Bartlett is a station on the Katy Railroad, State Highway 95, and the border between Williamson and Bell counties. Though there were settlers in the area as early as 1851, Bartlett was founded when the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Company began surveying for a right-of-way in 1881. The town is named for John T. Bartlett, who with J. E. Pietzsch donated the land for a townsite.