Ross
Ross, McLennan County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This community has historic ties to the settlement of White Rock (1 mi. W), one of the earliest in McLennan County. When the rail terminus was established here in 1873, bypassing White Rock, residents moved to the new town that developed. It was named in honor of Lawrence Sullivan Ross, the ranger, confederate general, and McLennan County Sheriff who later became governor of Texas and a noted educator. Because of the area's rich farmland, the town of Ross developed early as a center of European immigration and agricultural trade.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
When the railroad reached this spot in 1873, it bypassed the older settlement of White Rock, and residents simply picked up and moved to the new town growing along the tracks. They named it for Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross — Texas Ranger, Confederate general, sheriff, governor, and later a respected college president. Rich farmland drew European immigrants and made Ross an early hub of agricultural trade.
Why it matters
The town's birth shows how a single rail terminus could redraw the map of a county, and how immigrant farmers turned Texas prairie into productive farmland.
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Related people
- · Lawrence Sullivan Ross
Themes & tags
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