Everything Bells is known for
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Bells.
The founding of Bells, Texas, is closely linked to the extension of the railroad in the early 1870s. This development brought new opportunities and growth to the area, leading to the establishment of the city. The railroad's arrival was a significant event that shaped the future of Bells and its community.
Bells, Texas, has a history deeply intertwined with the railroad. The city's origins trace back to the early 1870s when the railroad was extended to this point. This pivotal moment marked the beginning of Bells' growth and development. Over the years, the population has steadily increased, from 1,392 in 2010 to 1,521 in 2020, reflecting a small but significant growth in the community.
Everything about Bells comes back to one specific spot: the place where two major railroads crossed. In the early 1870s the Texas and Pacific came through heading east and west, and the Missouri-Kansas-Texas—the 'Katy'—crossed it right here on its way toward Greenville, meeting the T&P at a sharp angle. This intersection, called a 'diamond,' was the spark that ignited the town. Suddenly this wasn't just a place on a rail line; it was a junction. Cotton, cattle, and goods could be shipped in any of four directions. Passenger trains stopped here, allowing for transfers. The settlement grew up south of the tracks, went by Dugansville until 1878, took the name Bells in 1879, and incorporated in 1881. The businesses, the gins, the banks—they all faced the tracks because the crossing was the heart of the community. It's the single most important feature in the town's history, an engineered point that created a place.
Savoy is at the intersection of U.S. Highway 82 and Farm Road 1752, on the Missouri Pacific line ten miles west of Bonham in extreme west central Fannin County. It was established about 1863 by Col. William Savoy, a pioneer settler and landowner who had arrived in the area in the late 1850s. The settlement grew slowly until after the Civil War , when hundreds of settlers began arriving in the area. In 1873 a post office opened; also in the 1870s the Savoy Male and Female College began operations and the Texas and Pacific Railway extended its tracks through the community. With the trade opportunities made possible by the railroad, Savoy became an agricultural shipping center for area farmers, who produced cotton, corn, grain, and numerous other products. In the wake of a May 28, 1880, tornado that killed eleven persons and virtually destroyed the community, Savoy rebuilt and continued to grow and develop. By 1885 it had incorporated, and by the end of the decade the local population had reached 300. By that time Savoy had twenty-five businesses, including several cotton gins, four dry-goods stores, two steam gristmills, two hotels, and a hardware store. More than 1,000 bales of cotton were shipped from Savoy in 1888. Fire destroyed the Savoy Male and Female College in 1890, but by 1897 the town reported a population of 500, some twenty businesses, three churches, and several public schools. Around this time area farmers shipped some 10,000 bushels of wheat, 7,000 bushels of corn, and perhaps 3,000 bales of cotton annually from Savoy. The population rose from 343 in 1900 to 400 in 1915 and declined slightly to 378 by the mid-1920s. On the eve of World War I Savoy had some twenty-seven businesses, including a bank and a weekly newspaper; by the end of World War II it had thirteen businesses and 298 residents. The population had increased to 493 by the mid-1960s, and by the mid-1970s it had reached 783, with eleven businesses. By 1990 Savoy reported a population of 877. The population dropped to 850 in 2000.
(site six miles north) First settlement and fort In Fannin County. Built in 1836 by Abel Warren, Indian trader from Arkansas, to protect his trading post. Constructed of bois d'arc wood, the structure had a two-story guardhouse at all four corners. Kiowa, Tonkawa, Caddo, Wichita and other Indians came here to trade furs for paint, knives and trinkets. In Civil War, Fort Warren was a transport and food supply center, where goods were sent to Confederate Indian refugees and troops in Indian Territory (to the north) and to soldiers in Louisiana and Arkansas. (1968)
Savoy Male and Female College, at Savoy, in Fannin County, was one of the first coeducational academic institutions in North Texas. It was established in 1876 through the efforts of R. R. Halsell, president, Lewis Holland, vice president, and trustees James L. German , Thomas J. Chenoweth, and James Paxton. The school provided educational opportunities regardless of ability to pay tuition for young men and women in the area and Indian students from reservations in Oklahoma. It also offered primary and preparatory classes for county school children. By the mid-1880s Savoy Male and Female College granted its pupils A.B. and B.S. degrees. Social contact between the male and female students was permitted only on special occasions, and then a chaperon had to be present. Social integration did occur, however, due to the many school activities, including a drama club, a debate team, three literary societies, and the publication of a combined literary magazine and college newspaper, the Platonian Messenger . In 1887–88 the college enrollment was forty men and twenty-five women, the primary department had 102 children, the preparatory department registered 133, and the institution enrolled forty-four Indian students, one at the college level. Although Savoy College had established a reputation as an institution of sound academic standing by the late 1880s, it failed to recover from a fire that destroyed the college plant in 1890. Efforts to reopen the college were unsuccessful. A Savoy College Ex-Students Association was organized in 1937 with 128 members. It continued to meet until 1962, when four members, the only survivors of the original alumni, attended.
