Yoakum is located partially in western Lavaca County and partially in eastern DeWitt County. Today, Yoakum is known as the “The Leather Capital of the World,” due primarily to the economic impact of several leather manufacturing firms with factory locations throughout Yoakum.
In its early years, Yoakum was used as a gathering site for thousands of bawling Texas Longhorns that were grouped into “Cattle Drives” and driven along the Chisholm Trail to market. Yoakum’s town site was established in 1887 with the arrival of the San Antonio & Aransas Pass railroad, thus beginning the railroad era of Yoakum’s history.
Once, Yoakum was the “Green Wrap” tomato capital of the world and still commemorates this heritage with the Annual Tom Tom Festival.
As Yoakum grew, a community leader, Mr. C.C. Welhausen, fostered the idea that Yoakum needed another industry as a base to its economy, and Yoakum's leather industry was born. This industry now employs some 1,500 and produces millions for the area economy.
