Welcome to this research guide, in which you can find information on select areas of the Austin Community College Service Area. For the purposes of this guide, the Service Area refers to information presented in this page. You can also reference the included map directly linked here in PDF format. I am open to suggestions or feedback, please feel free to e-mail me using the contact information in my profile box located to the left.
Backroads of the Texas hill Country: Your Guide to the Most Scenic Adventures by 
The Chisholm Trail by
For more than a dozen tempestuous years, beginning in 1867, the Chisholm Trail was the Texas cowhand's road to high adventure. The account that appears on these pages reveals the courage, daring, and enterprise of the cattle owners and their cowboys, establishing them firmly as heroes in the westward expansion.
Elgin by Sydna Davis Arbuckle and Judy Davis
Beginning as a watering stop for the Houston & Texas Central Railroad Company, the town was named for Robert Morriss Elgin, an official in the railway company. The town was incorporated on May 31, 1873. Swedish, German, and Czech emigrants soon turned it into some of the best farming land in the state. With the growth of cotton farming, coal mining, and a local brick-making business, Mexican and African American citizens came to the area to find work.
History of Travis County and Austin : 1839-1899 by 
Kyle by
Kyle, Texas, was founded in 1880 when settlers from the nearby established communities of Blanco and Mountain City purchased lots in the 200-acre township deeded to the International-Great Northern Railroad by David E. Moore and Fergus Kyle, who gave his name to the new city.
Pflugerville by
The village of Pflugerville in northeast Travis County received its name in 1893 when postal service was approved. In 1904, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad established a depot on land donated by George Pfluger. The railroad was the economic engine that spurred the growth of the town, attracting new businesses and visitors. Diligent leaders established churches, schools, and support organizations, forming the firm foundation and core values that are still visible today.
Road, River, and Ol' Boy Politics: A Texas County's Path from Farm to Supersuburb by
"The story of Williamson County's metamorphosis from agrarian backwater to suburban juggernaut reveals a pattern of how several of America's most successful agricultural counties became supersuburbs over the last half of the twentieth century. Surprisingly it was often local "bosses"—savvy rural leaders—who conceived many of the projects (such as interregional highways), altered others, and forged them into reality."
Round Rock by Bob Brinkman
Named for a distinctive rock formation that marks a natural, picturesque ford, Round Rock is a reflection of the past. Nomadic people lived here for countless ages. Explorers and frontier travelers visited the area bounded by rolling hills to the west and fertile fields to the east. The location became a permanent name on the map when settlers made the site their home in 1851.
Williamson County by
The area now known as Williamson County has attracted humans for over 13,000 years. The Tonkawa Indians called the area takachue pouetsu, which means land of good water. In 1848, the Texas Legislature carved a county out of a southwestern portion of the Milam District. They named it after Robert McAlpin Williamson, a judge, lawmaker, and Battle of San Jacinto veteran who was widely known as Three-legged Willie. Settlers were drawn to the area for its abundant water and fertile soil.