Emanuel and Rachel Montgomery Everheart arrived here in 1848 with their son, William, and members of her family. By 1850, the Everhearts owned 3,346 acres, including this land. Family history holds that the oldest burials here (in the northwest corner) date prior to 1853 and are those of the Everhearts' slaves. Pilot Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church, organized at Kentuckytown, moved to Everheart land a mile east of this site and became known as the Canaan Church. Members utilized this cemetery and shared their sanctuary with a Methodist Episcopal congregation that moved from Pitman's Chapel. The oldest marked grave, from June 24, 1875, is that of W.H. Rumsower, one of several Confederate soldiers buried here. Other burials include William C. Everheart, the Grayson County Sheriff from 1876 to 1880 and later a Deputy United States Marshal. Many of the pioneers of the Canaan community are buried in family plots here. Nell Arnoldi Everheart cared for the cemetery until her death in 1973, and the Everheart Cemetery Association later formed. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2004
William W. Bell (1794 -1845) immigrated to the United States from his native England in 1820. By 1836 he had come to Texas, where he enlisted in the Republic of Texas army in February 1837. He later served in a company of Texas Rangers and was granted a contract by the Republic of Texas to carry mail from Independence to Nashville. Bell was married to the former Elizabeth Weaver, and they were the parents of eight sons and one daughter. This cemetery traces its beginnings to 1845, when William W. Bell died and was buried here by his family. Also interred in the graveyard are Elizabeth Weaver Bell (1804 - 1894) and five of the Bells' nine children: daughter Texana Bell Henry (1837 - 1859); sons Stephen (1823 - 1900), D. J. (1825 - 1899), Albert H. (1830 - 1880), and A. Jessie (1834 - 1856). There are five other marked graves of family members, as well as several unmarked burials. Family tradition states some of the unmarked graves may be those of slaves. The William W. Bell Cemetery Association, formed by Bell descendants in 1985, maintains the historic graveyard.
Most recent: 2018 2A
Bells High School, a Class 2A institution in Bells, TX, has established a notable record in softball. The Lady Panthers have secured two UIL State Championships, claiming back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. These achievements highlight a period of strong performance for the program, bringing state-level recognition to the community.
The town of Bells, nestled in North Texas, takes pride in its high school sports. The success of the softball team reflects the dedication found within this close-knit community, where school events are a focal point. These championships are significant milestones for Bells High School athletics.
The 2018 Class 2A state championship represents a high point for Bells High School softball.
510 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the nearest 200 are listed here — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
The founding of Bells, Texas, is closely linked to the extension of the railroad in the early 1870s. This development brought new opportunities and growth to the area, leading to the establishment of the city. The…
You're driving past the site of the First Baptist Church of Bells. Organized in 1879 as Bell Plain Baptist Church, the congregation first met in a schoolhouse before building their own sanctuary in 1884. The current…
You're driving through Bells, Texas, a town that owes its existence to the railroad. In the early 1870s, two major rail lines, the Texas and Pacific and the Missouri, Kansas and Texas, arrived in this area. Before that,…
Everything about Bells comes back to one specific spot: the place where two major railroads crossed. In the early 1870s the Texas and Pacific came through heading east and west, and the Missouri-Kansas-Texas—the…
The existence of Bells is a testament to 19th-century transportation engineering. The key wasn't just laying track; it was creating a functional intersection between two competing railway companies, the Texas & Pacific…
The city's name, Bells, is steeped in local tradition. It is said to have been chosen in the early 1870s when the railroad was extended to this point. The ringing of church bells to celebrate the arrival of the railroad…
You're driving past Greenwood Cemetery, also known as Jenkins Cemetery. The oldest stones here have lost their lettering, but the earliest dated burial is for Jas. P. Montgomery, who died in 1869. The land was formally…
Savoy is at the intersection of U.S. Highway 82 and Farm Road 1752, on the Missouri Pacific line ten miles west of Bonham in extreme west central Fannin County. It was established about 1863 by Col. William Savoy, a…
Savoy Male and Female College, at Savoy, in Fannin County, was one of the first coeducational academic institutions in North Texas. It was established in 1876 through the efforts of R. R. Halsell, president, Lewis…
You're driving past Washburn Cemetery near Bells. A portion of land on the south edge of the Washburn survey was set aside for burials as settlers moved into the area. The oldest marked grave is infant Mary Gentry from…
You're driving past Savoy, a town founded in 1872 by William Savoy. Just a year later, in 1873, this Methodist congregation began meeting. Their first sanctuary, built in 1876, was one of the few buildings that survived…
You're driving past the site of Antioch Baptist Church, formally organized in 1861. The congregation first worshiped south of here, later moving to share this Pink Hill community site with a school. The church became…
You're driving through Savoy, and the town has been right here the whole time. It was founded around 1863 by Col. William Savoy, a settler who had come out in the late 1850s, and it grew slowly until the end of the…
If you look at Savoy today, you're looking at a town that got knocked flat and got back up. On May 28, 1880, a tornado came through here and killed eleven people, virtually destroying the community. Think about what…
In its heyday, Savoy wasn't just a cotton town; it was a college town. In 1876 locals founded the Savoy Male and Female College, one of the first coeducational colleges in North Texas, put together by R. R. Halsell,…
(site six miles north) First settlement and fort In Fannin County. Built in 1836 by Abel Warren, Indian trader from Arkansas, to protect his trading post. Constructed of bois d'arc wood, the structure had a two-story…
Emanuel and Rachel Montgomery Everheart arrived here in 1848 with their son, William, and members of her family. By 1850, the Everhearts owned 3,346 acres, including this land. Family history holds that the oldest…
You're driving past the site of the Virginia Point Methodist Church, the oldest church in Fannin County. It was organized in 1837 at Old Warren, and this building was erected in 1860.
