Did you know Cedar Park was once called Running Brushy? | Marker 9040 — Running Brushy, Texas

Running Brushy, the early name for what is now Cedar Park, Texas, began in 1873 when George and Harriet (Standefer) Cluck purchased a large tract of land known for its cedar stands and limestone deposits. The Cluck ranch served as the central hub for community development in the area.

A post office was established in 1874 under the name Running Brushy, with Harriet Cluck serving as an early postmistress. The arrival of the railroad in 1882 brought a temporary name change to Bruggerhoff, honoring a railroad official. This name was replaced in 1887 with the community’s permanent name, Cedar Park.

During the late nineteenth century, Cedar Park experienced steady growth. A combined school and church building was constructed, and by 1892, a landscaped park had been established along the rail line. Capitalizing on the rising popularity of barbed wire, George Cluck opened a cedar yard, producing and selling cedar fence posts across the region.

Growth slowed in the early twentieth century, and by 1960, most physical traces of the early community had disappeared. Renewed expansion in the 1970s, driven by Austin’s suburban growth, led to rapid development, and Cedar Park incorporated as a city in 1973.