Fulshear-Katy Community Guide 2025-26

OUR HISTORY

FULSHEAR: THROUGH THE YEARS

Photos Courtesy of Terry Crockett

(commonly known as the “MKT” Railroad), which laid tracks through the area in the late 1800s. While the railroad became the lifeline of the community, the Katy prairie’s fertile soil helped to develop Katy into a major center for rice production. (The community celebrates this legacy with the Katy Rice Harvest Festival, an annual event held in Downtown Katy.) As Houston expanded westward in the late 20th century, Katy evolved into a popular suburban destination. Its proximity to Interstate 10 made it an attractive location for families. Today, Katy is known for its expansive master-planned communities, excellent schools, and vibrant parks—offering the charm of small-town life paired with access to big-city opportunities. From the original settlers to the many generations of community leaders that have laid the foundation for these thriving communities, Fulshear and Katy truly exemplify the balance between honoring tradition and embracing growth.

The arrival of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway in the 1880s was a pivotal moment in Fulshear’s development. The railroad connected the small town to larger markets and attracted settlers eager to farm the fertile land. As trade flourished, Fulshear’s population steadily grew, and the town began to emerge as one of the area’s agricultural hubs. Throughout the 20th century, Fulshear remained a quiet agricultural community, its landscape dotted with family farms and ranches. However, in recent years, the community has witnessed a rapid transformation. With the recent influx of new residential and commercial development, Fulshear has become one of Texas’s fastest-growing cities while still managing to preserve its rural heritage. Like Fulshear, Katy’s roots stretch back to the early 19th century, when pioneers settled the region as part of Austin’s Old Three Hundred, establishing farms and ranches amidst the expansive prairie.

N estled in the vibrant landscape just west of Houston, Fulshear and Katy offer a fascinating glimpse into the region’s journey from rugged frontier towns to vibrant modern communities. Their histories are intertwined and filled with a resounding spirit of perseverance, innovation, and transformation. Fulshear’s story began in 1824 when Churchill Fulshear Jr. was granted

land as part of Stephen F. Austin’s “Old Three Hundred” colonization effort. After relocating his family from Tennessee, Fulshear established a thriving plantation along the Brazos River, cultivating crops like cotton and pecans, which were vital commodities in the early Texas economy. Fulshear’s plantation formed the foundation of the town’s economy and laid the groundwork for its early growth.

The name “Katy” stems from the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad

8 FULSHEAR-KATY COMMUNITY GUIDE & DIRECTORY 2025-26 ISSUE