Round Rock, Texas

Everything Round Rock is known for

4 songs mention this city 1 artist from here

Music in Round Rock

Songs About Round Rock

Sam Bass
Tex Ritter
90%
Round Rock
Béla Fleck
81%
"TITLE"
South of Round Rock, Texas
Dale Watson
25%
Pflugerville Anthem Remix (with BRZA)
Tai Nguyen
7%
"Half the people living here, got a job at Dell"

Artists From Round Rock

Z
Zane Williams
country Pop: 18

Rivers & Roads in Song near Round Rock

Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Round Rock.

Interstate 35 27 songs Texas Colorado River 6 songs

History of Round Rock

Round Rock, TX RoadyGoat

Round Rock feels like such a modern boomtown, it's easy to forget the deep roots that run beneath the surface. The Chisholm Trail carved its path right through here, turning a simple creek crossing by the big round rock into a vital trading post. You can still walk a preserved section of that trail today, imagining the cattle drives of the late 1800s. But the past isn't just about dusty trails. Round Rock earned a place in legend when outlaw Sam Bass met his end here in a blaze of gunfire back in '78. Of course, Round Rock's story doesn't end with cowboys and outlaws. More recently, the city has become a hub of innovation, thanks in no small part to Dell's massive global headquarters. And it's also been home to some larger-than-life personalities.

Round Rock, TX RoadyGoat

Round Rock exists because of two things: a rock and a trail. The massive, smooth limestone boulder sitting in Brushy Creek gave the place its name, of course, but it was the Chisholm Trail that truly put it on the map. That trail, driving cattle north from Texas, needed reliable crossings, and Brushy Creek offered one. Round Rock became a natural gathering point, a place to rest, resupply, and do business. You can still see preserved sections of that trail today, a tangible link to the town's origins as a vital trading post. It wasn't just cowboys and cattle, though; the area's natural beauty, with landmarks like Old Baldy watching over the landscape, drew people looking for a fresh start. Today, you might think of Round Rock as a tech hub, the place where Dell set up its global headquarters. And that's certainly a big part of the story. But ask a local why Round Rock is different from, say, Georgetown just up the road, and they'll tell you it’s more than just jobs. It's that sense of community, a feeling rooted in that old trading post spirit. Sure, people come for the opportunities, but they stay because Round Rock, at its heart, still feels like a place where you can put down roots, just like those early settlers did along the Chisholm Trail.

Round Rock, TX RoadyGoat

Round Rock's story is etched in the land itself, from the limestone of Old Baldy to the waters of Brushy Creek. The namesake rock, a landmark in the creek, witnessed the passage of countless cattle drives along the Chisholm Trail. That trail wasn't just a path for commerce; it was a cultural artery, bringing drovers, cowboys, and settlers from diverse backgrounds to this central Texas crossroads. While the native peoples were gradually displaced, the legacy of the cattle drives persisted. The echo of those early days still rings in the city’s spirit. The preserved section of the Chisholm Trail serves as a tangible reminder of Round Rock's origins as a trading post. Though the Spanish language, once common among the vaqueros who worked the cattle, has faded over time as English became the dominant tongue, the traditions of hard work and community resilience, forged on the dusty trail, have endured.

Sam Bass - The Round Rock Shootout

1878

On July 19, 1878, Texas Rangers ambushed train robber Sam Bass in Round Rock as he attempted to rob the Williamson County Bank. Bass was mortally wounded and died two days later on his 27th birthday.

