General-

Dating back from the establishment of machine and car shops by the Trinity & Brazos Valley Railway, this city is named for the niece of the railroad magnate B.F. Yoakum. The T&BV was called the "Boll Weevil Line" in the first decades of the 20th Century because so many special trains ran to conferences about combating the horrible insect devastation occurring in Texas' valuable cotton fields.

Local area has large deposits of coal, lignite, oil, sand, clay. Natural gas production has become very important in recent years. City parks offer picnicking, recreational facilities, swimming pool and miniature golf.

Burlington-Rock Island Railroad Museum-

Trinity & Brazos Valley Railway was purchased by Burlington and Rock Island lines in 1905; in 1936 inaugurated first streamlined passenger train in Texas, the "Sam Houston Zephyr," between Dallas / Fort Worth and Houston. The old two-story brick station is now museum with varied relics from golden age of railroads, plus county historical items. Open Sat. - Sun. I - 5 p.m. 208 S. Third Ave. Admission.