Historical Marker

Comstock

Historical marker location:

Comstock, Texas

( US Hwy 90 and SH 163)

IN THE EARLY 1880s, COMSTOCK DEVELOPED AS A STATION ON THE GALVESTON, HARRISBURG AND SAN ANTONIO RAILWAY BECAUSE OF THE NATURAL LAKE AND WATER SUPPLY. THE FORMER TOWNSITE OF SOTO OR SOTOL CITY WAS REPLACED WITH COMSTOCK, NAMED AFTER JOHN B. COMSTOCK, A RAILROAD DISPATCHER. THE COMMUNITY QUICKLY GREW AND BOASTED A VARIETY OF ESTABLISHMENTS. THE TOWN WAS A KEY ELEMENT IN THE WOOL AND LAMB INDUSTRY AND SERVED AS A TEMPORARY HOME TO SEVERAL TEXAS RANGERS. AFTER WORLD WAR II AND ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY, THE POPULATION DECLINED. COMSTOCK IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE INFLUENCE OF SMALL COMMUNITIES THAT LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF LARGER COMMERCIAL CITIES.