Thorndale, Texas

Thorndale is a typical quiet small town located in Milam and Williamson counties in the central part of Texas. With a population of 1,336, this community is located about 40 miles northeast of Austin and about 12 miles west of Rockdale.

The History of Thorndale, Texas

Thorndale is a somewhat unique community in that it was originally surveyed and planned to be formed in two separate counties, Milam and Williamson instead of simply growing into the second county as is the case with most towns.

The area where Thorndale was first formed began as the I&GN Railroad constructed a rail line that ran from Palestine to Austin just after the Civil War. By 1878, the original Thorndale was formed about two miles west of its present location and a post office, general store and hotel were built amid the growing number of residents.

However, a Mr. Caruthers who was a very influential individual managed to purchase an area east of the town. In 1880, after plotting the land managed to convince the owners and residents to move two miles to where the town is presently located. Thorndale managed to grow considerably over the next several years adding new churches, a school and homes as it entered the 20^th century.

The town continued to grow, adding a three-story school building in 1914. By 1926, the citizens of the town decided to incorporate and elected their first mayor G.S. Summerlin. However, the incorporation only lasted a year, and the town government was quickly dissolved. The lack of incorporation did not slow the growth of the town as it was still expanding, although the streets were not paved until well after World War II.

Thorndale continued to prosper thanks to nearby Highway 79 and its location where several businesses began setting up shop. Many of the businesses in Thorndale are family owned and operated to this day as the community remains a tight knit one that still exists enough outside Austin to retain its own character, but close enough to enjoy the benefits.

Interestingly enough, people that have seen the 2002 Disney film, “The Rookie” have seen much of Thornton as it was used in place of Big Lake, Texas for most of the exterior scenes.

The City Government

As typical with most small Texas towns, the city government is presided by a mayor and city council that meets on a regular basis to discuss new laws, rules and regulations while responding to the needs of its citizens. The mayor presides over the council and is responsible for enforcing the laws.

The Environment & the Attractions

Thorndale is a typical central Texas community in that it enjoys generally warm temperatures the year round. However, the summers can be hot and humid while winter does make an occasional visit resulting in brief spells of cold temperatures. The sub-tropical climate however is mostly comfortable which attracts many people to the area.

As far as attractions go, the town itself retains many of the same buildings and character from the 1880s when it moved to its present location. For the tourist seeing the many old buildings and businesses still in operation today amid the many modern conveniences makes for a fascinating trip back through time. The town itself offers its own unique character and is located in a place convenient enough for commuting to Austin with little difficulty.

Thorndale is certainly one of the more unique communities in the central part of Texas as it has existed in two separate locations. However, it is also the type of community that embraces its past while enjoying the many benefits of being just outside the larger towns and communities in the region. For someone looking to live in a quiet town that offers plenty of history while still being near Austin, Thorndale is certainly a good candidate.