William W. Bell (1794 -1845) immigrated to the United States from his native England in 1820. By 1836 he had come to Texas, where he enlisted in the Republic of Texas army in February 1837. He later served in a company…
You're driving past the site of Little Jordan Cemetery. Sid and Suzan Pierce donated this burial ground near the Little Jordan Baptist Church, which was active from 1850 to 1893. Heirs of the pioneers fenced the area in…
You're driving through Grayson County, near Whitewright. This is the site of the Kentuckytown Baptist Church, founded back in 1853 by Kentuckians who arrived here by wagon train. The current building you see was erected…
You're driving past the site of Cedar Community, settled way back in 1848 by pioneers carving a life out of the Texas wilderness. Life on the frontier was tough, and the need for a cemetery arose almost immediately.…
You're driving through Whitewright, a town with roots stretching back to the 1830s. Originally called Annaliza, it was renamed Kentucky Town in 1858 by settlers from the Bluegrass State. This town's layout was unique,…
Most railroad towns were lucky to have one line. Whitewright hit the jackpot and got two. The first was the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway, the 'Katy,' which founded the town in 1878. But the real boom came in 1887…
The success of early Whitewright was a feat of transportation engineering. Imagine the challenge in the 1880s: laying down hundreds of miles of steel track across the rolling Blackland Prairie with little more than…
In 1878, the settlement of Whitewright was established by New York investor William Whitewright Jr., who purchased land in the path of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. Within a decade, the community had incorporated…
Every town has a founder, but Whitewright's is notable for what he never did. The town is named for William Whitewright Jr., a New York investor and financier born in 1815. In 1878 he bought a tract of land lying…
As you pass through Whitewright, try to imagine a towering college building on the north side of town, the pride of the community. H. L. Piner and James F. Anderson bought the property in 1885 and secured a charter two…
You're driving through Whitewright, and just ahead is a beautiful example of Queen Anne architecture. This is the Samuel E. and Mary C. Marshall House, built for them between 1899 and 1900. Sam Marshall, a Civil War…
You're driving past the site of the First Presbyterian Church in Whitewright. It began as a Cumberland Presbyterian Church organized in 1853, with several congregations established in the 1860s. The church moved to…
You're driving past Whitewright, a town born from the railroad. Before 1878, settlers dotted this area, but the arrival of the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas railroad changed everything. This new town was named for William…
You're driving past the Martindale-Lackey-Hudgins House. Built around 1905, likely by David Martindale, this home was later owned by tinsmith Ott Lackey and his wife Vesta. In 1946, Andrew and Ileta Hudgins bought the…
You're driving through North Texas, not far from Dallas, and right here in Whitewright is where a lost treasure from World War II ended up. In 1945, a young lieutenant named Joe Meador was stationed in Quedlinburg,…
You're driving through North Texas, and right here near Whitewright, we can talk about a man who changed how jazz was taught in America. Morris Eugene "Gene" Hall was born in 1913, right here in Whitewright. He loved…
You're driving through Whitewright, Texas, a town that owes its existence to a New York investor and a railroad. Back in 1878, William Whitewright bought land right where the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad was…
You're driving past the site of the First Methodist Church of Whitewright. Its history traces back to Sears Chapel, established in the late 1850s. The current congregation organized as the First Methodist Church of…
You're driving through Whitewright, and if you look closely, you might catch a glimpse of the Kirkpatrick Home, built way back in 1899. This Victorian beauty still boasts its original cypress roof and a foundation made…
You're driving past Whitewright, and the story of this Masonic Lodge is a story of this town itself. It started way back in 1855 as the Kentucky Town Masonic Lodge, getting its charter the next year. But when the…
You're driving past the T.H. Sears home in Whitewright, a colonial-style house built by the son of a pioneer settler. <break time="400ms"/> This place has been a local showplace since <say-as interpret-as="date"…
You're driving past Vittitoe Cemetery, which began as a family burial plot for Samuel and Ellen Vittitoe when they settled here in 1852. Their son Frank was likely the first buried here, before the Civil War. The…
You're driving past Carson Cemetery, a resting place with a tragic beginning. Local stories say this ground was named for John Carson, who once owned this land. But the earliest graves here might date back to an 1842…
The very ground you're driving on is the source of Tom Bean's greatest blessing and a persistent engineering challenge. This is the Blackland Prairie, defined by a soil type called vertisol clay. From an agricultural…
Tom Bean's history is deeply intertwined with the Cotton Belt Railway. Founded on October 27, 1888, the city was built on a new branch of the railway between Commerce and Sherman, Texas. The town was named by J.W.…
As you cross the railroad tracks here in Tom Bean, know that you're crossing the town's reason for being — but the railroad didn't buy this ground. A man gave it away. Thomas C. Bean was a wealthy, eccentric bachelor…
You're driving through Tom Bean, a community that owes its very existence to a bit of land speculation. Back in 1888, a surveyor named Tom Bean wanted to get the St. Louis Southwestern Railway to build through his land.…
You're driving past City of Tom Bean. Thomas Bean, a wealthy Bonham landowner and surveyor, donated fifty acres of land in southeast Grayson County to be used for a branch railroad line from Sherman to Commerce. Bean…
Tom Bean (Tom Bean, TX) placed on the 2A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Donnie Hooten (0.610 avg, 6 HR); Cash Linder (2 HR).
