Why is it called Bee Cave, and how 8 more Central Texas cities got their names

Editor's Note: The above video shares historical tidbits about Austin's iconic Barton Springs.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Are there bees in Bee Cave? Can you see waterfalls in Marble Falls? 

Several cities in Central Texas were named for prominent figures or early settlers. But some local cities have a more storied name history. 

Here’s how a few Central Texas communities got their names: 

Bee Cave

The city west of Austin got its name from a large cave in the area that was filled with Mexican honeybees on the creek banks, according to the Texas State Historical Association. 

The city website said the honeybees lived on the banks of Barton Creek and Little Barton Creek. The Village of Bee Cave became the City of Bee Cave in 2006.

Buda

The city in Hays County, pronounced like BYOO-duh, gets its name from the Spanish word “viuda” for widow. 

“The town had gained a reputation as a popular eating stop for rail travelers, and the name may refer to a pair of widows who cooked at the Carrington Hotel in the 1880s,” according to the city. 

Dripping Springs

The city west of Austin was named by Indiana “Nannie” Moss, who had to pick a town name for the post office. According to the city, she was “inspired by lush, fern-covered, limestone ledges that still drip with water to this day.” 

According to Destination Dripping Springs, Moss named it after the “dripping springs” at the Milk House Branch of the Edwards Aquifer where Tonkawa Indians lived.

Elgin

The city was named after Robert Morris Elgin, a railroad land commissioner, according to the city. The Houston and Texas Central Railroad created the city in 1872. 

Hutto

The Williamson County city is named after farmer James E. Hutto, who settled in the area in 1855, according to the city. Hutto became a postmaster when the Hutto post office opened in 1877. The city of Hutto was incorporated years later in 1911.

Kyle

The Hays County city was named after Fergus Kyle, who donated part of 200 acres for an International-Great Northern Railroad townsite, according to the Texas State Historical Association. Kyle was incorporated in 1928.

Leander

The Williamson County city was named after a former Austin mayor and railroad company leader Leander Brown, according to the city. The town was previously called Bagdad. Leander was incorporated in 1978, according to the city.

Manor

The city east of Austin was named after James Manor, the postmaster of the post office that opened in 1859, according to the Texas State Historical Association. Manor was an early settler in the area, which was incorporated in 1913.

Marble Falls

The Burnet County city was named for a landmark that early travelers used, according to the Texas State Historical Association. The falls were called the “great falls” or “marble falls” on the Colorado River. 

These falls are now underwater but are seen when the Lower Colorado River Authority lowers the lake for repairs, according to the city. Marble Falls was incorporated in 1907.