A Proud Heritage: Tyler has a rich heritage as the Rose Capital and was once the agricultural hub of East Texas. The Cotton Belt Route made it possible to ship to and from Tyler quickly. Louis Southwestern Railway. The Cotton Belt Route was formed from various lines creating convenient shipping pathways into Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. In 1954 the Cotton Belt moved its headquarters f
rom St Louis to Tyler and built its new headquarters building on W. From 1891 to 1992, the St. Louis Southwestern Railway operated between St. Louis, Missouri, and various points in Arkansas and Texas. It was nicknamed "The Cotton Belt Route," or simply Cotton Belt, because its rails ran primarily through regions where cotton was the predominant crop. In Texas, the line originated in Tyler, where the "Tyler Tap" connected Tyler to the International & Great Northern Railroad and the Texas & Pacific Railroad. Where cotton traveled, so could our Tyler Roses.