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Baylor Bus Crash of 1927

1927

On the afternoon of January 22, 1927, the Baylor Basketball team traveled from Baylor University in Waco to the University of Texas at Austin for a basketball game. Carrying a total of twenty-two team members, coaching staff, and others, the bus, driven by Joe Potter, a Baylor football team member who had driven busses for Baylor athletic teams before, headed south on Highway No. 2. The weather was rainy. When the bus crossed the railroad tracks in Round Rock, Texas, the vehicle was struck by a north-bound passenger train known as a "Sunshine Special" of the International-Great Northern Railroad. Potter had turned onto the train tracks without realizing that the train would collide with the bus. He did not have time to either accelerate across the tracks nor turn the bus to avoid collision. According to a report in Baylor's Daily Lariat later that day, "the train hit the right rear wheel and telescoped and completely demolished the bus...." Various accounts stated that the train was traveling between 50 to 70 mph, while fogged windows, a "string of boxcars on a siding," and a small house near the tracks obstructed the view of the bus driver. Several players, including John Riley Kane , jumped out of the bus before the collision, but ultimately ten were killed. Newspaper accounts differ as to whether eight or six lost their lives on impact; some reports stated that two of the victims died at a Taylor hospital. Two other injured players died en route to a hospital in nearby Georgetown. Several others were critically injured, while approximately six men, including Coach Ralph Wolf, were slightly injured. The president of the university, Samuel Palmer Brooks , immediately issued a statement that included: "The heart of Baylor University is torn to shreds at this moment. The awful tragedy that brought death and injury to so many of our noble boys overcomes us all." During the week that followed, funerals and memorials took place in Waco and across Texas. More than 3,000 people attended a memorial service at Baylor University, and a mayoral proclamation called for Waco businesses to close during the event. The day after the accident, Waco Times-Herald reporter Jack Hawkins coined the term "Immortal Ten" for the young men who died. The names of the dead were Jack Castellaw; Sam Dillow; Merle Dudley; Ivey Foster Jr.; Robert R. Hailey; James Clyde "Abe" Kelley; Robert L. Hannah, Jr.; Willis E. Murray; James S. Walker; and William P. Winchester. Within a day of the accident, Texas House Speaker Robert Lee Bobbitt called for legislation requiring "automatic safety devices at all crossings." The Texas legislature subsequently introduced a bill to construct overpasses or underpasses at all places where state highways intersect with railroads. As a result of the legislature's actions, the crossing over U. S. Highway 81 (the successor to Highway No. 2) through Round Rock became the first railroad overpass in Texas in 1935. One of the survivors-Wesley Bradshaw, who was a former member of the team and traveled as a guest of Coach Wolf-filed a lawsuit against the International-Great Northern Railroad later in 1927 for the injuries he sustained in the crash. Findings during the trial included statements that the bus traveled in excess of 20 mph, and the driver failed to bring the bus to a complete stop before proceeding to drive over the tracks. Ultimately the suit resulted in a mistrial. Bradshaw was paid $6,500 by the railroad and agreed to not file any further suits against I-GNR but to cooperate with the railroad "in the prosecution of any such action or actions against Baylor University...." Litigation took place into the 1930s. The memory of the Immortal Ten has been preserved as an important part of the history of Baylor University. Every year, during homecoming activities, Baylor holds a memorial ceremony, and freshmen are told the story of the 1927 bus crash. A key moment includes the story of Clyde "Abe" Kelley. Newspaper reports in th

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Round Rock - Round Rock Donuts (Since 1926)

1926

Iconic bakery at 106 W Liberty Ave, Round Rock. Founded 1926 as Lone Star Bakery by Reinhold R. Moehring. Famous orange-gold glazed donut recipe perfected in the 1940s; distinctive color originally from specialty egg yolks, now from food coloring. Hand-rolled/cut/fried/iced, unique among donut shops. Multiple owners since 1960; moved to current Liberty Ave location 1970. Recently ranked among most legendary dessert destinations worldwide.

Round Rock - The Chisholm Trail and the Old Settlers

1865

The round rock in Brushy Creek was a key Chisholm Trail low-water crossing. Trail laid out 1865 by Jesse Chisholm. First Williamson County drive: 1867, 35,000 head to Abilene, Kansas. Drives continued ~12 years; herds 100-40,000 head. Old Settlers Association of Williamson County chartered 1904, grown out of Civil War vet reunions; first reunion Sept 1904 in Georgetown, permanent Round Rock HQ 1931. Still operating; reunions at Old Settlers Park at Palm Valley.

