Bryan was named after the gentleman that sold the square-mile stretch of land it was to be built upon, William Joel Bryan.  The land was sold to the railroad, and quickly became a center for railroad employees and passengers alike. Throughout the Civil War, Bryan and neighboring railway terminus, Millican, were used as a major destination for the distribution of supplies to the Confederate troops.  After the war, Bryan awaited its first railway arrival in 1866, and in doing so the community decided to officially move the county government from nearby Boonville to Bryan.  In 1867 the first railroad arrived, and Bryan began its establishment as the business hub for the surrounding area.

Bryan and the Brazos Valley became a center of agricultural and mercantile business with its well established cotton fields and interconnecting railway system.  Bryan quickly became the central business and trade hub for the Brazos Valley, overtaking the previous centers of trade, Millican and Boonville.  In a single decade, Bryan's population grew 232%, an unprecedented amount for a town located in Brazos County.

With the move of business and trade to Bryan, its Historical Downtown area and Main Street were chosen to best be supported by the conveniently located railway system.  The courthouse was contracted to Harvey Mitchell in 1868, and the new, booming downtown was completed with a poorly build courthouse in 1871. The courthouse cracked on its poorly constructed foundation, and had to be torn down and rebuilt out of beautiful white-sandstone in 1892.  This is the courthouse that graces Downtown Bryan today.

Bryan was officially recognized by the State of Texas in a legislative act passed in 1872, even though it had already established unofficial governments since 1870 to help establish and promote the agricultural business in the area.

During the first years, and through the late 1800's the Brazos Valley, Brazos County in particular, saw a huge migration of Czech, German, and Italian immigrants.  They came to become merchants in the textile industry that had developed in Bryan, and it is this flux of immigrants has helped give the Brazos County the rich, diverse culture that is shares today.

Bryan's largest boost in population, however, came from the opening of Texas A&M just 4 miles north on a stretch of land granted to the state by Harvey Mitchell.  With the university came the effort to develop the educational system and establish a philanthropist culture.  During this time, Bryan's first educational system was developed along with the first newspaper. One of the largest and most historically remembered developments, however, was the donation of the Carnegie Library in Bryan, the oldest existing Carnegie library in Texas.  It was replaced with the Bryan Public Library later on, but remains as the Carnegie Center of Brazos Valley History.

With the turn of the century, Bryan saw a huge technological advancement of the city, and an increasingly diverse culture which its prides itself on today.  Bryan and Main streets became the first paved streets in Bryan, and the first sewer systems and street lights were developed to service the business district of the city at the turn of the century.  One of the biggest advancements, however, was the newly established free city mail delivery system established in the Bryan area.

Bryan's diverse culture stemmed from the Northern located African-American community which was original called "Freedmanstown".  This area grew in African-American culture, business, and religion during the early part of the 20th century, and is still home to Bryan's largest African-American community.  Bryan's large Hispanic community, however, was here long before Bryan was ever recognized as a Texas city with the long-established land holdings of the Hispanic community dating back to the days with Texas was still a part of Mexico.  On top of this, immigration from Mexico increased in the 1910's and again in the past two decades.  Both cultures help diversify Bryan and make it the beautiful mixture of cultures that can be experienced around Bryan today.

Over the years, Bryan's growth slowly decentralized the City from the Historic Downtown region.  Stretching south towards College Station, the Downtown district was forgotten and underappreciated for many years, but in the past decade, businesses have helped to reestablish the Downtown area as a center of historical and cultural significance.  More businesses have been recruited to the area, and it is alive again with business and activity on a day to day basis.  This region is the heart of the Bryan community, and the center of Bryan's colorful history.

Sources:

-The City of Bryan Government Site