Texas & Pacific Railway

Construction of the Texas and Pacific Railway began in East Texas in the early 1870's. By 1880 the line was expanding westward. It reached Sweetwater in 1881, with the first train arriving on March 12 of that year. Sweetwater became a railroad town, with business and homes built along the rail line. The railroad was a major influence on the town's development, bringing in settlers and building materials and providing shipping access for local products and livestock. The railroad station at this site was razed after passenger service was discontinued in 1969. (1989)