You're driving past the site of the First United Methodist Church in Tom Bean. This congregation started in the mid-1880s, eventually moving their first building here in 1906. After fires and a tornado, they rebuilt,…
The road you're driving on, U.S. Highway 82, tells a powerful story of engineering and economic change. For its first 70 years, Ector's lifeblood was the Texas and Pacific railroad. But by the mid-20th century, a new…
In 2017, a $320 million resort and bunker facility called Trident Lakes was under development near Ector. The project was led by CEO James O'Connor and chief security officer Rob Kaneiss, a former Navy SEAL. However, by…
You're driving through Ector, where the Methodist congregation started meeting in a schoolhouse back in 1885. They built their first frame church with twin steeples in 1888. The congregation is still active today,…
The city of Ector, Texas, is named in honor of one of the pioneer settlers of the area, Ector Owens. The community started in the late 19th century when farmers settled near Caney Creek. Interestingly, the town was…
You're driving through Ector, where Ector Lodge No. 687 began in 1887 as a Masonic lodge in Ravenna. It moved to this railroad town in 1889, changing its name in 1901. Members met in various locations before moving into…
You're driving through Fannin County, past the site of what was once the Ely community. It all started when Civil War veteran Levi Wells Ely and his wife Laura moved here from Georgia in 1882. They settled on this…
Luella's history is a tale of growth and decline, shaped by the railroad. Established in the 1880s, the community thrived when the St. Louis Southwestern Railway reached the area in 1888. Businessman J.L. Hughes built a…
You're driving through what used to be Whitemound, an early settlement in Grayson County. It started in 1849 when Henry Lackey and his nine children arrived from Missouri. The town really grew up around a grist mill…
You're driving through Sherman, home of James Nelson Dickson. He started in county government in 1914 as a deputy tax assessor. After a courthouse fire in 1930, he helped replace destroyed records. Dickson then served…
You're driving through Sherman, and just off to the side, you're passing the site of a dark chapter in this town's history. Back in May of 1930, mob violence erupted here, burning down the old courthouse and destroying…
You're crossing the Red River right now, and behind you is a bridge with a story that stretches back over a century! Built in 1910 for the Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway, this was a vital link for hauling coal from…
You're driving past Oak Ridge Cemetery, established in 1882. Emma Messenger donated land for this community burial ground after her mother-in-law died. It grew with land additions in 1939 and 1992, and today holds over…
You're driving past the site of Bethel Baptist Church, which began as a prayer group in 1875. Nine charter members officially organized the church on April 16, 1884. The congregation built its first sanctuary in 1897,…
You're driving through Fannin County, not far from Bonham, heading towards the Red River. Right here is Ravenna, a town that started out as Willow Point around 1850. By the 1880s, settlers had named it Ravenna,…
You're driving through Sherman, and just ahead is the Carr-Taliaferro House. Built in 1902 for prosperous farmer Richard Bell Carr and his wife Susan, this dignified residence was designed by contractor J. R. Barrow.…
You're driving past the Hendrix Cemetery, a final resting place established by John Hendrix. He arrived in Texas in 1846 with his family, seven other families, and a plan to farm and run a nursery. Their first camp in…
You're driving past Austin College, the oldest college in Texas still operating under its original charter! Founded way back in 1849 by the Presbytery of Brazos, it was named for Stephen F. Austin himself. Imagine, its…
You're driving through Sherman, and you're passing the site of a true Texas industrial giant. Between 1871 and 1879, John Clement Tassey founded the Sherman Cotton Oil Company right here. It grew so fast, it became the…
You're driving through Sherman, and right here is the historic site of the Pool Manufacturing Company. What started as the Sherman Overall Manufacturing Company in 1909, using machinery from a glove maker, was bought by…
You're driving past the site of the Old Settlers Association of Grayson County, founded way back in 1879. Imagine old-timers, folks who remembered the Republic of Texas and the frontier, gathering by wagon to reminisce.…
You're driving past Sherman, a city named for General Sidney Sherman. He was a hero of the Battle of San Jacinto and a member of the Congress of the Republic of Texas. The city grew fast after it was officially…
You're driving through Grayson County, where Texas's first electric railway, the Interurban, once connected Sherman and Denison. Founded in 1900, the Denison and Sherman Railway began service in 1901, a 10.5-mile line…
You're driving past the Mulberry Cemetery, a place that's seen more than its share of hardship. Established in the early 1880s, it holds the remains of Civil War Captain Thomas Lightfoot and the community's first…
You're driving past the Roberts House in Sherman, a stunning example of Queen Anne-Eastlake architecture. Charles Nathan Roberts, a Confederate captain and successful hardware merchant, built this home in <say-as…
You're driving through Sherman, and right here is the site of an industry that's been serving North Texas for over a century! Back in 1875, Solon Totten rode his horse all the way from Illinois, looking for a place to…
You're driving through Sherman, and right here is the site of a unique school for boys, founded back in 1871. It was officially the Sherman Private School, but everyone knew it as 'The Cap'n's.' It was run by former…
You're driving past the Dannel Funeral Home, a business that's served Sherman for generations. John C. Dannel brought the first motorized hearse to the area in 1917, winning a public battle with the local livery stable…
You're driving through Bryan County, and right here is Hendrix. This town owes its very existence to a railroad dispute! Back in 1910, the Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway was bypassing the nearby town of Kemp. So,…
You're driving past the site of the old Sherman Manufacturing Company, which got its start in 1891 as the Sherman Seamless Bag Mill. Its mission was to serve the booming cotton industry right here in North Texas. The…
You're driving through Sherman, and to your right stands St. Mary's Catholic Church, a testament to architectural history. The first mass was held here way back in 1872, and by 1875, a parish was officially created.…
