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Shoshone and the Penateka band of Comanches were early tribes in the area.
Borden County was created in 1876 from Bosque County and named for Gail Borden, Jr., the inventor of condensed milk. Borden was publisher and editor of the Telegraph and Texas Register, as well as a political leader in the Republic of Texas. The county was organized in 1891, and Gail was made the county seat.
Farmers and ranchers settled the county, but the population remained relatively small. In 1902, Texas placed lands in the public domain and spurred a land rush in Borden County. Many of the newcomers grew cotton.
Borden County has had two courthouses, one built in 1890. The current courthouse is of brick and concrete construction and was erected in 1939. The architect was David S. Castle Co.
Oil was discovered in the county in 1949. By 1991, more than 340,000,000 barrels of petroleum had been taken out of Borden County since its discovery.