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Smithville, Texas
Main Street
Main Street
Nickname(s): 
Heart of the Megalopolis
Location of Smithville, Texas
Location of Smithville, Texas
Bastrop Smithville.svg
Country United States
State Texas
County Bastrop
Incorporated 1895
Area
 • Total 4.02 sq mi (10.40 km2)
 • Land 4.00 sq mi (10.35 km2)
 • Water 0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Elevation
325 ft (99 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 3,922
 • Density 1,130.16/sq mi (436.32/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
78957
Area code(s) 512, 737
FIPS code 48-68456
GNIS feature ID 2411912

Smithville is a friendly city located in Bastrop County, Texas. It's close to the Colorado River. In 2020, about 3,922 people lived there.

A Look at Smithville's Past

How Smithville Began

The story of Smithville started in 1827 when Thomas Jefferson Gazley arrived. He built the very first house and opened the first store. This store was important for new settlers coming to the area.

Gazley was a true Texas hero. He worked for the Mexican government and helped write the Texas Declaration of Independence. He also helped create the first Constitution for Texas.

Early Families and the City's Name

Later, the William Smith family moved to the area. They also owned a store and helped shape the community. About seventeen families lived on the south bank of the Colorado River. The town was named Smithville because of the Smith family's influence.

The Railroad Arrives

A local businessman, Murray Burleson, convinced the railroad to build a station here. The TB&H railroad arrived in 1887. In 1891, another company, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas (MK&T), took over the railroad.

In 1894, the MK&T built its main repair shops in Smithville. This brought many new jobs and people to the town. For almost 50 years, Smithville became the largest town in Bastrop County.

Growing into a Thriving Town

As more people moved in, Smithville grew from a small village into a busy town. New homes, stores, and other businesses were built. The Hill family started the first bank and retail businesses.

The Buescher brothers helped create the town's first utility systems, like water and electricity. Many important people worked together to build cotton gins, general stores, and drugstores. They also built churches and community groups like the Masons.

In 1895, Smithville officially became an incorporated city.

Smithville's Location and Weather

Smithville is in the southeastern part of Bastrop County. It is about 12 miles southeast of Bastrop. The city is also about 42 miles southeast of Austin.

Smithville's Climate

Climate data for Smithville, Texas
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 88
(31)
91
(33)
98
(37)
99
(37)
99
(37)
100
(38)
102
(39)
104
(40)
108
(42)
100
(38)
91
(33)
90
(32)
107
(42)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 60
(16)
65
(18)
74
(23)
76
(24)
82
(28)
87
(31)
92
(33)
93
(34)
91
(33)
84
(29)
76
(24)
61
(16)
95
(35)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 40
(4)
46
(8)
57
(14)
65
(18)
70
(21)
72
(22)
77
(25)
79
(26)
72
(22)
64
(18)
56
(13)
32
(0)
59
(15)
Record low °F (°C) 4
(−16)
12
(−11)
14
(−10)
30
(−1)
43
(6)
50
(10)
59
(15)
54
(12)
47
(8)
22
(−6)
10
(−12)
3
(−16)
3
(−16)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.71
(43)
2.65
(67)
5.51
(140)
6.2
(160)
5.38
(137)
7.46
(189)
0.84
(21)
0.68
(17)
1.83
(46)
3.22
(82)
3.10
(79)
9.60
(244)
57.59
(1,463)
Source: weather.com

Smithville covers about 3.5 square miles of land. A very small part, about 0.04 square miles, is water.

Major Roads in Smithville

  • SH 71
  • Loop 230
  • FM 2571
  • FM 153
  • FM 2104
  • SH 95

Who Lives in Smithville?

Historical population
Census Pop.
1890 616
1900 2,577 318.3%
1910 3,167 22.9%
1920 3,204 1.2%
1930 3,296 2.9%
1940 3,100 −5.9%
1950 3,379 9.0%
1960 2,933 −13.2%
1970 2,959 0.9%
1980 3,470 17.3%
1990 3,196 −7.9%
2000 3,901 22.1%
2010 3,817 −2.2%
2020 3,922 2.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2020, the city had 3,922 people living there. There were 1,711 households and 1,088 families.

The population includes people from many different backgrounds. Most residents are White, with significant Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino communities. There are also smaller groups of Asian, Native American, and mixed-race people.

Learning in Smithville

Smithville high school entry 2012
Smithville High School, home of the Tigers

Smithville has its own school system, the Smithville Independent School District. Students attend Smithville High School, where the sports teams are called the Tigers.

For students who want to continue their education, Austin Community College has a campus nearby in Elgin. Also, the city of Austin is about 40 miles away and has several large universities.

Fun Places to Visit

  • The Smithville Visitor Center is a great place to start. It's also home to the James H. Long Railroad Museum and the Chamber of Commerce. You can see exhibits and old items from Smithville's railroad history.
  • The Smithville post office has a special painting inside called The Law, Texas Rangers. This mural was painted in 1939 by Minette Teichmueller. It was part of a government program that hired artists to create public artworks during the 1930s.

In 2018 and 2019, new public murals were added in Smithville. These murals show important events from the city's past and honor local leaders.

Famous People from Smithville

Many interesting people have connections to Smithville:

  • Bettye Caldwell, an educator
  • Thomas Carter, an actor and award-winning director
  • Hannibal Lokumbe (also known as "Hannibal"), a jazz trumpeter and composer
  • Balor Moore, a major league baseball pitcher
  • Sonny Rhodes, a blues singer and lap steel guitar player
  • DJ Screw (Robert Earl Davis Jr.), a hip hop artist who was born in Smithville
Smithville gingerbread man 2012
Smitty the Gingerbread Man

Smithville's Guinness World Record

On December 2, 2006, Smithville made history! During its 16th Annual Festival of Lights, the city broke a Guinness World Record. They created the world's largest gingerbread man.

This giant gingerbread man was over 20 feet long and weighed an amazing 1308.5 pounds! It took 750 pounds of flour, 49 gallons of molasses, and 72 dozen eggs to make him. The huge pan used for baking is now a monument at the James H. Long Railroad Park.

Another city in Norway has since broken this record.

See also

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