Hudson Bend: A Travis County History
historical marker
Hudson Bend, located in Austin, Travis County, Texas, is recognized by a historical marker erected in 1978 by the Texas Historical Commission. The area's history began in 1854 when Wiley Hudson, born in 1825, and his family settled on a bend of the Colorado River. This geographic feature was named for the Hudson family. By 1860, four families lived in the vicinity, including Wiley Hudson, his wife Catherine, their eight children, and his father James. Pioneers used three river fords to cross the Colorado River and grind their corn at Anderson Mill. During the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, Wiley Hudson, his two chaplain brothers, and other relatives served the Confederacy. By the 1890s, Hudson Bend had a church and a school. In the 1940s, the construction of Mansfield Dam and the impoundment of Lake Travis flooded about half of Hudson Bend's acreage. The community's cemetery was relocated to Teck. Ranches and farms were replaced by subdivisions and recreational areas. A new Hudson Bend community developed along the lake shores. This marker acknowledges the settlement and transformation of Hudson Bend from a farming community to a lakeside area.