You're driving past the site of the Old Sherman Public Library, a building that served this city for over fifty years. It started as a subscription library back in 1901, but thanks to a $20,000 grant from the Andrew…
You're driving past the Walnut Street Church of Christ in Sherman. This classical revival building was completed in 1920 and served the congregation as their third sanctuary. The congregation itself has ties going back…
Say the name Sherman out loud in a lot of the country, and people picture the Union general William Tecumseh Sherman, the one who marched to the sea and burned a path across Georgia in the Civil War. So it would be easy…
The man this town is named for is tied to maybe the most famous battle cry in Texas history. General Sidney Sherman commanded the Second Regiment at the Battle of San Jacinto on April twenty-first, eighteen thirty-six,…
The courthouse square you see today sits on the site of a profound tragedy. In May 1930, a Black farmhand named George Hughes was in the courthouse jail, accused of assaulting his white employer's wife. As the trial…
One of the most remarkable figures of the American West is buried right here in Sherman. Her name was Olive Oatman. In 1851, her family was attacked in Arizona while traveling west. Thirteen-year-old Olive was captured…
As you drive along Highway 75, you're seeing one of the largest high-tech engineering projects on the planet rise from the Texas prairie. Texas Instruments' mega-site here is laid out for as many as four connected…
The town you're passing through was where one of the most feared men in American history spent the winter of 1863. William 'Bloody Bill' Anderson rode with Quantrill's Raiders — Confederate guerrillas who terrorized the…
Here is something most Texas towns can't claim. Sherman wasn't named by a founder or a railroad company. It was named by an act of the Texas Legislature. On March seventeenth, eighteen forty-six, when lawmakers carved…
Sidney Sherman, the man this town is named for, didn't drift into the Texas Revolution. He bought his way in with his own money. In the eighteen thirties, Sherman was a businessman up in Newport, Kentucky, manufacturing…
Sidney Sherman's story didn't end on the battlefield. The man this town is named for went on to help lay the very first railroad tracks in Texas. After the revolution, Sherman bought land near Harrisburg, which today is…
The revolution that made Sidney Sherman a hero, and gave this town its name, was won with just two cannons. They were a pair of matched iron guns nicknamed the Twin Sisters. Citizens of Cincinnati, Ohio, paid for them…
On the afternoon of May 15, 1896, the sky over Sherman turned a terrifying greenish-black. A tornado of a strength later judged equal to an F5, the top of the scale, touched down near Pilot Point in Denton County and…
Let's play a quick name game, because Texas has a Sherman and American history has two famous ones. This town, we know for certain, is named for Sidney Sherman, the Texas Revolution general, born in Massachusetts in…
In the early 1900s Sherman had some of the most advanced technology in the state running right through it: an electric railway, and it was here first. The Denison and Sherman Railway, finished in 1901, was the very…
You're driving through Sherman, and right here is the site of the Fred Douglass School. Named for the famous orator, this was one of Sherman's first public schools, founded way back in 1879. Initially, it served about…
You're driving past the Metz House, a beautiful Victorian home built in 1883. Edward Metz, a businessman who helped keep peace between Native Americans and settlers in Grayson County, built this as a wedding present for…
Sherman, Texas, was named in honor of General Sidney Sherman, a hero of the Texas Revolution. Born on July 23, 1805, and passing away on August 1, 1873, General Sherman's legacy is commemorated in the name of this city…
You're driving past the third meeting hall for Sherman's Odd Fellows Lodge, established way back in 1854. Before the city even had public schools, this lodge opened one for 74 students! During the Civil War, nearly all…
You're driving past the site of Saint John Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, organized in 1875 as Saint John CME Chapel. Initially, services were held in a community of freedmen known as "Brushtown," with the Rev.…
You're driving through Bryan County, near Hendrix. This spot, originally called Warner Springs, was settled in the 1880s because of its water. It was a thriving Chickasaw community, even getting a post office in 1890…
You're driving past the site of the Masonic Temple, built in 1924. Designed by local architects, this classical revival building served as the headquarters for Travis Lodge No. 117 until 1985.
You're driving through Sherman, where the Central Christian Church congregation started in the late 1850s. Pioneer minister Benjamin Franklin Hall organized the early meetings, which took place in a brush arbor and a…
You're driving through Sherman, the birthplace of the Eleventh Texas Cavalry. Organized in May 1861 with nearly 900 men, this frontier unit fought across Indian Territory, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky.…
You're driving through Grayson County, a vital Confederate hub during the Civil War. This area raised regiments like the 11th Texas Cavalry, and Sherman became a regional depot for clothing and supplies. Look out for…
You're driving through Grayson County, named for Peter W. Grayson, a lawyer, poet, and key figure in early Texas. He was instrumental in securing Stephen F. Austin's release from prison and helped draft plans for an…
You're driving through Sherman, the site of a truly historic presidential visit. Back on April 5, 1905, Theodore Roosevelt's train stopped right here. A massive crowd of 35,000 people packed the streets, eager to catch…
You're driving past the site where Allison Mayfield began his law career in Sherman back in 1884. He went on to serve 26 years on the Texas Railroad Commission, 16 of those as chairman. Under his leadership, the…
You're driving through Sherman, and right here stood the old Sherman Opera House, a jewel of Victorian architecture. Built in 1881 by Captain L.F. Ely, who even made the bricks himself, this place was the heart of local…
You're driving past the site of one of North Texas's oldest banks. Before this building, traders in Sherman hung saddlebags full of gold on the branches of a pecan tree – that's why it was called the 'Pecan Tree Bank'!…
