Editing Round Rock, Texas (section)

====Economic impact of Interstate 35====

In the 1950s, planners of the new [[Interstate Highway System]] proposed to route Interstate 35 through Taylor, whose population and cotton industry made it the county's economic powerhouse. Highway Commissioner [[Dewitt C. Greer State Highway Building|DeWitt Greer]] called for the "[[Interregional Highways|interregional]]" highway to go through Taylor on its way from [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]] to [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], but some Taylor leaders and other citizens fought the idea, worried about the possibility of cutting farmers off from all or part of their fields, traffic noise, damage to country life, loss of farmland, and unwanted right-of-way acquisition—it was proposed to be an astounding {{convert|300|ft|m|sigfig=1}} wide, unheard of before this time. No one even knew what an "Interregional Highway" would look like, unless they had traveled to [[Germany]] to see the [[Autobahn]] or the [[Merritt Parkway]] in [[Connecticut]]. Instead, they wanted improvements to the [[farm-to-market road]]s and a straight route to Austin.<ref>{{cite book |title=Road, River and Good Ol' Boy Politics: A Texas County's Path from Farm to Supersuburb |last=Scarbrough |first=Linda |year=2009 |publisher=Texas State Historical Association |location=Austin, Texas |isbn=978-0-87611-202-1 |pages=53–256 }}</ref>

Meanwhile, Round Rock leaders sought the highway and its potential economic benefits. Mayor Louis Henna lobbied the Highway Commission. In June 1956, the 15-year debate over the form, funding, and route of the Interstate was resolved.<ref>{{cite book |title=Road, River and Good Ol' Boy Politics: A Texas County's Path from Farm to Supersuburb |last=Scarbrough |first=Linda |year=2009 |publisher=Texas State Historical Association |location=Austin, Texas |isbn=978-0-87611-202-1 |page=271 }}</ref> Due to the heavy lobbying, and not wanting to antagonize Taylor, the highway was built along the edge of the Balcones Fault line, running through Round Rock. The precise route was not without opposition, however, as the new road cut off "Old Town" to the west from what had become the more recent "downtown" area east of Interstate 35.<ref>{{cite book |title=Road, River and Good Ol' Boy Politics: A Texas County's Path from Farm to Supersuburb |last=Scarbrough |first=Linda |year=2009 |publisher=Texas State Historical Association |location=Austin, Texas |isbn=978-0-87611-202-1 |page=257 }}</ref> The Interstate eventually made Round Rock into a viable and vibrant commercial center, while Taylor withered with the decline of the cotton industry. Today, it is a minor, modest town with a smaller population, while Round Rock has thrived and rapidly grown into the largest city in the county, attracting Dell Computer and major retail centers.<ref name="Scarbrough 2009 259">{{cite book|title=Road, River and Good Ol' Boy Politics: A Texas County's Path from Farm to Supersuburb|last=Scarbrough|first=Linda|year=2005 |publisher=Texas State Historical Association|location=Austin, Texas|isbn=978-0-87611-202-1 |page=259}}</ref> The transformation of Round Rock is detailed in a book by Linda Scarborough (publisher of the ''Williamson County Sun'' newspaper) titled ''Road, River and Ol' Boy Politics: A Texas County's Path from Farm to Supersuburb'' published by Texas State Historical Press.<ref name="Scarbrough 2009"/>