Busiest Small Town in Texas

30 miles East of Austin 85 miles Northeast of San Antonio 105 miles Northwest of Houston 65 miles East of Bryan/College Station 190 miles South of Dallas/Ft. Worth

Busiest Small Town IN Texas

In 1895 a legendary coin flip established the town’s name as “Smithville”. Legend has it that a Burleson and a Smith agreed to “toss” for the name, as the town had been known informally for decades as Smithville but the Burleson family had been instrumental in the town’s growth. Mr. Smith supplied the nickel. It was later discovered that it was, in fact, a double-headed nickel! Mr. Burleson is reported to have written: “I was foiled by a fickle nickel !”

The Smithville Police Department is housed in a natural stone building, which began its life as the fire station, circa 1933. It was built by the Civilian Conservation

Corps with stone quarried for the building from a location known as “The Hill.” Smithville has the only full service hospital, the only airport, the only recycling center, and the only doggy bark park in Bastrop County!

continues to make History!

January 2008 – The Texas Film Commission certified Smithville as the First Certified Film Friendly Community in Texas.

In 2011 a Historic Commercial & Residential Properties Tour and a Film Location Tour were created for those wanting to tour Smithville by car or on foot. Both brochures are available at the Smithville Visitors Center 100 Main St or by www.smithvilletx.org/tour.

September 2013 – The Texas Commission on the Arts designated Smithville as a Cultural District, one of only 24 in Texas at that time. The Cultural District was named the Richard D. Latham Cultural District. Guinness World Record officially recognized “Smitty” as the World’s Largest Gingerbread Cookie weighing 1,308 lbs. 8 oz, measuring 20’ from head to toe in their 2009 edition (pg. 124).

The Smithville Veterans Memorial & Splash Park was dedicated on

May 27, 2013. Among the memorial walls in the park are names of over 4,000 men & women who honorably served our country.

November 2020 - A beautiful mosaic of Smithville’s own, Hannibal Lokumbe, a world-renowned trumpeter and composer was created by mosaic artist Stefani Distafano on the side of the Mosaic Art & Home building at 218 Main Street.

2020 - Smithville Mayor Scott Saunders designated Smithville a Golf Cart Friendly Community.