Spaniards who designated a spring-fed creek in Salado apparently had the word’s synonyms in mind. Orginally pronounced Suh-lou (lou as in now), its synonyms include charming and salty. today’s residents and visitors accept either as fitting appraisals, the latter in the vernacular, of course. Long after the township was anglicized to Suh-lay-dough, the creek continued to be called Suh-lou, a pronunciation still preferred by hundreds in Bell County. This creek is one of five in Texas designated as Salado. The otehrs are in Bexar, Maverick, Webb and Zapata counties.
The creek was well known prior to the organization of the county. With its bubbling springs at the crossing of the Old Military road, later a stage route across the state and now Interstate Highway 35, the creek area has been a favorite Indian Campground as well as a stopping spot for early traders.
Apparently the first settler was Archibald Willingham. He, with his two sons Jack and Wilson, and J.C. Ballard were living here as early as the fall of 1851. In 1853-54 Col. E. Sterling C Robertson, son of the impresario Sterling C. Robertson, moved from Austin to Salado Springs, which was included in his several leagues of land. Col. Robertson acquired the Willingham cabin and afterward erected a large two-story mansion that still stands west of I-35 and is occupied by Mrs. Sterling C. Robertson IV, and opened frequently for sponsored tours.
Salado was founded near the home of Robertson or the result of and coincident with the establishment of Salado College. By early 1860 the area had become a promising settlement and was incorporated in 1867 with O.T. Tyler as mayor.
Salado College had its beginning October 8, 1859, when a tent metting was held at Salado Springs to discuss the problem of establishing a first class institution in Bell County. The Salado Joint Stock Company was organized with Col. E.S.C. Robertson donating one hundred acres of land for a school, part of which was laid out for a town and sold in lots.
The members of the first Board of Trustees, as chosen by the stockholders in 1859, were Col. Herman Aiken, John S. Blair, A.J. Dallas, Dr. William D Eastland, Dr. Carroll Kendrick, Col. E.S.S. Robertson and Gordon W. Shanklin.
The college was chartered by a special act of the State Legislature, February 8, 1860. The cornerstone was laid the following July 4th with a Masonic ceremony. It was the first cornerstone laid in Central Texas. The principal was the Reverend Levi Tenny, a Presbyterian minister. Seventy-five students attend the initial term, and an average of 250 were enrolled between 1866 and 1872.
In 1871 a two-story building was erected on the brow of the hill overlooking they valley, the springs and the creek. After the expiration of the original charter, the school continued, but diplomas were not issued, 1880-1884.
In 1885 the Salado public schools took over the operation of the college. The school had operated for twenty-four years with tuition its only source of income. The Thomas H. Arnold High School was established in 1890, although the institution was actually a private academy. Dr. Samuel J. Jones served as principal until 1913. It was Salado College again from 1913 until 1918, when it once again became a public school. The building atop the hill burned in 1924.
The swift current of Salado Creek furnished the water supply for the town and also for the eight mills that eventually operated within seven miles on the banks of the creek. The first was buildt by Ira and Whitfield Chalk in 1850. The Reverend James Ferguson (Uncle Jim), the first Methodist circuit rider of Bell County and father of Governor James E. Ferguson, later owned and operated the Chalk mill. Other mills included the W.A. Davis Mill, a woolcarding mill that later was changed to a grist mill, ones operated by Dulaney, T.J. Jones, Stinett and Orgain’s, I.V. Jones and Summer’s Mill, the last being in Peration until modern day.
Captain Robert B. Halley, foreseeing the need for military force on the frontier, organized a quasi-ranging company, entitled the Salado Mounted Troops, the first of this nature organized in Texas. This groupe tendered its services to the Secession Convention, February 4, 1861.
Another first for Salado was the pioneering of the Grange Movement in Texas during the summer of 1873. Charger members included A.J. Rose, O.T.Tyler, and William P. Hancock, with Rose heading up the local chapter and later the entire state.
Salado attained its greatest population of approximately 900 in 1882. The establishment of railroads helped Temple, Belton and Bartlett in their early growth, and meantime by-passed Salado’s population dropped to 400 in 1914 and to slightly more than 200 in 1950.
Due to its historical background and natural beauty, the new Salado is restoring its look of the early days. Its cultural background remains as does attracting enterprising people of cosmopolitan interests.
Today, Salado’s main street is lined with period historic houses that now house businesses that rush revenue into the nostalgic town.
