Manor became the center of cotton production in Travis County as it became the shipping point for long-staple cotton with as many as 18,000 bales of cotton being shipped annually. By the end of the 19th century it was said to be second only to Austin in population in the county. It was incorporated as a town in March of 1913 and converted to a general law city in 1921 with expectations of continued growth. But, following two devastating fires that destroyed most of the business district coupled with the decline of cotton production after the arrival of the boll weevil, Manor languished throughout most of the remainder of the twentieth century. Its population declined to as few as 654 residents in 1930 before climbing to a high of 1,204 in 2000.


As Austin began its expansion eastward in 2000, Manor started to grow. It is now one of the faster growing communities in the Austin area and is often referred to by a wag in the local newspaper as the Manorplex.


Manor has been the location for a number of movies. Perhaps the most notable was What’s Eating Gilbert Grape starring Johnny Depp. The story centered around an autistic boy, played by Leonardo De Caprio, who regularly disrupted the town’s tranquility by climbing Manor’s old water tower. The tank, although no longer used, remains a landmark in the downtown district. The performance garnered De Caprio an Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He celebrated his 18th birthday in Manor.