Tomball

In the mid-1830s, German pioneers found an area 30 miles north of Houston thriving with pure water, an abundance of timber, and rich agricultural resources. In 1838, the Republic of Texas granted to serviceman William Hurd 320 acres. In the early 1900s, the nucleus of the landscape caught the eye of the Trinity & Brazos Railroad as a favorable stop to the Port of Houston. For 25 years, the town prospered as a major rail stop for commodities from all around the area. In May 1933, oil was struck, which catapulted the small town into one of the largest producing oil fields in the South. The oil boom created a community that has thrived on small-town culture with a melting pot of heritages. Former and current residents alike share a deep-rooted sense of community and are proud to call Tomball their "Hometown with a Heart."

Descendants of early pioneers and Lone Star College-Tomball Community Library staff have collected community photographs to share these historic hometown images.