Kyle, Texas, city in Hays County. (original) (raw)

Kyle's distinctive red, white and blue water tower can be seen from any part of the town and has a way of including itself in nearly every photograph of Kyle.
More Texas Water Towers

Kyle is Hays County's second city.

History in a Pecan Shell

Jay Gould, the 19th Century railroad magnate decided that his International-Great Northern Railroad needed a station between Austin and San Marcos. He made a deal with property owners David Moore and Fergus Kyle and 200 acres of their former land was auctioned off in 1880 under the Kyle Auction Oak.

By 1881, Kyle had four saloons and a newspaper (The Kyle Nutshell) so that the saloon patrons had something to read between drinks. Many anecdotal stories of Kyle's first years are included in Richard Zelade's Hill County, Lone Star Books (Gulf Publishing) 1999.

A Town so Nice - They Incorporated Twice

In 1895 the city incorporated the first time. Two years later they decided it was a bad idea. The second incorporation in 1906 held.

Kyle suffered several fires in its history, which accounts for the missing buildings. Surviving buildings date back to the 1890s.

See Kyle Historical Marker ›

The Tombstone of Fergus Kyle.
TE photo

Historical Marker: City Hall Square, 106 S. Main

Kyle

Two antebellum settlements, the Blanco or Nance community (7 mi. W) and Mountain City (3 mi. W), provided the early population and business for Kyle after the city was founded in 1880. Fergus Kyle, for whom the town was named, and the family of David Moore donated 200 acres of land for a townsite when the International & Great Northern Railroad built a line from Austin to San Antonio. Lots were first sold in October 1880 as an auction held beneath a liveoak at 204 S. sledge Street. The first business was a saloon and meat market owned by Tom Martin.

An 1895 election incorporated the town but voters discontinued the status two years later. Kyle was incorporated again in 1906 and J. W. Tompkins served as the first mayor.

In the 1940s Kyle residents elected an all-woman municipal government. The mayor, who won using a write-in campaign, was Mary Kyle Hartson (1865-1956), daughter of Fergus Kyle. Her brother Edwin Jackson Kyle (b. 1876) was dean of the Texas A&M School of Agriculture. He later served in the administrations of Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman as the ambassador to Guatemala (1944-48). Kyle Football Field at Texas A&M University is named in his honor.
1980

"My family had farming interests in Kyle and Buda and my great grandfather founded Science Hall when he migrated to Texas from North Carolina after the Civil War. Here is an old photo of the original Science Hall"
- David J. Andrews

Kyle, Texas Landmarks / Attractions

Historic Trees in Kyle

Kyle has two famous trees: The Auction Oak and The Kyle Hanging Tree ( Click on the names for their images and short histories. )

• Kyle Auction Oak is located inside Kyle on Sledge Street, about two blocks south of Center Street. Since there seem to be two distinct trunks, it is sometimes referred to as The Auction Oaks.
• Kyle Hanging Tree is a few miles down Old Post Road on your left.

"The New City Hall is where the Bon Ton building stood till it burned down in 2002. See Historical Marker for info. The marker stands at the front of City Hall."
- William Beauchamp, June 2009

Old D. A. Young Building historical marker
Photo courtesy Sarah Reveley, 2008

Kyle's oldest stone building was recently razed by its owner. Across the street from the bare spot is another stone building next to the Kyle Police Station. This is the former Creamery, where we met The Kyle Creamery Cat

The historic International-Great Northern Railroad
Photo courtesy Sarah Reveley, 2008

Kyle historical marker
City Hall Square, 106 S. Main
Photo courtesy William Beauchamp, June 2009

Lex Word and the Bon Ton historical marker
Photo courtesy William Beauchamp, June 2009

Kyle City Offices
512 268-5341 Website: www.cityofkyle.com

Kyle, Texas Forum

• Here are two pictures of the Kyle City Jail. This was moved from Kyle some years ago and added to the western town attractions at Aquarena Springs in San Marcos. They have since closed that part of the park and offered the City of Kyle the opportunity to come get their jail. The structure was in bad shape and the City did not have a good place to put it so they declined. But we have pictures none-the-less.
  Also, the old Kyle train depot has been donated to the City and moved from private property back to a location fronting the UP line in downtown Kyle. It is currently sitting on a flatbed waiting to be put into place. Once it is in position I will send along some pictures of that as well.- Peter French, President, Kyle Area Chamber of Commerce, January 30, 2004
• "I was amused to see that good old Jay Gould had participated in the founding of Sierra Blanca, as he also participated in the founding the town in which I live, Kyle. Thank you for your work, I enjoy your site very much." - Peter French

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