Charles and George Barnard opened a trading post in 1859 at the site of the future Glen Rose, where they built a flour and gristmill. Glen Rose grew with the popularity of its mineral springs, with sanitariums, hotels, and saloons promoting the town as a health and recreation center. But the town grew slowly because it lacked a railroad connection. Consequently, the town center has modest buildings. Recent growth is a result of the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Station (1981), which dominates the economy, as well as Glen Rose’s proximity to the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex. Along with the attractions of historic Glen Rose, visitors come to see the dinosaur tracks visible in limestone in Dinosaur Valley State Park northwest of town. Petrified wood is found in the area and frequently used as ornamental masonry on houses and commercial buildings.
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