Ballinger

Ballinger, Texas

Ballinger, Texas

The Ballinger City Hall serves Runnels County, Texas. Photograph by Larry D. Moore. 

Ballinger is at the junction of U.S. highways 67 and 83 and State Highway 158, thirty-six miles northeast of San Angelo in south central Runnels County. The Colorado River and Elm Creek converge there, and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway runs through the town. Ballinger was established when the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway built westward out of Brownwood in 1886. Runnels City, the original county seat, campaigned for selection as the new railroad terminal but could not compete with the superior water supply offered at the future site of Ballinger, five miles to the south.

Extensive advertising in the Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and Galveston newspapers brought 6,000 people to the sale of town lots in Ballinger on June 29, 1886. As early as June 7 railroad-company ads in the Dallas Morning News promoted the sale, offering half-price excursion trains from Dallas. The 1.7-square-mile area was laid out in large lots, with a courthouse square and public park set aside for future use. Roughly half of the lots sold on the first day. To ensure the success of their new terminal, Santa Fe officials offered free property to anyone who would move a home from Runnels City to Ballinger and to any church that would erect a building.

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Kathryn Pinkney | © TSHA

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Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.

Belongs to

Ballinger is part of or belongs to the following places:

Currently Exists

Yes

Place type

Ballinger is classified as a Town

Associated Names

  • (Gresham)
  • (Hutchings)
  • (Toombs)

Location

Latitude: 31.74067920
Longitude: -99.95543800

Has Post Office

Yes

Is Incorporated

Yes

Population Count, 2021 View more »

3,580