About the Georgetown, Round Rock and Cedar Park, Texas Area 

The residents of Georgetown have done an excellent job in preserving the historical downtown area, with more than 180 National Register Historic homes and buildings preserved as they were in the 1800’s! 

The beautiful town of Georgetown is also known for its preserved giant oak trees, which are some of the largest and oldest in Texas. They provide shade for the great variety of water activities and other outdoor activities during the summer months.  

The San Gabriel River Trail is one of the best places for hiking, cycling, or just walking to take in the beauty of the area. Lake Georgetown is a swimming and boating spot with campsites, hunting, fishing, and much more for the nature lover. It is a favorite recreation stop for people from all over the United States. 

The Inner Space Caverns just south of Georgetown are one of the most spectacular underground formations in the world. Any nature enthusiast would not miss a chance to explore these natural wonders. 

LOCATION 

Georgetown is the northern most “gateway” to the gently rolling hills of Central Texas. Austin is 26 miles south. Dallas is two hours north. Houston is two hours southeast and San Antonio is one-and-a-half hours south.

TRANSPORTATION 

When you first arrive in Georgetown Square, you are struck by the historic feeling of the town. Access to Georgetown via the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and the north/south highway artery of Interstate 35 and east/west highway artery of Highway 29 make traveling to and from Georgetown easy and fast.  

BRIEF HISTORY 

The Williamson County Courthouse and other historic buildings tell a story all their own about cattle drives, Native Americans, and settlers from all over the globe who brought with them the skills for industrial growth and development.  

The Development of Georgetown and Williamson County all started in 1845 when Texas became a state. Austin, the new capitol, was still a sparsely settled region. So to journey 40 miles for a marriage license, to pay taxes, or to attend court was a long way to travel. 

In February of 1848, about 100 settlers along the San Gabriel River asked the legislature for their own Central Texas County. The County that was created on March 13, 1848 was 1,197 square miles of land. It was named after Major Robert McAlpin Williamson, a prominent citizen of the area, better known as “three legged Willie.”
George Washington Glasscock, a large landowner, was persuaded to donate 173 acres to be the new county seat. Georgetown was then named after him. 

LOCATION 

The beautiful city of Round Rock in central Texas is located 9 miles north of Austin, just off interstate 35. This is 3 hours from Dallas and 94 miles north of San Antonio. Round Rock, which is 26 square miles, is almost centered between east-west interstates 10 and 20. 

TRANSPORTATION  

The Austin–Bergstrom International Airport is within one hour of Round Rock, and there is an Amtrak Train Station in Austin 9 miles away. The main east-west interstate several miles from Round Rock is Interstate 10, which goes from Los Angeles, California, to Jacksonville, Florida. At the completion of state highway 130 in 2007, heavy trucking will be using this route instead of I-35, giving passenger cars and commuters an easier trip to Austin and beyond. 

POPULATION 

Round Rock’s growth rate began to rapidly increase in the early 70’s and has continued to rise into the present. The population today is about 55,000 and is made up largely of the young and educated.  

BRIEF HISTORY 

There are no historical records about when the landmark round rock was first discovered as a low-water crossing in the Brushy River. After the first settlers had been conducting commerce since the mid 1830’s, they tried to open the first post office in 1854, using the name Brushy. But they found out it was already taken. Therefore, they choose the name Round Rock. 

The infamous outlaw Sam Bass met his demise in Round Rock. On a hot summer day, Sam and his band of outlaws came riding into town where Sheriff Grimes met them. Sam Bass was seriously wounded in the gunfight and was found dead the next day by the Texas Rangers. 

The real boon for the town of Round Rock was when in 1876 The Texas Land Company began building a new town across the creek, which became the end of the line for the Great Northern Railroad. Many of the original buildings built at that time still exist on Main Street. 

Today, the unemployment rate in Round Rock is one of the lowest in the country, with the median age of residents being thirty years old and the average household income at $65,000. 

Cedar Park’s popularity as a place to live, work, and raise a family comes as no surprise to the citizens who helped the town grow.  

There is an abundance of cultural and recreational opportunities for families to enjoy here. The Highland Lakes area, a system of five lakes created along the beautiful Colorado River, stretches from downtown Austin (Town Lake and Auditorium Shores) to Lake Buchanan some 60 miles away in Burnet. The largest of the lakes, Lake Travis, is the most popular recreational site among the lakes and can be easily accessed at numerous sites ranging from five miles to ten miles from Cedar Park.
All of Williamson County is well known for a very low crime rate and for its friendly, neighborly people. It is also known for its abundant, affordable housing, low cost of living, clean air, and beautiful scenic vistas. County taxes are among the lowest in the state for comparable counties, and Texas has no personal state income tax like most states. For all of these reasons, Williamson County is one of the most desirable places to live and work in the United States.
One of the advantages of living in central Texas is that there is just so much to do and so much to enjoy. Scenic vistas are only part of the beauty and recreational opportunities of the Texas Hill Country.
Springtime in the Hill Country is one of the most popular seasons of the year; the blooming native Texas wildflowers turn the hillsides into a rainbow of color and fragrance. One of the more popular scenic drives, especially in the spring, begins in Cedar Park and is a circular drive from Cedar Park to Marble Falls on Lake LBJ to Burnet and back to Cedar Park, a total driving distance of 90 miles.  

LOCATION 

While Cedar Park residents enjoy the surrounding beauty of Highland Lakes and Oak Savannah, it is located only 22 miles from the heart of downtown Austin, the State Capitol and home of The University of Texas. Yet Cedar Park is far enough away from the city to have a relaxed lifestyle that helps to keep it a family-centered community. Yet it is close enough to the city to offer all the amenities of a major metropolitan area!  

Cedar Park’s size is 17 square miles and it is perfectly situated between metro Austin and the Texas Hill Country. Whether you like hiking, bicycling, water sports, live music, fine wine, great food, shopping, or any other activity, you will probably find it here (or close by).  

POPULATION 

Between 1970 and 2000, the population of Cedar Park grew from 125 to over 26,000. Cedar Park is the second fastest growing city in the State of Texas and is one of the fastest growing cities of its size in the United States. From a population of 5,161 in 1990, Cedar Park has exploded on the popularity scale, developing into an urban center of over 30,000 residents in 10 years.

BRIEF HISTORY 

Like many other communities, Cedar Park traces its beginnings to the movement of the railroad. The community was first known as Running Brushy until 1882. The name was later changed at the request of a railroad official. Later it was known by its principal product at the time, which were cedar trees. The name was officially changed to Cedar Park with the opening of a post office in 1887.  

The discovery of the fossilized skeleton of "LeAnn, the Leanderthal Lady" during construction of the FM 1431 extension to Round Rock during the late 1990s, shows that the area has been inhabited for at least 10,000 years.  

EDUCATION 

Residents of Cedar Park, like the residents of Central Texas in general, greatly value education. The average SAT scores are very high, and most of the population are high-school graduates, with almost fifty percent having earned a higher-level degree. In all grades, the average ratio of student to teacher is 16 to 1. With its economic stability and high-quality education, Cedar Park is a great place to raise a young family!