Thrall, Texas

Located in Williamson County, Thrall is a small Texas community with a population of almost 900 people. Located roughly 35 miles north of Austin, the town was named after the Reverend Homer S. Thrall who was very much admired in the town. While small in numbers, the citizens are quite proud of their little town which shows up on occasions such as in 1998 when their school’s baseball team won the A Texas State Championship or in winning back-to-back women’s power lifting championships in 2008 and 2009.

Thrall, Texas is a small, but thriving community that enjoys the benefits of small town living near a larger city, so the residents have in many ways the best of both worlds.

The History of Thrall, Texas

As with many towns in the region, the history of Thrall begins with the arrival of the railroad in 1876 when the I&GN or International-Great Northern line established a station in the area called Stiles Switch. The original name for the community came from the family that owned a nearby ranch. It was not long that people started moving in around the station and a town started to rise. By the turn of the 20^th century when a post office and general store were established, the people of the town decided to rename their community “Thrall.” Despite a population of just 150 people in 1914, the town added a bank to the numerous businesses that were popping up.

By 1915, oil was discovered in the area and in just five years the population swelled to 3,000 people as over 200 oil wells were dug in search of more black gold. However, by 1920 the oil boom has dropped considerably, and the population of the town was reduced to just 272. The following year, the remnants of a hurricane moved over the town which caused a massive downpour measured at almost 40 inches of rain in just a 36-hour period. The result was a devastating flood that took the town and the surrounding communities years to recover.

Although another, smaller oil boom struck in the early 1930s, the town itself had to struggle through the Great Depression. It was during this time however that the town started enjoying small, but steady growth as the population numbered 584 by 1952. However, ever since the town of Thrall has fluctuated in the number of people that call this community home as the numbers have risen and fallen over the years. Today, the community does enjoy the benefits of being near Austin which has resulted in some stability with the growth of the capital city of Texas.

The City Government

Thrall has the typical government of most small communities in Texas with a mayor and city council. The city council meets on a regular basis to listen to the concerns of its citizens while the mayor presides and enforces the laws, rules and regulations.

The Environment & the Attractions

Thrall is typical of many towns in central Texas as it enjoys year-round warm temperatures for the most part with a sub-tropical climate. However, the summers can be hot and humid while cold temperatures and conditions will occasionally blow in during the winter months. Overall however, the breeze and warm temperatures make for a comfortable climate.

Thrall is not really known for having any specific attractions apart from the unique character of the town itself, much of which is preserved in the older buildings and homes which line the streets. However, Thrall does have all the modern conveniences thanks to its location near Austin.

For those who are looking for a nice, quiet small town with plenty of pride in its community, Thrall is a wonderful example that represents the best of Texas.