On Tuesday our Junior had the pleasure of seeing the first passenger train reach the 35 Mile Depot on the Houston and Texas Central railroad, which is fully completed to that distance from Houston, in a good and substantial manner. That depot is in the prairie, but 15 miles more will reach Hempstead, a beautiful and healthy location, with an abundance of good timber and freestone water in the midst of fertile plantations.
"First passenger train to reach 35 Mile Depot.", Civilian and Gazette. Weekly (Galveston, TX), Tuesday, May 19, 1857, p. 1, col. 7.
University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History