The community was named for the Hackberry Mine, which was named for a large hackberry tree growing near a spring. Many years ago, Hackberry was a prominent stop on the Santa Fe Railroad, now B.N.S.F., as the area was noted for it's cattle ranching, and in the early 20th century, many carloads of cattle were shipped from Hackberry to points east and west. Later, during the heyday of the fabled Route 66, it was noted as an oasis to travelers, mostly heading west to California, from the dust bowl-stricken lands of Oklahoma. In the early 20th century, Hackberry was actually a town, featuring all amenities available at the time, including stores, bars, businesses, and lots of houses. Hackberry continued to thrive until the early 1960's when Interstate 40 bypassed Historic Route 66, and when the interstate was completed, the highway traffic vanished.