You're driving through Sherman, and right here stood the Binkley Hotel, a landmark that was part of a unique business and cultural hub. It wasn't just a place to sleep; it was tied to the Merchants and Planters Bank,…
You're driving through Grayson County, a place that's been a major part of Texas history for over a century. Back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1837</say-as>, this was the site of Colonel Holland Coffee's…
You're driving through Sherman, where Grayson County has seen its courthouses change dramatically since 1846. Imagine, five courthouses in less than 40 years, from log cabins to brick buildings, often short-lived. The…
You're driving through Grayson County, following a path once vital for American communication. This was part of the Butterfield Overland Mail Route, a stagecoach line that rushed mail between St. Louis and San Francisco…
You're driving past Ninth Texas Cavalry. The Ninth Texas Cavalry consisted of about 1,000 mounted volunteers from Grayson, Tarrant, Hunt, Hopkins, Cass, Red River, Titus, and Lamar counties. They gathered about 15 miles…
You're driving past the old Federal Building in Sherman. Designed by U.S. Treasury architect John Knox Taylor, this Spanish Colonial Revival structure was completed in 1907 for $140,000. It housed the federal court and…
You're driving past the Hall Furniture Building, a Sherman landmark for over a century. It started in 1868 as a dry goods store by Civil War veteran Rufus Gaines Hall, who even sent out 30 wagons to sell goods to rural…
This corner of Grayson County is where the legend of Bass Reeves began, though it began in chains. Born into slavery around 1838 and named, by family tradition, for his grandfather, young Bass was brought to the Sherman…
You're driving past the Denison home of Thomas V. Munson, a world-famed scientist who literally saved France's wine industry. Born in Illinois and educated in Kentucky, Munson settled in Denison in 1876. He developed…
You're driving through Sherman, and right here is the site of Kidd-Key College and Music Conservatory. <break time="400ms"/> It opened way back in 1875 as North Texas Female College, a finishing school for young ladies.…
You're driving past the Lyon House in Sherman, a Victorian home with a story that spans two wars and local leadership. German-born architect John Tollouch designed it before 1897. Hardware merchant George Hardwicke…
You're driving through Sherman, and right here is where a local drama scene took root! Back in December of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1925</say-as>, Sherman officially joined the Little Theater movement…
You're driving through Sherman, home to the First United Methodist Church. Its roots go way back to 1859, starting as a Methodist Episcopal Church, South congregation. They first worshipped under a brush arbor right…
You're driving through Sherman, and right here is the site of the city's first Presbyterian congregation. Chartered way back in 1851 as a Cumberland society, this church fellowship has moved and built several times.…
You're driving past the site of Pilot Grove Baptist Church. Its history traces back to 1848 when the United Baptist Church was established here. Early worship happened in homes and a schoolhouse, with a sanctuary built…
You're driving past the site of what began as Sherman's Cumberland Presbyterian Church in 1851. It met in various halls before building its own sanctuary in 1872. The congregation changed its name several times,…
You're driving by the site of the First Presbyterian Church in Sherman. Organized in 1871 by Rev. R.E. Sherrill, the congregation built its first sanctuary by 1874. Over the years, it grew with the city, fostered ties…
You're driving past the birthplace of Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States. Born right here in Denison on October 14th, 1890, Ike went on to lead the Allied forces in Europe during World War II,…
Pull over here for a moment – this unassuming house is where a future President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, was born! On October 14th, 1890, Dwight David Eisenhower was born in this very house in…
You're driving through Pilot Grove, a town that started life in the early 1850s as a stop on the Bonham-McKinney Stage Line. It was first called Lick Skillet, but was renamed in 1858 after J. P. Dumas' ranch. This quiet…
You're driving through Bonham, the hometown of Sam Rayburn, a man who became one of America's most powerful politicians. Born in Tennessee in 1882, he moved to Texas as a boy and launched his career in the Texas House…
You're driving past the Sam Rayburn House, built in 1916 by the Congressman for his parents, three years into his career in Washington. This two-story home, once called 'The Home Place,' was later enlarged in 1934 with…
Step back in time and walk through the home of Sam Rayburn, one of the most influential Speakers of the House. This unassuming house in Bonham was the heart of a political powerhouse. Sam Rayburn, born in 1882, served…
You're driving through Sherman, home of Lee Simmons, a man who went from local lawman to running the entire Texas prison system. In 1912, citizens asked him to run for sheriff, and he won, serving two years. But his…
You're driving through Sherman, home to Judge C. C. Binkley, a man considered the financial leader of Grayson County. He arrived in Texas in 1852, partnered with Sherman's first mayor, and served as a district judge.…
You're driving through Sherman, the hometown of Reverend J.M. Binkley. He arrived in Texas in 1852, already a powerful speaker for the temperance movement. In 1859, Binkley organized the church that would become the…
You're driving through Sherman, where Jesse P. Loving settled with his family back in 1852. He was a Confederate veteran who became a prominent civic leader, serving as both county treasurer and a state representative.…
You're driving past the resting place of Olive Ann Oatman Fairchild, a woman whose life was marked by incredible hardship. Captured by Native Americans at age 13, she witnessed the massacre of six family members. Sold…
You're driving through Sherman, and just ahead is the former home of Noble Allan Birge. This Connecticut native arrived in Texas before the Civil War, becoming the first sheriff of Marion County in 1860. After serving…
You're driving through Sherman, and just ahead is the site of a man who saw some of the Civil War's biggest battles, then built a Texas legacy. Captain John Henry LeTellier was born in Virginia in 1842 and served in the…
You're driving through Sherman, and right here is the final resting place of Aaron S. Mangum. Born in South Carolina, Mangum arrived in Texas in 1835, joining Colonel James Fannin's forces. He was part of the ill-fated…
