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Historic Salado has a rich, fascinating history dating back thousand of years when Indians camped on the banks of the Salado Creek, through Spanish land grants, visits by such notables as Robert E. Lee, George Custer, Sam Houston, one of the first colleges in Texas to the unique village that exists today between Austin and Dallas.
Historic Salado has long been an educational and intellectual attraction. It was called the "Athens of Texas" because distinguished pioneer families built one of the first higher education institutions---Salado College--in downtown Salado. It lasted for 60 years and was one of the first colleges to recognize women as the equals of men. Its ruins remain on College Hill, just across the street from the Stagecoach Hotel.
In ancient times, Salado offered very rich hunting and excellent, sweet water from its creek. In prehistoric times, Indian tribes such as the Anadarko, Kiowa, Caddo, Waco, Apache, Tonkawa and Commanche roamed the Salado and Bell County area.
Even around the Civil War, there were ongoing problems with Indian attacks.
Salado was settled in the 1820's and '30's during the time Stephen Austin and his father, Moses Austin were using Spanish Land Grants to settle central Texas. Among the early Salado settlers was Major Sterling Clack Robertson, a veteran of the Battle of New Orleans. In the mid 1830's this area became known as Robertson Colony as Major Robertson encouraged families to move to the Salado area.
In the 1830's, Salado participated in the independence movement from Mexico. Major Robertson was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Continued Indian attacks in the Salado area challenged population growth.
In 1854, Major Robertson's son, E.S.C. Robertson continued to bring settlers to Salado. He was a member of the famed Texas Rangers and had success fighting Indians throughout central Texas. In 1854, Robertson began building the 22 room Greek Revival mansion that sits today just across Route 35 from downtown Salado.
Robertson knew the local Indian chiefs and it was not uncommon for them to visit his home where they would remove the furniture from the living room so these chiefs could sit around on the floor as they ate with the Robertson family.
Robertson built slave quarters behind his house where they remain today.
In the late 1850's, Robertson and local businessmen laid out the city and founded Salado College. The college was non-denominational and accepted women as the academic equivalents of men. Its first class had only 60 students all of whom resided with local residents.
In the 1850's stagecoach lines began to be run through Waco and Austin and Salado was a stopping off point. Today there is a log cabin behind the Civic Center, just off Main Street, near McCain's restaurant, that was the first Salado Post Office and a stop on the stagecoach line.
As late at the 1850's, there were buffalo herds in what is now Salado.
In 1860, the Shady Villa Hotel was built (the Stagecoach Hotel today) and remains the oldest continually operating hotel in Texas. Sam Houston gave an anti-secession speech from its balcony. George Custer, the James brothers (as in Jesse), famous cattlemen and politicians stayed at the hotel.
Robertson was a delegate to the state convention in 1860, voting to secede from the Union. He then served with the Confederates during the Civil War and the Robertson mansion has a framed letter to him from General Robert E. Lee. Robertson had approximately 40 slaves, all of whom were freed as a result of the Civil War.
In the 1860's, Salado saw the building of many beautiful homes that remain to this day. The Tyler House on Main Street was built in 1857 and has been a restaurant. The Captain Halley House on Main Street, built in 1860 has been a B & B and featured on national television for its haunting presences. The Baines House was built in 1866 and remains a tourist attraction.
Salado grew economically with the establishment of local mills, sawing lumber and grinding corn and wheat. While there were 7-8 such mills operating, today only the Summer's Mill remains.
In the 1870's cattle drives passed through Salado on the Chisolm Trail which ran from south to north up what is today Main Street. There are still wagon wheel tracks in the soft sandstone of the Salado Creek from these cattle drives.
The Chisolm Trail facilitated the driving of cattle from south and central Texas to Kansas City. At its peak in 1871, over 700,000 cattle went up the Chisolm Trail to Abeline, KS. Since this was a 3 month trip, there was need for constant provisioning. Salado's merchants met that need in central Texas.
When barbed wire and railroads arrived in the late 1870's and early 1880's, trail drives ended as a way to move cattle.
During the 1870's and 1880's, Salado built several bridges across the Salado Creek. Beginning with a walking bridge, it was replaced with a suspension bridge and that was followed by the Iron Bridge. Floods and storms destroyed these and they were replaced in the 1920's with the structure that remains today.
In 1901, Salado College burned down, the first of 3 such fire disasters that eventually reduced the school to the ruins one finds today. The last fire was in 1924.
After this final fire, the town built the Red School House which remains on Main Street as the Salado Civic Center today.
Today Salado Village has approximately 2,500 residents many of whom work in health care, high tech, education and retail. The town attracted national attention when President George Bush held parts of his daughters wedding at the Inn on the Creek and The Range, two outstanding dining establishments.
Salado is the home to the Institute of the Humanities, many innovative retail establishments and some of the state's finest Bed and Breakfasts.
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