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A History of the Hico Chamber of Commerce

Business Leadership and Civic Promotion in Historic Hico, Texas

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The story of the Hico Chamber of Commerce is inseparable from the story of Hico itself. Since the mid-nineteenth century, the town’s merchants, farmers, and civic leaders have worked together to promote commerce, attract visitors, and strengthen the local economy. Long before the modern Chamber was formally organized, Hico’s business community was already collaborating to improve the town and support its merchants.

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From the town’s earliest settlement in the 1850s to the present day, generations of business leaders have carried forward a tradition of civic boosterism that helped shape Hico into one of Central Texas’s most distinctive small towns.

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Early Settlement and the Foundations of Commerce (1856–1880)

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Hico was first settled in 1856, when pioneer physician and merchant Dr. John R. Alford established a small community along Honey Creek in Hamilton County. Alford named the settlement after his hometown of Hico in Kentucky.

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In its earliest years, Hico served as a trading point for farmers and ranchers in the surrounding region. The community developed modest commercial activity, including general stores, blacksmith shops, and agricultural services that supported the growing agricultural economy of Central Texas.

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A turning point in Hico’s development came in 1880, when the Texas Central Railroad extended its line through Hamilton County. Recognizing the importance of rail transportation, residents moved the town approximately two and a half miles north to the new railroad line.

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This relocation transformed Hico from a small frontier settlement into a regional commercial hub. Railroads allowed farmers and ranchers to ship cotton, livestock, and agricultural products to larger markets. Merchants quickly followed the rail line, building stores, warehouses, and hotels to serve travelers and local residents alike.

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By 1883, Hico was officially incorporated as a town. Within a decade the population had grown to nearly 1,500 residents, making it one of the most important commercial centers in the region.

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Fires, Rebuilding, and the Rise of Downtown Hico (1880s–1900)

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During the 1890s, two devastating fires destroyed much of Hico’s wooden downtown business district. Rather than discouraging development, these disasters sparked a rebuilding effort that permanently shaped the character of Hico’s downtown.

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Local merchants rebuilt their businesses using brick and limestone construction, creating the durable historic storefronts that still define downtown Hico today.

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This rebuilding effort reflected the growing prosperity and civic pride of the town’s business community. By the end of the nineteenth century, Hico’s downtown included:

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• dry goods stores

• hardware stores

• grocery merchants

• cotton buyers

• hotels and boarding houses

• blacksmith shops

• banks and professional offices

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At the center of this growing commercial district was Pecan Street, which quickly became the heart of Hico’s business activity.

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The development of these businesses laid the foundation for the organized merchant cooperation that would later evolve into the Chamber of Commerce.

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Early Civic Organizations and the “Commercial Club” (1900–1920)

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As Hico entered the twentieth century, local merchants began organizing themselves to promote the town’s economic growth.

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Across Texas during this era, communities often formed Commercial Clubs, Boards of Trade, or merchant associations that functioned as early versions of chambers of commerce. These organizations coordinated efforts to promote local businesses, improve infrastructure, and attract new residents.

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Historical records show that Hico had an active Commercial Club by at least 1908.Newspaper accounts from the period reference the organization and identify Harry Gleason as serving as secretary of the Hico Commercial Club.

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The local newspaper also played a key role in promoting civic initiatives. During the early twentieth century, W. W. Straley, editor of the Hico News-Review, reportedly served as secretary of the Commercial Club while operating the town’s primary newspaper.

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This close relationship between the local press and the business community was typical of the era. Newspapers helped promote civic campaigns, advertise local merchants, and encourage regional tourism.

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Early commercial clubs often organized activities such as:

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• trade days and merchant promotions

• agricultural fairs

• civic improvement campaigns

• infrastructure projects such as roads and utilities

• advertising campaigns encouraging travelers to visit the town

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These efforts helped position Hico as a regional marketplace for farmers and ranchers across Hamilton and neighboring counties.

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Hico’s Economy in the Early 20th Century

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By the 1910s and 1920s, Hico had firmly established itself as a regional trade center. The town’s economy was built on a combination of agriculture, retail trade, and transportation. Cotton production was especially important, and Hico became a key cotton shipping point for farmers throughout the surrounding countryside.

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Downtown merchants supplied farmers and ranchers with essential goods including:

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• clothing and dry goods

• hardware and tools

• farm equipment

• livestock supplies

• groceries and household goods

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Hotels such as the Midland Hotel, built in 1896, provided lodging for traveling salesmen, cattle buyers, and railroad passengers. These hotels often served as informal meeting places where local business leaders discussed civic projects and economic development.

