city, Brazos county, southeastern Texas, U.S. It is adjacent to the city of Bryan and lies 96 miles (154 km) northwest of Houston. Having grown up around the Texas A&M University (Texas A&M University) (established 1871 and opened 1876), the city is essentially residential with its economy geared to that of the university, although high-tech industry has grown in importance since the 1980s. The college was located on the Houston and Texas Central Railroad (now the Southern Pacific) and was known as a “flag station.” When a post office was established in the locality in 1877, the words college and station were combined to form the name of the town. Inc. 1938. Pop. (1990) city, 52,456; Bryan–College Station MSA, 121,862; (2000) city, 67,890; Bryan–College Station MSA, 152,415.