Hutto History
The History of Hutto is extensive and varied and includes tales of slaves, Indians and hippos. Hutto was settled in 1854 by a 17 year old slave named Adam Orgain sent to watch over the ranching interests of his owner, John Henry Orgain, on the Blackland Prairie not far from Cottonwood Creek.
In these early days of Hutto, young Adam would have lived a very solitary and primitive life, required to provide his own food and shelter as well as defend the land and its assets from wild animals, Indians and other predators. In 1876 James Emory Hutto, a cattleman, sold 50 acres of land to the Texas Land Company of New York for a town site, reserving a 5 acre grant of property out of the sale for a railroad right of way. By the end of this year, Hutto had certainly been established as a town with had a railroad depot, a post office, a general store and a lumber business. In 1911 Hutto was established as an incorporated city, in part due to its growth. An extensive history of the town can be found on the City’s website and in various publications.
More renowned than the founding fathers in Hutto is the legend of the “Hippo”. The story goes, in 1915 a circus train stopped in Hutto to take on passengers, attend to business and refuel the steam locomotive. During this stop the circus workers were attending to the care of the animals. It was during this time that the Circus’s hippopotamus escaped and made its way to Cottonwood Creek, promptly settling into the muddy waters that so closely resembled a natural habitat. This caused great panic for the circus workers as the animal would not budge and great entertainment for the locals as they watched on in amusement. It is said the Depot Agent, Hal Farley, Jr., telegraphed the neighboring towns of Taylor and Round Rock, “Stop trains, hippo loose in Hutto”. Eventually the hippo was extricated from the mud, returned to its car and the circus moved on; but, the days events have lingered, became legend and branded itself as the mascot of Hutto.
The 21st century has brought tremendous growth to the area. In 1990, the US Census Bureau recorded 630 residents in the City of Hutto. By 2000 the City boasted a population of 1,250 residents. Between 2000 and 2006 Hutto experienced a 666% growth rate increasing its population to 17,227 residents and became the fastest growing city in Texas. It is anticipated the City will boast 30,000 + residents by 2010. The City’s rich heritage has established who they are and they look forward to preserving it is their historic district, a portion of the original incorporated city. However, it is their foresight that will continue to establish Hutto as a place for the future. It has been a pleasure to work with City officials and the community to establish The Crossings of Carmel Creek, a master planned development with the potential to reinvent itself for the next 100 years. The Crossings of Carmel Creek was created with the new urbanists principals in mind, taking care to create a sustainable community while preserving its natural elements and environment. We look forward to a continued relationship with the Hutto community and becoming a piece of their future history.