Rockdale
Located in southern Milam County, Rockdale is sited along US 79 and a line originally surveyed for the International and Great Northern Railway in 1873. It is the center of an agricultural economy with some resource extraction (lignite, gas, and oil), as well as major industry (until recently the site of a nearby aluminum plant). It has developed an interest in historic preservation and heritage tourism (El Camino Real de los Tejas, part of a national trails initiative) thanks to the work of folks I consider good friends, including Dr. Lucile Estell, Jackie Thornton, Geri Burnett, and Joy Graham (deceased). The town has a population of just over five thousand but has experienced new commercial growth in recent years.
April 12, 2021
Rockdale, Milam County, Texas
Developed in 1873, incorporated in 1878
Named or a nearby rock that stood 12 feet high with a 20-foot circumference
Population in 2010 was 5,595
