Taylor (population 13,575) was first platted in 1876 as a railroad town, and the railroad proved key to the community's growth as a shipping point for cattle, grain, and cotton. An influx of settlers from Czechoslovakia, Germany, Austria and Sweden helped establish the town, and the presence of their descendents continues to help make Taylor an ethnically diverse community.
Taylor became a Main Street Community in 1983 and continues to work to revitalize its historic downtown. It is currently in the process of formally inventorying downtown resources, the first step toward nominating the area for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
Cognizant of the tax benefits that such listing would make available, the Taylor Economic Development Corporation and the Taylor Chamber of Commerce are among the partners funding preparation of the nomination.
The city is participating in the newly active Brazos Trail Region heritage tourism initiative of the Texas Historical Commission. One heritage tourism destination in the community is the Moody Museum (1887), birthplace of Governor Dan Moody, who is famous for his crusades against government corruption and lawlessness.
Designated a Preserve America Community in August 2004.
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