Palo Pinto County was created on Aug. 27, 1856, from Navarro and Bosque counties and organized in 1857. Its Spanish name, Palo Pinto, refers to Spotted Oak, a common regional tree with bark of mottled appearance. Good hunting and abundant water made the area a favored Indian locality. The first Anglo-American settlers arrived in the 1850s, including Texas cattlemen and trail-blazers Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving. The discovery of mineral water in 1880 and the arrival of the Texas & Pacific Railroad brought an influx of settlers and helped establish a strong economy. The county seat, first named Golconda in 1856, was renamed Palo Pinto in 1858.