You're driving through Sherman, and right here is the story of Mita Holsapple Hall. Born in Kentucky in 1885, she moved to Sherman as a child. After graduating from Mary Nash College and marrying Hugh E. Hall, she…
You're driving through Sherman, and right here is where a titan of Texas banking once operated. Thomas Randolph, born in Tennessee, came to Grayson County as a boy in 1859. By age 19, he was already helping run the…
You're driving past Sherman, Texas, home of the Rev. John Silliman Moore. Born in Mississippi in 1840, Moore answered the call to serve, fighting in the Civil War. He was wounded in three major battles: Seven Pines,…
You're driving through Sherman, the hometown of Mattie Davis Lucas, a woman whose passion for local history left a lasting mark. Born in 1869, she was a driving force behind civic improvements, including bringing a…
On October 14, 1890, Dwight David Eisenhower was born in this small two-story frame house near the railroad tracks in Denison, Texas. His father, David, worked at a cotton gin across the street. The family was poor.…
You're driving through Denison, and right here is the E.M. Kohl Building. This place started as a grocery and saloon back in 1893, built by Ernst Martin Kohl, a former German Navy captain who settled in Texas. He later…
You're driving through Sherman, the "Father of Sherman" himself, Thomas Jefferson Shannon, lived and worked right here. He arrived in Texas in 1839, and by 1845, he was settling in what would become Grayson County.…
You're driving through Sherman, and right here is the story of Andrew Hanson, a Danish immigrant who baked his way into Texas history. He arrived in 1878 and, the very next year, opened the Star Bakery. For 35 years,…
You're driving through Fannin County, passing the site of the old Smith Plantation. Back in 1851, Gideon Smith arrived from Alabama and bought a massive 3000-acre spread. He soon brought his brother John to join him.…
You're driving past Andrew L. Randell. (Aug. 15, 1880 - Mar. 14, 1931) A native of Denison, Andrew Randell graduated from Princeton University and the University of Texas. He opened a law practice in Sherman nad was…
You're driving through Sherman, the same area where Reverend J.H. Reynolds, known as Uncle Johnny, brought his ministry in 1879. He organized the Willow Street Methodist Church here, later renamed Key Memorial. Reynolds…
You're driving past the Buchanan Cemetery in Randolph. Alexander Buchanan, his wife Delilah, and their eleven children moved here from Illinois in 1844, settling on this site in 1846. Alexander died that same year and…
For a town its size, Denison has an outsized claim to fame. Its most famous son is Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President and Supreme Allied Commander in World War II. Ike was born here in 1890 in a small house by the…
Just a few blocks from downtown Denison, you can find a small, simple, two-story white house. It may not look like much, but it's the birthplace of a giant of the 20th century: Dwight D. Eisenhower. On October 14, 1890,…
Here in Denison, a local horticulturist named Thomas Volney Munson performed a miracle for the world of wine. In the late eighteen hundreds, an aphid called phylloxera was devastating the vineyards of France,…
Imagine the governors of Texas and Oklahoma facing off with armed troops over a bridge. It really happened, right here at the Red River in 1931. A new, free bridge was built connecting Denison to Durant, Oklahoma,…
Just northwest of Denison stands one of the great engineering feats of the 20th century: the Denison Dam. For decades, the Red River was a menace, prone to catastrophic floods that wiped out farms and bridges. To…
You're driving past Denison, the birthplace of the "Katy" railroad! Back in 1865, this line was planned to connect Kansas City all the way to the Gulf. By 1870, it was renamed the Missouri, Kansas & Texas, or M-K-T –…
On January 15, 2009, the world watched as Captain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger masterfully landed a crippled airliner on the Hudson River, saving all 155 people on board. That hero's story began right here in Denison.…
You're driving past Sherman, Texas, where a devastating tornado struck on the afternoon of May 15, 1896. This massive twister touched down nearby, carving a two-mile path of destruction right through the heart of the…
You're driving through Denison, Texas, a town born from the railroad. On Christmas Eve, 1872, the Katy Railroad pulled into town, completing a massive effort to build south into Texas. But the real magic happened just a…
You're driving past what used to be the heart of Denison's early commercial district. In 1872, this area saw the founding of Waples-Platter Grocery Company, initially supplying railroad workers. By 1885, they built a…
You're driving through Denison, and right here is Forest Park, a place that's seen more than just picnics. In 1922, this park became the site of Camp Ellis, a tent city housing the Texas National Guard during a major…
You're driving through Sherman, Texas, a town that owes a significant debt to a Choctaw leader named Wilson N. Jones. Born around 1827, Jones endured the forced migration of the Trail of Tears as a boy. He grew into a…
You're driving past Sherman, where Bruno H. Zauk arrived from Germany at just 16 years old. He built his American dream here, founding Sherman's first cigar factory in 1876. Later, Zauk became a successful businessman,…
You're driving through Denison, and just ahead is the Old Thompson Home, the oldest house still standing in Grayson County. Built in 1830 near Preston Bend, it was also home to the county's very first post office.…
You're driving past the Lindsey-Randolph Cemetery, a place that started with a donation of farmland in the late 1840s. Thomas Lindsey, who came here from Tennessee in 1837, set aside four acres for a school and this…
You're driving past the site of Travis Lodge No. 117, founded way back in 1852. It's one of Sherman's oldest continuing institutions. The lodge survived a major fire in 1875 that wiped out much of the business district,…
You're driving through North Texas, and right here in Grayson County, you're passing through territory once controlled by one of the Civil War's most infamous outlaws: William Clarke Quantrill. In the late fall of 1863,…
You're driving through Sherman, Texas, where in 1930, a racial riot erupted. Tensions were high during the Great Depression, fueled by rumors surrounding the alleged rape of a white woman by a Black farmhand named…
You're driving through North Texas, and right here in Sherman, John Allen "Jack" Hilger was born. He grew up, went to Texas A&M, and became a pilot. But it was during World War II that Hilger made history. He was chosen…
