HistoricSiteMarkers
Reconstruction & Gilded Age

Buda

Buda, Hays County, Texas

Marker Inscription

Originally known as Du Pre, Buda was founded along a line of the International and Great Northern Railroad. Cornelia A. Trimble gave land for the townsite in 1881. The name "Buda" was adopted in the late 1880s, although its origin is unclear. According to popular legends, it was either related to Budapest, Hungary, or evolved from the Spanish word for widow, "viuda," and honored the women who cooked in one of the local hotels. Buda was once the site of a variety of businesses, including a theater, skating rink, newspaper, and two banks. The town was incorporated in 1948.

Erected by Texas Historical Commission

The Story

Originally called Du Pre, this Hays County town was born in 1881 along the International and Great Northern Railroad after Cornelia A. Trimble donated the townsite land. The name "Buda," adopted late in the decade, has a murky origin โ€” local legend ties it either to Budapest or to "viuda," the Spanish word for widow, honoring the women who cooked at a railroad hotel. In its heyday Buda boasted a theater, skating rink, newspaper, and two banks.

Why it matters

Buda is a classic railroad town, one of the countless communities that sprang up wherever the rails crossed the Texas countryside in the late 19th century.

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Related people

  • ยท Cornelia A. Trimble

Themes & tags

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