A Brief History of Cedar Park, Texas

by Brandon Cornett

Take a drive around the city of Cedar Park in Central Texas and you can see the future unfolding all around you. New subdivisions are being built to house the growing population. New roads have been added to improve access to the city. And many new businesses are moving into the Cedar Park area.

But what about the past? When was Cedar Park, Texas founded and how did it become the city it is today? In this article, we will take a brief but thorough look at the history of this great Texas city.

Before the Europeans Came

Like most of Texas and the rest of the U.S., the area currently known as Cedar Park was inhabited by Native Americans before the Europeans came to "settle" the area. Comanche indian tribes were located throughout the area, as were the lesser-known Tonkawa and Lipan-Apaches.

But we have also learned that human habitation in the Cedar Park area of Texas predated the Native Americans by centuries. In fact, Wilson-Leonard archeological site has yielded evidence of a long line of prehistoric peoples who lived in the area dating back thousands of years.

A Railroad Town Emerges

In 1873, George Cluck and his wife bought a large parcel of land that included the Running Brushy Spring (now called Brushy Creek). Eventually, a community sprang up around this original homestead.

About ten years later, the Austin and Northwestern Railroad was finished, joining the state capital with the city of Burnet. A railroad stop was established in the Running Brushy Spring area, and thus the small Texas community began its evolution into a city. The railroad town was originally named Bruggerhoff, after one of the "big wigs" with the railroad company. But (thankfully) the name was later changed to Cedar Park in reference to the abundance of cedar trees in the area.

Ranch Life in Central Texas

Like much of Central Texas, the Cedar Park area attracted ranchers and farmers. Some of these ranches are still around today, while others have been sold to developers. It is for this very reason that many subdivisions and shopping centers in the Cedar Park area have "ranch" in the title — such as the "1890 Ranch" shopping center that opened in 2007.

The Future of Cedar Park

No, I don't claim to own a crystal ball. I realize that nobody can predict the true future of a city. But we can certainly look at the clues of the present and make an educated guess. Visit Cedar Park, Texas today (in 2008) and you will notice one thing above all else — growth.

Over the last couple of years, Cedar Park has been one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. This will only continue for the foreseeable future. The 183 toll road and other highway improvements have made the area much more accessible. When you combine that with the new shopping opportunities and entertainment venues in the area (like Threadgill's), you can see that the writing is one the wall. The population of Cedar Park is going to continue its rapid growth for the near future.

One can only hope the city retains some of its history and rustic charm, as it evolves into a larger, more modern Texas city.

Brandon Cornett is the publisher of Cedar Park Today, an online directory of businesses in Cedar Park, Texas.

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