Some Texas towns have the distinct smell of cattle or oil, but when old-timers wax nostalgic about Somerville’s early days, they recall a different scent: creosote, a wood preservative. A tiny railroad town, Somerville once boasted a railroad tie factory (hence the creosote odor) and a roundhouse that serviced steam engines. Travelers could always get a good meal at the passenger depot, which housed a Harvey House restaurant. During the railroading era, these elegant restaurants were found in depots throughout the Southwest. Alas, the Somerville depot is now gone, but its story lives on at the Somerville Area Museum, which is located in a historic building downtown. Visitors can explore the town’s railroad past through historic photographs, memorabilia, military exhibits and pioneer artifacts.