Mushroom Capital of Texas (Madisonville nickname)

Madisonville has a mushroom processing plant (Monterey Mushrooms), so, in 2005, the town acquired the designation “Mushroom Capital of Texas.”
 
   
City of Madisonville, Texas
For those who enjoy the ambience of a small town, but the convenience and culture of a larger city, Madisonville is perfectly located. A small community of 4,159 people, we are often called the “Gateway to Bryan/College Station” which is only 35 minutes away and the home of Texas A&M University.

Centrally located between Houston and Dallas, by car, Madisonville is within three hours of over 16 million people, including the cities of Houston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin, San Antonio. 

Handbook of Texas Online
MADISONVILLE, TEXAS. Madisonville is at the junction of State highways 21 and 90, U.S. highways 75 and 190, and Interstate Highway 45, on Town Creek in central Madison County. It was founded in 1853 as the county seat of the newly organized Madison County.
(...)
Although it remains a center of agricultural trade, Madisonville has diversified economically since the end of World War II and witnessed the establishment of a variety of local industries. Construction of Interstate Highway 45 through the eastern reaches of the community in the early 1960s helped to integrate the town into the national economy. During the 1970s Ralston Purina operated a mushroom-processing plant near the town; in the early 1980s this facility was purchased by Monterey Mushrooms and employed 400 people.
 
Texas Mushroom Festival
The Texas Mushroom Festival
Fiesta de Hongos
October 20 - 21, 2006
Madisonville, Texas
Mushroom Capital of Texas
Welcome to our Texas Mushroom Festival website. We had a very successful fourth year and are looking forward to an even bigger event this year. We hope you can join us for the Gala Dinner and a whole day of exciting events. Our area chefs will be demonstrating their skills and several Texas wineries will be offering samples of their fine Texas wines.
 
Mushroom Growing Demonstrations featuring Monterey’s Kitchen. Monterey Mushrooms will conduct growing demonstrations throughout the day under the Monterey Kitchen Tent. All types of mushrooms can be purchased. Ask their experts any question you want on the growing process and watch an educational video. Be sure to grab up some of their famous mushroom fajitas.
We are proud to be officially named “Mushroom Capital of Texas” by the Texas State legislature in 2005.