Our 175th Birthday
WilCo History
WIlCo 175
Significant Dates in Our History
2000-Present
2000-Present
- 2023 - Williamson County and City of Georgetown celebrate 175th birthday
- 2021 - Samsung selects Taylor for its newest semiconductor fabrication plant
- 2018 - Apple Computer announces it is building its largest facility outside of Cupertino headquarters in WilCo
- 2007 - Seventh iteration of Williamson County courthouse completed after historic renovation project restores many significant architectural features from 1910 building
- 2001 - City of Jarrell incorporated
1900-1999
1900-1999
- 1997 - F5 tornado strikes City of Jarrell
- 1994 - Dell Computer moves headquarters to Round Rock
- 1982 - Archeologists uncover skeleton of prehistoric woman at Wilson-Leonard Site in Brushy Creek
- 1973 - City of Cedar Park incorporated
- 1973 - Clara Stearns Scarborough publishes Land of Good Water
- 1972 - TECO-Westinghouse opens manufacturing plant in Round Rock
- 1971 - Bill Pickett inducted into Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame
- 1966 - Sixth iteration of Williamson County courthouse dedicated after controversial renovation removes many significant architectural features from the structure
- 1958 - AirBorn Connectors Inc. is founded and headquartered in Georgetown
- 1940 - City of Hutto is incorporated
- 1939 - Taylor Bedding Company owner David Forwood develops flame retardant cotton
- 1933 - Taylor physician Dr. James Dickey initiates vaccination program to combat typhoid fever
- 1923 - District Attorney Dan Moody wins first successful trial of a Ku Klux Klan member
- 1921 - One day storm drops 23 inches of rain on Taylor and Thrall
- 1920 - Dan Moody becomes youngest ever Williamson County District Attorney
- 1918 - Suffragette Jesse Daniel Ames registers over 3,000 first-time women voters for 1918 election
- 1913 - City of Round Rock incorporated
- 1912 - Andrew Palm builds Palm House in Round Rock
- 1910 - Fifth iteration of the Williamson County courthouse is constructed as a domed stone structure
- 1904 - Williamson County represented at the St. Louis World Fair
- 1901 - Williamson County gins more cotton than any other location in Texas
1800-1899
1800-1899
- 1882 - City of Granger formed
- 1879 - Fire burns 29 of 33 buildings in Taylor
- 1878 - Outlaw Sam Bass kills Deputy Sheriff A.W. Grimes killed in Rond Rock shootout
- 1878 - Fourth iteration of Williamson County courthouse built as a Victorian-style structure
- 1877 - First cotton gin built in Taylor
- 1877 - Lime Creek quarry begun in Cedar Park
- 1875 - Southwestern University in Georgetown chartered
- 1871 - Outlaw John Wesley Hardin travels Chisholm Trail killing 7 people
- 1867 - First cattle drive from Williamson County un the Chisholm Trail
- 1864 - Jesse Chisholm lays out trail (AKA Chisholm Trail) to trade goods with Native Americans near Wichita, Kansas
- 1857 - First post office in Florence, Texas established
- 1857 - Third iteration of Williamson County courthouse built as a two story stone structure
- 1851 - Second iteration of Williamson County courthouse built as a wood-frame structure
- 1849 - First iteration of Williamson County courthouse built as a log home-type structure
- 1848 - George Washington Glasscock builds first flour mill in Texas
- 1848 - First school in Williamson County built at Moss' Spring
- 1848 - Whitfield Chalk elected first Sheriff of Williamson County
- 1848 - Williamson County formed as seperate county from Milam County
- 1848 - City of Georgetown, Texas founded
- 1845 - Texas becomes 28th state in the United States
- 1836 - Texas Declaration of Independence approved
- 1830 - Double File Trail laid out
- 1822 - The Texas Association (Nashville, TN) petitions Mexico for 70 people to settle in Texas
1700-1799
1700-1799
- 1770 - First Mustang horses rounded up and sold in Williamson County. Horses, cattle, sheep and other livestock brought over by the Spanish became a valuable commodity beginning in the 1650’s.
- 1750 - Felipe de Rábago y Terán appointed commander of Presidio in East Texas by King Ferdinand VI. He later became presidio elsewhere and moves to the Williamson County area.
- 1745 - San Xavier Missions locate on the San Gabriel River near what is now Rockdale.
- 1721 - Marqués de San Miguel de Aguayo sets out to for missions in East Texas, crossing the San Gabriel river and noting nearby Berry Creek.
- 1716 - Louis Juchereau de Saint Denis and Domingo Ramon expedition to East Texas (to create missions) camps along Brushy Creek and the San Gabriel river.
1600-1699
1600-1699
- 1690 - The La Salle Expedition from the coast of Texas to the interior likely crosses through Williamson County.
- 1686 - Alonso De León Expedition follows the El Camino Real and at some point passes through Williamson County.
1500-1599
1500-1599
- 1528 - Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca runs aground off the coast of Galveston Island and possibly travels through Williamson County during eight years of exploration in the Texas area. Cabeza de Vaca may be the first non-native to set foot in Texas, and is the first historian of Texas.