You're driving through North Texas, maybe near Sherman or Bonham, and you're passing through the territory of one of the Civil War's most notorious figures: William 'Bloody Bill' Anderson. He was a Confederate guerilla,…
You're driving through Coleman County, where you might still see remnants of a pioneering spirit. Right here, back in 1879, Mabel Doss Lea took over a massive, debt-ridden ranch after her husband's tragic death. She was…
You're driving through North Texas, and you might be passing near Sherman, the childhood home of a man who went from ranch hand to lawman to one of the most famous boxing promoters in history: Tex Rickard. He started…
You're driving through Sherman, Texas, and right here is a town with a founding story tied to a legislator who wanted a better location. Thomas Jefferson Shannon, a land speculator and cattle breeder, arrived in this…
You're driving through North Texas, maybe past Sherman, where a company that started as the Southland Ice Company got its start in 1927. Back then, ice was king for refrigeration, and this company was a major player.…
You're driving through North Texas, maybe headed towards Sherman, and right here is a story that starts with a brutal attack. It's 1851. The Oatman family, traveling west, is attacked by Yavapai warriors. All but three…
You're driving through Denison, and you're passing the site of a truly pioneering Texas institution: the XXI Club. Founded way back in 1890 by ten influential women, this was no ordinary social club. Look to your right…
You're driving through Sherman, a town with a history as dramatic as the Texas weather. Back on May 15th, <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1896</say-as>, a devastating tornado ripped through the west side of town.…
William J. Durham, Black civil rights activist and attorney, was born on a farm near Sulphur Springs, Hopkins County, Texas, in 1896. After completing one semester at Emporia State College in Kansas, he served in the…
You're driving through Grayson County, and right here, in Sherman, you're passing through a town with a unique origin story. Back in 1846, when this county was officially organized, the Texas legislature decided to name…
You're driving through Sherman, Texas, the hometown of Cecil Andrew Lyon, a man who wielded immense power over Texas politics for over two decades. Born in Georgia in 1869, he moved here to Sherman as a boy. By 1890, he…
You're driving through Sherman, Texas, the birthplace of a country music legend. Buck Owens was born Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr., right here in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="my">August 1929</say-as>. He got his…
You're driving through Sherman, Texas, the birthplace of Goebel Leon Reeves, better known as the "Texas Drifter." Born in 1899, Reeves was fascinated by the hobo lifestyle from a young age. After serving in World War I,…
You're driving near Sherman, Texas, the birthplace of Buddy Tate, a titan of the tenor saxophone. Born George Holmes Tate in 1913, he became one of the Swing Era's most celebrated players. Tate's career took off in the…
You're driving through Denison, and you're passing the site of a remarkable arrival in Texas. In 1849, Dr. L. A. Washington Jr. rode into the state. Now, this wasn't just any doctor – he was the grandnephew of George…
You're driving through Bonham, and right around here is the birthplace of Dr. Tom Douglas Spies. Born in 1902, Dr. Spies became a leading expert on nutritional diseases. In the 1930s, he was at the forefront of…
You're driving through North Texas, an area Almerine Alexander knew well. He was a successful merchant here, with stores in Paris, Dallas, and Bonham before the Civil War. But when war broke out, he raised the…
You're driving through Grayson County, and right here in Sherman, you're passing through the hometown of Joseph Bledsoe, a lawyer who traded his briefs for bullets in the Civil War. He fought with the Eleventh Texas…
You're driving through Sherman, Texas, the birthplace of John Edward "Teddy" Buckner. Born in 1909, this Dixieland jazz trumpeter got his start right here. By fifteen, he was playing with local bands, but his career…
You're driving through Sherman, Texas, the hometown of Robert "Bob" Grammar Bush III. Bush was more than just a local lawyer; he was a force in the Texas House of Representatives for a decade. He served from 1977 to…
You're driving through Grayson County, near Sherman, where Joe Carter was born. He was a decorated fighter pilot in World War II, flying under General Jimmy Doolittle and earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the…
You're driving through North Texas, perhaps near Sherman, and you might be passing by the legacy of James Reid Cole. This educator and administrator came to Texas in 1866, taking a teaching post at McKenzie College. But…
You're driving through North Texas, maybe near Sherman. Right here, in the mid-1800s, lived Gustavus Everts. He arrived in Fannin County in 1844, just in time to help write Texas's first state constitution. Later, he…
You're driving through North Texas, and right here you're passing through the birthplace of Lynn Ford, a craftsman who turned scrap lumber into art. Born in Sherman in 1908, Ford learned woodworking from his father, a…
You're driving through North Texas, and right here in Sherman, Richard Moore Hall started his Texas journey in 1872. He was a lawyer, a rancher, and even served as Grayson County surveyor. But here's a fun tidbit: while…
You're driving through Sherman, Texas, a town that owes a lot to Jesse P. Loving. He wasn't just a politician and legislator; he was a mover and shaker right here in the late 1800s. In 1859, Loving became the very first…
You're driving through Grayson County, and right here in Sherman, you're passing the final resting place of a man nicknamed 'Chief.' Allison Mayfield served a remarkable twenty-six years on the Texas Railroad…
You're driving through Grayson County, Texas, near Sherman, where William Norvelle Mayrant began his Civil War service. He enlisted in 1861, serving as a scout and fighting in the Battle of Chustenahlah. Later, he…
You're driving through North Texas, maybe heading towards Sherman, and right here is a place that played a role in the life of Thornton Rogers Sampson. He wasn't just a minister; he was a linguistic genius, mastering…
You're driving through North Texas, and right here, the St. Louis, San Francisco and Texas Railway, or the Frisco, made its mark. Chartered in 1900, this line was built to connect Denison with the Red River, and soon…