Named for physician and Republic of Texas Secretary of War Dr. George Washington Hill, the new county had only recently attracted Anglo settlement, following the establishment in 1848 of Fort Graham.

[5] They established the town on land donated by Thomas Steiner, John Caruthers and Jonathan Newby, and the community soon had a school and post office, as well as a wood-frame courthouse.

[6] The city experienced rapid growth after the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad and other lines came to the town in the early 1880s.

The cotton industry produced a building boom between 1890 and 1910, as evidenced by the numerous Queen Anne homes still intact today, as well as the noted 1890 Hill County Courthouse.

Hill College, located in Hillsboro, provides high quality, comprehensive educational programs and services to enrolled students, the community, local workforce and area businesses and adult learners.

With an active and close knit community, Hillsboro's culture includes numerous events and programs continuously through the year for both residents and visitors.