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‘PASSION PROJECT’
Local historians detail Bastrop County legacy online
BASTROP — A new digital effort is bringing Bastrop County’s past center stage, detailing the work of area historians and its impact on Texas’ legacy.
Bastrop County Historical Commission’s interactive website — bastropcountyhistorical. gov — features a growing collection of historical narratives, oral storytelling and information about notable locations across the region. The county- funded project has been in development for about two years and replaces an older website that no longer met the needs of a growing county, according to commission Chairman Ken Kesselus.
“Historians all around the county have spent countless hours researching their passion projects to give you these experiences,” Kesselus said. “We invite you to explore our improved website and walk in the shoes of those who came before us.”
The site covers a spectrum of points and perspectives, including the county’s role as one of the earliest Anglo settlements in Mexican Texas. The landmark King’s Highway route and early communities that developed as the railroads took form reflect the county’s unique place in Texas history, according to Kesselus.
“That really does separate us,” he said. “Elgin, Bastrop, Smithville haven’t been urbanized to the extent that somebody came in and tore down some wonderful old buildings and built high-rises.”
The county also played a role in the early years of the Republic of Texas.
Bastrop was briefly considered as a potential site for the state capital in 1839 before Austin was ultimately chosen.
“We became kind of a staging area for the development of Austin,” Kesselus said. “We’ve been kind of a microcosm of Texas … most of everything that affected Texas history was played out here.”
Beyond major milestones, the website highlights how the arrival of railroads shaped the county’s communities.
Towns like Elgin and Smithville developed along the railroad lines, which Kesselus described as a defining factor in Bastrop County’s growth.
“The coming of the railroads was extraordinarily important, in fact, all of the communities in Bastrop, except for Cedar Creek, lie on the railroad,” he said. “That’s also something that ties us all together.”
Kesselus said a major goal of the update is to promote historical tourism by encouraging visitors to explore museums, historic sites and state parks across the county.
Future plans include expanded self-guided tours that could allow visitors to scan QR codes at historic locations to learn more.
“We hope to create a do-it-yourself tour of various things,” he said.
Commission members said the project has largely evolved into a community effort, bringing together historians, volunteers and residents who share a passion for local history.
“Volunteers have been gathering information for decades,” Kesselus said. “This redesign project focuses on organizing that data and continuing research to tell all the stories of Bastrop County.”
Alongside preservation, Kesselus said the project is built to help residents — especially newcomers and younger generations — better understand the community they live in. Ultimately, he said he wants the project to strengthen community identity as the county continues to grow.
“If you look back to the past and see what it took to get us where we are, it helps you connect past, present and future,” he said. “We can learn from the goods and the bads of the past.”