Round Rock Cemetery

1851

Established in the early 1850s in what is now known as Old Round Rock, this cemetery is the burial ground of many area pioneers and outstanding Round Rock citizens. The oldest legible tombstone, which marks the burial site of 11-year-old Angeline Scott, bears the year 1851, although there are many unmarked graves that could date from before that time. One-half acre in the northwest part of the 4.5-acre cemetery was used as a burial ground for slaves and freedmen during the nineteenth century. Numerous war veterans are buried here, as is bank robber and outlaw Sam Bass, who died July 21, 1878, two days after being shot by Texas Rangers in Round Rock. Other buried in the cemetery include G. T. Cole, one of the few area eye doctors; Round Rock broom factory owner Sam Landrum; stonemason John H. Gray; Round Rock Presbyterian Church minister John Hudson; and Methodist circuit rider J. W. Ledbetter. One unusual tombstone, which marks the gravesite of Mary Ann Lavender, bears the date February 30, 1870. The Round Rock Cemetery, which contains more than 2,000 graves, is a visible reminder of the early history of this part of Williamson County. The burial ground is cared for by the Round Rock Cemetery Association. (1983)

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Anderson, Washington

1836

Washington (Wash) Anderson, hero of the battle of San Jacinto , was born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, where his grandfather, Richard Anderson, had been a captain in the Revolutionary War. He arrived at Port Lavaca, Texas, in February 1835 with his father, Dr. Thomas Anderson, and brother John D. Anderson . His mother was Chloe Glascock Anderson, who died when Wash was three years old. Anderson served in Capt. Jesse Billingsley 's company in the battle of San Jacinto, where he was wounded in the ankle. Several years later John Osburn Nash was quoted in the Houston Chronicle : "The old pioneer Wash Anderson was the true hero of San Jacinto, although history gives him no praise. Wash was never known to shout `go on' in battle, but was always known to say `come on' instead. He had more to do with turning the tide of the battle than Sam Houston did." Anderson is pictured in William H. Huddle 's painting The Surrender of Santa Anna , which hangs in the Capitol in Austin. He also fought in the battle of Brushy Creek in 1839. The Andersons received several land grants for service. On March 25, 1838, Anderson married his cousin Mary Ann Glascock. They had one daughter. Anderson, a devout Baptist, a Democrat, and a successful businessman, circulated and signed the petition to form Williamson County in 1848. He was one of the first county commissioners there. He built the county's first sawmill and gristmill and was one of the most prominent settlers of Round Rock, where he sold land to have the town platted. He also sold the land for the first college in the county, Greenwood Institute. After living in several log houses, the Andersons built a large rock house with separate slave quarters in 1859. The home is still standing on Brushy Creek in Round Rock; it received a Texas historical medallion in 1962. The Andersons were active in state affairs, especially the Texas Veterans Association . Wash Anderson died on April 28, 1894, and was buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Austin.

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Things to Do in Round Rock

food 16.8 mi away
Franklin Barbecue

Legendary Austin BBQ with 2-3 hour waits. Obama waited in line here.
historical 16.6 mi away
Texas State Capitol

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Antone's Nightclub

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quirky 17.5 mi away
Congress Avenue Bridge Bats

When Austin rebuilt the Congress Avenue Bridge in 1980 the new design accidentally created perfect crevices for Mexican free-tailed bats. By the mid-1990s one…
nature 17.7 mi away
Barton Springs

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historical 19.5 mi away
The Broken Spoke

James White built the Broken Spoke out of cinder blocks on South Lamar in 1964 and stubbornly refused to let Austin grow up around it. Willie Nelson Bob Wills…
quirky 21.7 mi away
Willie Nelson's Luck Ranch

Willie built his own ghost town on his Spicewood ranch for the 1986 movie Red Headed Stranger -- a whole frontier village with a saloon chapel livery and…
food 0.1 mi away
Round Rock Donuts

Texas-sized golden donuts from a bakery dating to the 1920s — the giant 'Round Rock Donut' has drawn dawn lines and a Man v. Food cameo.

Everything Near Round Rock

945 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.

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