In 1849, during the beginning of the California Gold Rush, 49ers followed the Southern Immigrant Trail west to California along the Gila River Valley. Some of the main 49er routes from the eastern United States to the route through New Mexico Territory that passes Texas Hill, was through Texas and some of the earliest 49ers to reach California on this route came from Texas. How the summit came by the name is not known, but it had acquired the name by the time it first appeared on maps.