The First Peoples

Native American Peoples

Hutto was founded in the shadow of civilizations of Native American tribes who roamed the plains of Central Texas. Their lifestyle was consistent with a reverent attention to the conditions in nature that surrounded them. They believed that by living gently in an area and then relocating, the balance of natural processes would be minimally impacted and allowed to “rest” and recover from human occupiers. Because the bison or buffalo was favored by these tribes, they terraformed the region so that the land would be well-suited to the bison’s needs. This was accomplished by the periodic burning of the land, which reduced shrubs and trees and allowed vast areas of grassland to proliferate.

The land of Hutto was first occupied by the Tonkawa Tribe. The Comanche Tribe migrated from the west and gradually pushed the Tonkawa out of Central Texas.

Comanche

Originally part of the Wyoming Shoshone Tribe, the Comanche, who called themselves “The People,” migrated across the plains and into Texas and Oklahoma by the early 1700s. They moved south in successive stages, attacking and displacing other tribes, becoming known as “Lords of the plains.” By the early 1800s, the Comanche were powerful, with an estimated population of as many as 30,000.

They became skilled in breeding and riding horses, giving them an advantage in times of war. Most of the Anglo settlers’ conflicts in early Williamson County were with the Comanche.

Their main headquarters is 9 miles north of Lawton, Oklahoma and the tribe has approximately 17,000 members.