Railroads in Rockdale

Rockdale owes its founding to the International & Great Northern rail line, along which the town was laid out in 1873-74. The railroad gave area farmers access to markets for their crops, and Rockdale became a shipping point for farmers and other local businesses. The San Antonio & Aransas Pass (later Southern Pacific) Railroad operated a north-south route through Rockdale from 1891 to 1959, further contributing to economic growth. The Rockdale, Sandow and Southern Railroad, chartered in 1923 to carry lignite coal to area customers, became Rockdale's third rail line. Although the last passenger train left Rockdale in 1970, the railroad remains a significant part of the community's heritage. (2001)

Railroads in Rockdale is a historical marker in Rockdale, Milam County, dedicated in 2001. It is one of 88 historical markers documented in Milam County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 151 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 30.6546, -97.0010 near Rockdale. The nearest cataloged historic site is International & Great Northern Railroad Passenger Depot (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Site of Mundine Hotel, City of Rockdale, and George Sessions Perry.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5331012561. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.