Railroads built Bryan: Much of Bryan's history revolved around the railroad. In fact, the city was formed when the original 1-square-mile town site was deeded by William Joel Bryan to William R. Baker and Abraham Groesbeck, officials of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, on April 9, 1860. The railroad officials named the town Bryan in William Joel Bryan's honor. While the Civil War interrupted the construction of the rail line itself, Baker and Groesbeck sold town lots through the early 1860s. The H&TC's first train arrived in Bryan in August 1867, opening a whole new way of travel to Brazos County residents. The Bryan Train Depot is pictured here circa 1909. This depot was built in 1900 by the Calvert, Waco & Brazos Valley Railroad, which merged with the International and Great Northern Railroad in 1901. The depot sat close to where the new Sale Depot currently sits at 29th and Main Street in Gloria Stephan Sale Park in Downtown Bryan.
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