Town of Thrall
Thrall, Williamson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
An 1876 International & Great Northern Railroad siding called "Stiles Switch" for landowners J.E. and F.N. Stiles, grew into a shipping point for the Swiss and Germans who settled in this area. The post office that opened in 1901 was named for Methodist minister and historian Homer S. Thrall. Nearby oil discoveries and sudden growth caused the town to be incorporated in 1915. The 38.21-inch rainfall of Sept. 8-9, 1921, gave Thrall a world record. Since 1961, Texas A.&.M. University agricultural research center has operated here. Farming remains the basic local industry. (1976)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Thrall began in 1876 as an International & Great Northern Railroad siding called Stiles Switch, growing into a shipping point for the Swiss and German farmers who settled the area. Its 1901 post office honored Methodist minister and historian Homer S. Thrall, and nearby oil discoveries spurred incorporation in 1915. In September 1921 a two-day cloudburst dumped 38.21 inches of rain here, setting a world record, and since 1961 Texas A&M has run an agricultural research center in this still-farming town.
Why it matters
Thrall's arc from rail siding to oil boomtown to farm-research hub compresses the forces—railroads, immigration, and petroleum—that built modern Texas.
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Related people
- · Homer S. Thrall
Related events
- · 1921 Thrall rainstorm
Themes & tags
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