Georgetown's Vibrant History With a rich and varied past, Georgetown offers the historical traveler a unique and personal glimpse into Central Texas' past. Founded in 1848 by Thomas B. Huling and George Washington Glasscock (for whom the town was named), Georgetown began as a frontier town but quickly grew into a town of great promise as a permanent courthouse was constructed (1880), the state's oldest college, Southwestern University, was built (1873), and the railroad arrived (1878).

Starting in the 1880s expansion began in downtown that is evidenced in the limestone masonry and Victorian detailing that we see today in Central Georgetown. In 1982, the city joined the national Main Street Project, piloted by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in an effort to give new life to the historical treasures that line the Square. Due to this effort, the courthouse square is home to thriving businesses and has become a center for culture, hosting art shows, festivals and live music.