilla Dr. Joseph M. Pound Driftwood Cemetery Driftwood Church Dripping Springs Academy Dripping Springs United Methodist Church Dunbar School Eddie Durham Eli T. Merriman Home Eliza Pitts Malone Ezekiel Nance Home Farmers Union Gin Company First Baptist Church NBC of San Marcos First Baptist Church of Buda First Baptist Church of Dripping Springs First Baptist Church of Kyle First Baptist Church of San Marcos First Christian Church of San Marcos First National Bank of San Marcos First Presbyterian Church First United Methodist Church Fisher Hall Founding of the First Methodist Church George Henry Talmadge Home George Thomas McGehee House Goforth Goforth-Harris House Harper's Hall, Site of Hays County Heard-Baker House Hector Family Cemetery Ike Wood House Immanuel Baptist Church Indian Mott Skirmish Isham Jones Good J. H. and Abbie Barbee House Jacobs Well Cemetery James C. Lane House James Lafayette and Eliza Pitts Malone House James-Duran-Alba Cemetery John F. McGehee Home John Henry Saunders Homestead John Matthew Cape House John R. Dobie House John Wheeler Bunton Joseph B. Rogers House Joseph W. Earnest Home Julia Ann Ragsdale Home Katherine Anne Porter Kone-Cliett House Kone-Yarbrough House Kuykendall 101 Ranch Mausoleum Kyle Kyle Auction Oak Kyle Cemetery Kyle Pioneer Family Cemetery Lex Word and the Bon Ton Lloyd Gideon Johnson House Martin Church of Goforth McElroy-Severn House (Stagecoach House and Onion Creek Post Office) McGehee Crossing Mexican War Camp Miss Lillie Dobie's House Mission San Francisco Xavier de los Delores Mt. Gainer O. T. Brown Home Old D. A. Young Building Old Fish Hatchery Office Building Old Main Old Mill, The Old Storey Home Peter Cavanaugh Woods Phillips Cemetery Pitts Cemetery Post San Marcos Ragsdale-Jackman-Yarbrough House Robert Early McKie House Robert Hixon Belvin Home Rogers' Spring Lake Park Hotel Rylander-Kyle House San Marcos Cemetery San Marcos Mill Tract San Marcos Springs San Marcos-Blanco Cemetery San Pedro Cemetery Sanders-Grosgebauer House Sink Springs Site of Coronal Institute Site of Hays County's First Public Building Site of San Marcos National Fish Hatchery Site of Sidney J. Pyland Blacksmith Shop Site of the First Town of San Marcos Southside School Stringtown Talbot, P.T., & Sons Building The Calaboose The Century-Old Wimberley Cemetery The Courthouses of Hays County The Marshall-Chapman Home The Old Lime Kiln Thompson Plantations Thompson's Island Homeplace Thompson's Islands Ulysses Cephas W. T. Chapman Watkins Elm Wesley Chapel A. M. E. Church William W. Moon Wimberley Mills Wimberley-Hughes House Winters-Wimberley House Wonder Cave WPA Projects at Kyle School

Hays County, located in the central part of Texas, has a rich and diverse history that stretches back thousands of years. The area was originally inhabited by various indigenous tribes, including the Tonkawa and Comanche peoples. However, the first recorded European arrival in the region occurred in 1690 when Spanish explorers made their way through the area.

In the early 1800s, Anglo-American settlers began to establish permanent settlements in what is now Hays County. One of the most notable figures in the county's history is Captain John Coffee "Jack" Hays, a Texas Ranger who played a significant role in fighting against Native American raids in the region. As a result of his contributions, the county was renamed in his honor in 1848.

During the mid-1800s, Hays County experienced rapid growth and development, fueled by the arrival of the railroad in the region. The county became an important hub for agriculture, with cotton and cattle as the main industries. The county seat, San Marcos, played a key role in the growth of education in the area, becoming home to Southwest Texas State Normal School (now Texas State University) in 1899.

In the 20th century, Hays County continued to evolve and modernize. The population increased steadily as more people were attracted to the area’s natural beauty, recreational opportunities, and proximity to Austin. Today, Hays County remains a vibrant and growing community, serving as a bridge between the natural beauty of the Texas Hill Country and the urban amenities of nearby metropolitan areas.
Brief timeline of the history of Hays County, Texas:

  • 1837: Hays County is officially established as a county when the Republic of Texas is formed.
  • 1848: The county seat is established in the town of San Marcos.
  • 1856: A charter is granted to create the Hays County Agricultural, Manufacturing, and Mechanical Association.
  • 1861: With the outbreak of the Civil War, many men from Hays County volunteer for service in the Confederate Army.
  • 1881: The International-Great Northern Railroad is completed, connecting San Marcos to Austin and San Antonio.
  • 1903: Southwest Texas State Normal School (now known as Texas State University) is established in San Marcos.
  • 1938: The Blanco River floods, causing significant damage to homes and infrastructure in Hays County.
  • 1996: The Hays County Courthouse, built in 1909, is added to the National Register of Historic Places.
  • 2015: The county experiences widespread flooding from heavy rains, resulting in several deaths and extensive property damage.

This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of Hays County, Texas.