The History of Bullard, Texas
Bullard sits on the line between Smith and Cherokee counties about 15 miles south of Tyler, and its history is the classic East Texas story of a frontier settlement transformed by the railroad. Known first as Etna and then Hewsville before it took the name of an early settler, Bullard grew from scattered farmsteads into a working railroad town in the 1880s — and, more than a century later, into one of the fastest-growing communities in the region.
Here's how Bullard came to be.
Caddo Country and the First Settlers
The land around Bullard was originally the country of the Caddo Indians, whose communities had farmed and traded across East Texas for centuries before Anglo settlement. The first documented Anglo arrivals came around 1850, when the William Pitt Loftin family settled in the area, and in 1867 the Etna post office opened to serve the growing scatter of farms.
In 1870 John H. Bullard — a Confederate veteran — and his wife Emma Eugenia (Erwin) Bullard settled in the area. In 1881 John Bullard opened the Hewsville post office in his general store, giving the little community its second name. The store and post office made the Bullard family the center of local life, a role that would soon be cemented when the town took their name.
The Railroad Builds a Town
The turning point came in 1883, when the Kansas and Gulf Short Line Railroad laid track from Tyler south through the community on its way to Lufkin. That same year the Etna post office closed and the Hewsville office was renamed Bullard in honor of John and Emma Bullard. The Bullard railroad station was completed in August 1884, and with the trains came reliable shipping, new business, and steady growth.
By 1890 Bullard had about 200 residents along with most of the essential businesses a frontier town needed, plus a doctor and a telegraph office. The dependable water supply was a key to that growth — a community water well, later commemorated with a Texas historical marker, is remembered as a foundation of Bullard's early development. By 1914 the population had doubled to around 400.
From Farm Town to Boomtown
For most of the 20th century Bullard remained a small farming and railroad town, quietly serving the surrounding countryside between Tyler and Jacksonville. Its character as a quiet rural community held steady even as nearby Tyler grew into the commercial and medical hub of East Texas.
That began to change dramatically in recent decades. As Tyler expanded southward, Bullard became a sought-after bedroom community — close to the city's jobs, hospitals, and shopping but with small-town schools and a rural feel. The town's population surged by roughly 35 percent between 2010 and 2020 and has since grown past 4,800 residents, making Bullard one of the fastest-growing small towns in the region. The frontier railroad stop founded by the Bullard family had become a modern boomtown.
Timeline
c. 1850
The William Pitt Loftin family settles in the area that would become Bullard, originally Caddo country.
1867
The Etna post office opens to serve the growing community of farms.
1870
John H. Bullard, a Confederate veteran, and his wife Emma Eugenia (Erwin) Bullard settle in the area.
1881
John Bullard opens the Hewsville post office in his general store.
1883
The Kansas and Gulf Short Line Railroad lays track from Tyler through town to Lufkin; the Hewsville post office is renamed Bullard.
1884
The Bullard railroad station is completed in August.
1890
Bullard has about 200 residents, most essential businesses, a doctor, and a telegraph office.
1914
The population doubles to about 400.
2010s–2020s
Bullard grows roughly 35% between 2010 and 2020, surpassing 4,800 residents as a fast-growing Tyler bedroom community.
Notable People
John H. & Emma Eugenia Bullard
Pioneer settlers who arrived in 1870; John, a Confederate veteran, opened the Hewsville post office in his general store, and the town was renamed Bullard in their honor in 1883.
FAQ: History of Bullard
Bullard is named for John H. Bullard, a Confederate veteran who, with his wife Emma Eugenia (Erwin) Bullard, settled in the area in 1870 and opened the Hewsville post office in his general store. When the railroad arrived in 1883, the Hewsville post office was renamed Bullard in the family's honor.
The community was known first as Etna, when its post office opened in 1867, and then as Hewsville, after John Bullard opened a post office by that name in his general store in 1881. It was renamed Bullard in 1883 when the railroad came through.
In 1883 the Kansas and Gulf Short Line Railroad laid track from Tyler south through Bullard toward Lufkin, and the Bullard railroad station was completed in August 1884. The railroad transformed the farming settlement into a working town with reliable shipping and new businesses.
As Tyler expanded southward, Bullard became a desirable bedroom community — close to Tyler's jobs, hospitals, and shopping but with highly rated small-town schools and a rural feel. Its population grew roughly 35% between 2010 and 2020 and has since passed 4,800 residents.
Business Owner?
Want Your Business Featured in Bullard?
People are searching for businesses like yours in Bullard. Get listed in our city guide and local directory so they can find you.