City of Liberty

City of Liberty Municipal Water Report Info
Liberty, Texas, affectionately known as "The First City on the Trinity", was established in 1831 and sits strategically between Houston and Beaumont. Visitors discover a welcoming, charming community with progressive vision for the future. Our deep heritage, plentiful amenities, and convenient access to metropolitan areas make Liberty an excellent destination to visit — and an even better place to call home.

The City of Liberty traces its origins to 1831 when Mexican Land Commissioner José Francisco Madero arrived to authorize land titles and establish the new municipality named Villa de la Santísima Trinidad de la Libertad. This new settlement was positioned three miles south of the Atascosito Road and an early Spanish outpost sharing the same name. Despite Anahuac military commander Juan Davis Bradburn's attempt to dissolve the local government on December 10, 1831, the community persevered.

William Barret Travis, the commander of the Alamo, practiced law here before his historic stand. A post office was established in 1836. Following the Texas Revolution, residents simplified the name to Liberty. Mexican army officers captured at the battle of San Jacinto were held as prisoners at Judge William Hardin's plantation. General Sam Houston maintained a law practice in Liberty during the 1830s and 1840s while keeping residences nearby.

Liberty became the county seat and was incorporated in 1837. The City initially encompassed what is now the City of Dayton, then called West Liberty. A Methodist congregation formed here in 1840, followed by a Catholic church in 1853. By 1845, the population reached 200 residents. The City Cemetery, a Protestant burial ground, was established in 1848, with a Catholic cemetery following shortly after.

The community functioned as a significant river port, actively participating in the pre-Civil War Trinity River steamboat trade. The City's Board of Trustees attracted the Houston and New Orleans Railroad during the 1850s, which extended its line through Liberty in 1858, when the population was approximately 650 residents.

The Civil War and Reconstruction era led to population decline, dropping to 497 by 1880. West Liberty residents separated in 1898. The sawmill industry thrived here in the final decade of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The discovery of oil in the South Liberty field on January 1, 1925 brought tremendous changes and population growth, increasing from 865 in 1900 to 3,087 by 1940.

Today, the city sits at the junction of US Highway 90, completed in 1927, and State Highway 146. The 2010 census recorded 8,397 residents with 526 businesses operating locally. During World War II, a German prisoner-of-war camp was established on the grounds of Trinity Valley Exposition.

The Geraldine D. Humphreys Cultural Center, completed in 1970, houses the municipal library and community theater. The Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center, a branch of the Texas State Archives located on Farm Road 1011, preserves records from ten Southeast Texas counties. It was built on a 100-acre tract donated by the late Texas Governor Price Daniel, Sr. and completed in 1977. The site also features the Jean and Price Daniel Home and Archives, constructed by Governor and Mrs. Daniel in 1984 based on the original architectural plans for the Texas Governor's Mansion in Austin, with three restored historic buildings nearby.