Founded in 1876 as a railroad town, Thrall was first called Stiles Switch after the Stiles family, which owned a ranch at the site. A combination post office/general store opened in Thrall in 1901, and it was that same year that the town was renamed. Held in great esteem by the Stiles family, Methodist minister and historian Homer S. Thrall provided the inspiration for the community’s new name.

The town was incorporated in 1915, the same year an oil boom increased the population from 25 to 3,000. By 1920, the oil boom had leveled off and the population of the town had fallen to 272.

Thrall steadily increased in population for several years, leveling off in 1952 with 584 people. In 2000, the population was 710, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Once again, Thrall’s numbers are increasing. In 2010, about 839 residents called Thrall home, according to the 2010 Census. This time, the impetus is not oil or wealth but quality of life. More and more residents are seeking solace in small, rural Central Texas towns in an effort to get away from the hustle and bustle of cities with large populations.