Taylor, Texas

Taylor is an agriculture and manufacturing based community. It has many charming older homes and architecturally interesting buildings in its downtown area and with the 130 toll road now in place, the commute to Austin or Round Rock is much easier and quicker.

History

Taylor was founded in 1876 when the Texas Land Company auctioned lots in anticipation of the Great Northern Railroad. It was named after railroad official Edward Moses Taylor. The area attracted many immigrants from Czechoslovakia and other Slavic states as well as Germany and Austria and soon became a busy shipping point for cattle, grain, and cotton. By 1878, the town had 1000 residents and in 1882 a second railroad reached the town and a roundhouse served both railroads. By 1890, Taylor had two banks and the first savings and loan institution in Texas. Today Taylor is continuing to grow and is home to several large employers.

Education

In 2011, the Taylor Independent School District opened a brand-new, state of the art, collegiate-inspired High School, where each student gets a new Mac Book as part of their educational curriculum. The college style campus offers students a Wi-Fi network, two gyms, a 2nd floor library, and a wide variety of classes including a Culinary Arts Academy, a modern welding lab, and a spacious band hall.

The district also has more than 3,000 students enrolled in the Legacy Early College High School, one of the most progressive education systems in the state, where students earn an associate’s degree before graduating high school.

Parks and Recreation

Within the Taylor Park System there are:

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– Seven parks
– Tennis courts
– Lighted baseball diamonds
– Hike and bike trails
– Playgrounds
– Picnic areas
– Wi-Fi available in Taylor Regional Park and Sports Complex, Murphy Park, Robinson Park, Bull Branch Park, and Heritage Square.

Taylor also enjoys:

– 9 hole public golf course
– Miniature golf in Murphy Park
– Lake Granger just ten miles north of town

Events

-Taylor Area Farmer’s Market
-May-September: Mon-Fri 3-6 pm in Heritage Park
-Taylor Blackland Prairie Days
-Taylor Zest Fest
-Taylor Truck and Tractor Pull
-Taylor Rodeo Association Annual Rodeo
-Taylor International BBQ Cook Off
-Christmas Bazaar