Round Rock History: How the Tonkawa Saw (and See) Round Rock
A Free Lunch & Learn on August 11 at the Baca Center
Long before there was a Round Rock — before the wagon crossing at Brushy Creek, before the anchor rock that gave the town its name — this land was Tonkawa country. On Tuesday, August 11, Round Rock Preservation and the City of Round Rock Historic Preservation Office bring writer and filmmaker Bob O’Dell to the Allen R. Baca Center to talk about how the Tonkawa first “saw” this place, and how the tribe sees Round Rock today, nearly two centuries later.
Short answer: the Tonkawa are the only federally recognized tribe that traces its origins to Central Texas — they camped along Brushy Creek and the Balcones Escarpment long before Round Rock existed, were forced out of Texas in 1884, and are reconnecting with these homelands today.
It’s part of the Discovering Round Rock History series — free, open to everyone, and built around your lunch hour. Bring a sandwich; they’ll bring the cookies.
- When: Tuesday, August 11, 2026 · 12:00–1:00 p.m.
- Where: Allen R. Baca Center
- 301 W. Bagdad Ave., Building 2, Round Rock, TX 78664
- Cost: Free — bring your lunch; water and cookies provided
- Registration: Not required
Who Are the Tonkawa?
The Tonkawa are the only federally recognized Indigenous tribe that traces its origins to Central Texas. Their ancestors lived along the spring-fed creeks and oaks of the Balcones Escarpment for thousands of years, moving among dozens of camps across the region and following deer and bison herds — the same creeks and crossings that later drew settlers to Brushy Creek.
Their story with early Texas is closer than most of us learned in school. In the summer of 1842, during the Archive War, the Tonkawa moved into Austin at a moment when the young capital was emptying out — roughly doubling the town’s population — and spent about eighteen months living alongside the remaining settlers and helping defend the area from Comanche raids. Tonkawa men also scouted for the Texas Rangers and the U.S. Army.
It did not protect them. Smallpox and decades of conflict cut their numbers sharply, no land grant ever came, and in 1884 the last 92 survivors were removed from Texas to Indian Territory. Today the Tonkawa Tribe of Oklahoma is headquartered near Tonkawa, Oklahoma, with roughly 1,000 enrolled members — and a growing presence back in the Central Texas homelands their ancestors were forced to leave.
Round Rock has been part of that reconnection. A bronze sculpture along Heritage Trail West depicts a Tonkawa hunter-gatherer, and the tribe’s history is part of the City’s Round Rock history record. O’Dell’s talk picks up the question that sculpture raises: what did they see when they looked at this land — and what do they see when they look at it now?
About the Speaker: Bob O’Dell
Bob O’Dell is a high-tech entrepreneur turned writer and filmmaker who specializes in what he calls “bridge-building” stories — walking into communities different from his own, learning them well enough to be changed by them, and then writing about it. Since 2020 he has researched the Texas history of the Tonkawa people and assembled one of the largest private collections of historical sources on the tribe, including a research paper archived at the Austin History Center.
“Nobody knows our history or our tribe better than Bob.”
— Russell Martin, President, The Tonkawa Tribe
The Documentary: Tonkawa: They All Stay Together
O’Dell is the writer and producer of the upcoming documentary Tonkawa: They All Stay Together, filmed over four years in Oklahoma and Central Texas and made in partnership with the tribe. It follows the Tonkawa as they work to keep their language alive — including time with Don Patterson, the last fluent speaker — and as they reclaim Naton Samox, a sacred site in their old homelands. The film’s tagline: A Culture Renewed. A Future Defined.
You can learn more about the film at tonkawathemovie.com.
How to Attend
No registration is required — just show up with your lunch. The Baca Center is at 301 W. Bagdad Ave. in Building 2. See the full event listing on our calendar, or reach out with questions at roundrockpreservation@gmail.com or the City’s Historic Preservation Office at historic@roundrocktexas.gov or 512-218-5422.
Event details provided by Round Rock Preservation and the City of Round Rock Historic Preservation Office. Historical background compiled by Round the Rock.
Exploring how Round Rock came to be!
Discover the rich history of Round Rock through our Round Rock History Series, brought to you by the Round Rock Preservation organization. The series highlights the people, places, and events that shaped our community. From early settlers to significant landmarks, we explore the stories that connect us to the past. Join us as we uncover the moments that made Round Rock what it is today.
Click below for more Round Rock history articles!
