Spanish explorer, Cabeza de Vaca was the first white man in Texas. After his ship wrecked and he wandered South Texas

French explorer Rene Robert Cavelier Sieur de la Salle explored the area.

The hostile Comanche indians made Spain break a 300 year tradition and allowed foreigners to settle in Texas

Moses Austin received a land grant from Spain to bring in settlers. Moses died before he could do it and his son Stephin F. Austin brough in the original 300 settlers.

Edwin Waller for whom the county was named, shiped the first cotton crop to Mexico. It went down the Brazos, by scooner, to Matamoras.

"On March 11, 1834 a stagecoach was robbed near six shooter Junction." Money and valuables were taken, but the mail got through to Washington and Austin." This was the first place in print where Hempstead was refered to as "Six Shooter Junction."

Texans fought a revelution against Mexico and won the war, beside the San Jacinto River on April 21, 1836.

The Houston and Texas Central Railroad was completed between Houston and Hempstead. By 1859 the railroad was completed to Navasota.

In 1858 a petition was filed to incorporate the community of Hempstead. Hempstead was incorporated as the City of Hempstead on March 13, 1871. It was to be governed by a mayor and 9 aldermen.

The "Hempstead Courier" was the first newspaper in Waller County, in 1859

The South lost the Civil War and Federal troops under General George A. Custer arrived at Camp Groce. After the end of the war a second migration of defeated southeners begin leaving for Texas.

The first brick two story courthouse and jail was built in Hempstead. It burned in 1892 and was replaced by another brick courthouse in 1894

The City of Hempstead was unincorpated in 1899. 286 citizens voted to abolish, against 68 who voted to remain an incorporated city.

The city of Hempstead was reincorpated in 1935 after unsucessful tries in 1928, 1930, and 1933.

The community of Pine Island was incorpated as a city in 1984, with T.W. Wren as the Mayor.

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