This is from Eva's article on old Hills Prairie homes, but thought I should post it separately as it is about the railroad versus the old families.

In 1887, the M.K.& T. Railroad laid its track and ran the first trains through the valley. Jay Gould and other notables visited and inspected the Prairie during construction of the road. Dr. A.M. Hill built a store near the track, and R.A. Watson was the Clerk. T.K. Moore and P.J. Gill built a cotton gin and several small houses and a blacksmith shop composed the village. On Saturdays during cotton season there was sometimes as high as 200 tickers to Bastrop sold. That was in the 90’s.