In 1882, the New York, Texas, and Mexico Railway, or Macaroni Line, connected Rosenberg and Victoria, thus, opening the coastal trade to Victoria. Three years later the railroad became a component of the Southern Pacific Railroad and, in turn, the Southern Pacific was absorbed by the Union Pacific Railroad.
As the principal town in a predominately farming and ranching region, Victoria’s growth remained steady until the 1930s and 1940s when, the development of the petroleum industry and the establishment of Army air bases sharply changed the economic complexity of the town. The first sustained producing oil well for Victoria County became a reality at the McFaddin Ranch in the early 1930s, resulting in the emergence of thriving petroleum related enterprises. With the nation’s expanded interest for defense spending that was brought about by the war in Europe and Japanese expansion in Asia, the Army opened Victoria Field in the summer of 1941 to train pilots. In 1942, the base was renamed Foster Field in memory of Lt. Arthur L. Foster, an Army Air Corps instructor who was killed in a 1925 airplane crash at Brooks Field. Two years after Victoria Field was established, a second base for pilot training, Aloe Army Air Field, was placed in the county. Both air fields were closed after World War II. Aloe Field, however, was acquired by the county and used as an airport. During the Korean War, Foster Field was reactivated, only to be closed a second time in 1958. In 1960, it gained new life as Victoria Regional Airport when the county moved the airport facilities from Aloe Field.
Since the mid-point of the twentieth century, Victoria has further expanded into a multifaceted community. It has become a well-respected medical center, a bedroom city for industrial plant employees, a financial focal point, a significant retail complex, and a hub of higher education through course offerings at the Victoria College and the University of Houston-Victoria.
Accompanying the myriad changes in Victoria has been a quality of life that is normally associated only with much larger cities. One has the opportunity in Victoria to enjoy enchanting music at the Bach Festival, to spend relaxing evenings at the Community Theatre relishing local renditions of theatrical presentations, and to attend stellar concerts performed by the Victoria Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, a person may visit the Texas Zoo that caters to animals indigenous to Texas, but also showcases exotic animals of the world, arts and crafts shows, and museums as well as participate in a variety of recreational activities for people of all ages. Just make sure when you come to visit, you bring your boots!
