1891 :: SAAP Depot

Dallas Morning News, July 29, 1891. The tracklayers of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass railroad recently completed the road to Rockdale, Tex. A couple of days after the switches were put in and work on a depot begun, which is located on an elevated plat of ground between the International and Great Northern freight depot and city cemetery. Work on the depot will be pushed rapidly forward.

1887 :: First Bale at Rockdale

Dallas Morning News, July 23, 1887. Rockdale, Tex., July 22. -- The first bale of new cotton came in last night. It weighed 532 pounds, classed strict middling and was purchased by A. Steinberg for straight $50 and was shipped to Galveston. This cotton was raised on the plantation of Dr. A.C. Isaacs, about five miles north of town, and the owner received an additional $50 as a bonus from the town. This bale is in ten days earlier than the first bale last season. The weather here has been intensely hot for some time and vegetation generally has suffered, but a msot refreshing shower fell this evening, cooling the atmosphere and laying the dust. Cotton is still looking well in this section, but this evening's rain north, south and east has doubtless helped it.

1892 :: Young Lady's Throat Cut

Rockdale, Tex., July 11. -- Miss Mollie White, the 20-year-old daughter of B.F. White, living on Buck Perry's place at San Gabriel, eighteen miles west of Rockdale, had her throat cut from ear to ear last night and died instantly. Justice Graves is investigating the case to-day. Dallas Morning News, July 12, 1892 [her findagrave memorial page]

1912 :: Milam County Fair Begins

Dallas Morning News, July 12, 1912. Rockdale, Tex., July 11. -- The fifth annual fair of the Milam County Fair Association opened here today under the most auspicious circumstances. The attendance is not less than 12,000 people today. The fair was opened with a monster street parade, more than half a mile in length, with dozens of gorgeously decorated floats, headed by the Queen and her ten attendants. A feature of the parade was more than 100 members of the Milam County Boys' Corn Club in double line, each boy carrying a large green cornstalk. The opening address at the pavilion was delivered by Judge E.B. Muse of Dallas. All exhibits are full. The agricultural display is particularly good this year, notwithstanding the fact that the season is several weeks late and the fair being held about a week earlier than usual. The corn exhibit is one of the most interesting ever shown in Central Texas. The stock arena and poultry pens are also well filled, and altogether the fair is the best ever held. About 100 race horses are here, and the card is particularly strong, with nearly $2,000 hung up in purses.

1891 :: Work on the Aransas Pass

Dallas Morning News, July 12, 1891. Says the San Antonio Express: Receiver Yoakum announced yesterday that on the 20th of the month the station of Rockdale would be completed and opened for business on the Waco branch of the Aransas Pass road. The tracks will reach Rockdale on Saturday. Work was started on June 22, and when the tracks reach Rockdale seventeen miles will have been completed from Lexington in nineteen days. This is swift work and shows that the contract will be completed before the time. On July 13 the Aransas Pass will open for freight and passenger traffic the station of Portland, seven miles this side of Corpus Christi. It is said that the station-house there is the most handsome on the line of the road.

1905 :: Death of H. Vogel

Dallas Morning News. July 5, 1905. Fatal Accident at Rockdale. Special to The News. Rockdale, Tex., July 4. -- H. Vogel, president of the Diamond Coal Company, and one of the wealthiest men in this section of the country, sustained an accident yesterday, which cost him his life. [his findagrave memorial page]