La Vernia was established about 1846 or 1847 by Claiborne Rector, who built a stage stop and blacksmith shop to serve travelers on the Chihuahua Road, a major trail in early Texas, and Main Street today follows the route of that old road. The settlement was called Post Oak until mail service began in 1856, when the name was changed to the Spanish "La Verdear" because of the many green oaks in the area, though English speakers called it "La Vernia." Like much of Texas, the area was settled by Southerners seeking fertile land, and during the Civil War La Vernia served as a recruiting and officer training center.