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Banks in Hico financed agricultural operations and business expansion, while cotton buyers and livestock traders connected the local economy to larger markets throughout Texas. This thriving business community naturally led to greater organization among local merchants.

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The Emergence of the Chamber of Commerce (1920s)

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By the 1920s, Hico’s Commercial Club had evolved into a more formal Chamber of Commerce. Like chambers across the United States, the organization worked to promote business interests, coordinate community events, and encourage economic development.

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One of the most prominent figures associated with the Chamber during this period was Felix Taylor “F. T.” Shaffer. Shaffer (1888–1977) was a merchant, farmer, and civic leader who played an important role in Hico’s business community during the early twentieth century.

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Born in Hico to early Hamilton County settlers John Henderson Shaffer and Sarah Boykin Shaffer, he grew up during the period when the town was emerging as a commercial hub. Shaffer married Maude Herring in 1910 and became active in both agriculture and local commerce.

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Like many small-town business leaders of the era, he maintained interests in both farming and merchant activities. Agricultural reports from the region indicate that he participated in modern soil conservation efforts, including planting Hubam clover, a crop promoted during the early twentieth century to improve soil fertility.

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By the late 1920s, Shaffer had become a leading figure in Hico’s civic life. Newspaper reports from the Hico News-Review identify him as President of the Hico Chamber of Commerce. When Shaffer moved from Hico to Waco in 1929, the newspaper described him as,“one of its most progressive, cooperative, ever-working citizens.”

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The tribute reflected the important role he had played in promoting local business and community development.

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Community Events and Civic Promotion

 

Throughout the twentieth century, Hico’s business community continued to organize events that promoted commerce and community pride. One of the town’s most enduring traditions is the Old Settlers Reunion, which dates back to the nineteenth century and continues to bring visitors to Hico each year.

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Events like these helped local merchants attract customers from surrounding rural communities and nearby towns.

Civic organizations and business leaders also worked to improve transportation infrastructure, promote agricultural development, and encourage new businesses to locate in Hico.

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Downtown Preservation and Tourism

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By the late twentieth century, Hico began to embrace its historic downtown and cultural heritage as assets for tourism and economic development. Local merchants and civic leaders worked to preserve historic buildings while attracting new businesses and visitors to the town.

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The Chamber of Commerce played an important role in these efforts by promoting Hico as a destination for:

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• boutique shopping

• historic architecture

• regional events and festivals

• dining and hospitality

• Texas history and folklore

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Today, visitors from across Texas travel to Hico to experience its historic downtown and welcoming small-town atmosphere.

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The Modern Hico Chamber of Commerce

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The modern Hico Chamber of Commerce continues the tradition established by earlier generations of civic leaders.

The Chamber works to promote local businesses, support economic development, organize community events, welcome visitors to Hico, and preserve the town’s historic character.

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Events sponsored or supported by the Chamber help drive tourism and encourage community engagement throughout the year. These activities continue the legacy of the town’s earliest merchants and civic boosters who believed that cooperation among local businesses was essential for prosperity.

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Past Presidents and Early Hico Civic Leaders

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Historical records from the early twentieth century are incomplete, and a full list of Chamber presidents has not yet been reconstructed. However, several individuals are known to have played key leadership roles in Hico’s early business organizations.

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Known Chamber or Commercial Club Leaders:

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Felix Taylor Shaffer
President, Hico Chamber of Commerce (late 1920s)

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Harry Gleason
Secretary, Hico Commercial Club (1908)

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W. W. Straley
Editor of the Hico News-Review and Secretary of the Hico Commercial Club (early 1900s)

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Early Civic and Business Leaders

 

Dr. John R. Alford
Founder of Hico and early merchant

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Barbee Family
Operators of one of the town’s early cotton gins

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Continuing a Tradition of Business Leadership

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For more than a century, Hico’s business community has worked together to promote the town and strengthen its economy. From the early Commercial Club meetings of the 1900s to the modern Chamber of Commerce, the goal has remained the same: supporting local businesses while preserving the unique character of Hico.

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Today’s Chamber members continue the work started by earlier generations of civic leaders such as Felix Taylor Shaffer and the many merchants who helped build downtown Hico. Their efforts laid the foundation for the vibrant community that residents and visitors enjoy today.