Hopkins County was created by the first state legislature in 1846. Anglo-American settlement began in 1837, increasing after the Republic of Texas expelled the Cherokee Indians in 1839. The community, then named Bright Star, was a popular stopping point for teamsters hauling goods west from Jefferson. In 1870, Bright Star was designated the county seat, and a year later it was renamed Sulphur Springs to reflect the area’s attraction as an early health resort. The county’s geographic location on both the Blackland Prairie and the Post Oak Belt supported a diversified agricultural economy including corn, cotton, and cattle. In the decade prior to World War II, dairy farming replaced cotton production as the county’s primary industry, and in 1936 a large dairy-processing plant opened here. Today, the county is a leading dairy producer in Texas.
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