238 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
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Bessie Coleman - Aviator
· Historical Marker
Born in Atlanta, Texas in 1892 and raised in Waxahachie, Bessie Coleman became the first Black woman and first Native American to hold a pilot's license, earned in France in 1921.
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Waxahachie - Gingerbread City
· Historical Marker
Waxahachie is famous for its Victorian gingerbread architecture and as the site of the cancelled Superconducting Super Collider, which would have been the world's largest particle accelerator.
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Hancock Building
· 0.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Hancock Building in Waxahachie, a Victorian commercial structure built in 1890. Look for the decorative brickwork and cast iron columns on the facade. It was purchased in 1907 by William Pitt…
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1889 Masonic Lodge Hall
· 0.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the 1889 Masonic Lodge Hall in Waxahachie. Look at this three-story brick building, topped with a tin cornice decorated with Masonic symbols. It was built in 1889 for Waxahachie Lodge No. 90. The…
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Thompson, Dr. D.G., Homesite of
· 0.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the homesite of Dr. D.G. Thompson, a prominent physician right here in Waxahachie. After studying medicine in Kentucky and training in the East, Dr. Thompson married Rufa Jones in 1882. He built this…
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First Presbyterian Church Building
· 0.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Waxahachie, and right here is the First Presbyterian Church building. Organized way back in 1871 by Reverend J.A. Smiley with just 16 members, this congregation has seen a few buildings. The first…
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St. Paul's Episcopal
· 0.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Waxahachie's oldest church, St. Paul's Episcopal. <break time="400ms"/> Dedicated way back in 1885 by pioneer Bishop A.C. Garrett, this building still stands as a testament to Gothic Revival…
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Rogers Street Bridge
· 0.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the old Rogers Street Bridge in Waxahachie. Built in 1889, this truss bridge was a crucial piece of infrastructure, connecting early settlers and a vital North-South commercial route.…
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Mahoney - Thompson House
· 0.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Mahoney-Thompson House in Waxahachie, a solid piece of local history. Built between 1902 and 1904 by Dennis Mahoney, a contractor who first came to Texas to build Trinity University. He laid the…
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N.P. Sims Library and Lyceum
· 0.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Waxahachie, and right here in Getzendaner Park, you're passing a building that was a pioneer among privately endowed Texas libraries. Captain W.H. Getzendaner donated this park back in 1895. But…
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Central Presbyterian Church
· 0.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Waxahachie's Central Presbyterian Church. It started way back in 1853 as a Cumberland Presbyterian congregation, with just twelve members led by Rev. Daniel G. Molloy. They met in a…
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Presiding Elder's House
· 0.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the former home of a Methodist presiding elder in Waxahachie. Built in 1901, this house served as the parsonage for the district superintendent for over 40 years. Mrs. M.J. Cooke initially had the…
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Bessie Coleman
· 0.4 mi · Historical Marker
(1892-1926) Born in Atlanta, Texas, pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman grew up and went to school in a Waxahachie neighborhood a few blocks north of this site. At age 23 she moved to Chicago and first expressed her desire…
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Hawkins House
· 0.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Hawkins House in Waxahachie. This home started as a simple, one-story structure built in 1851 by Benjamin Franklin Hawkins, a key figure in organizing Ellis County as part of the Peters Colony.…
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Hawkins, Eddy P., Home
· 0.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're cruising past the Eddy P. Hawkins home in Waxahachie. Hawkins, from a pioneer Ellis County family, built the first two rooms of this place right after he married Netta Carson in 1878. Fast forward to 1900, and he…
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Strickland - Sawyer House
· 0.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Waxahachie, and right here is a house with a story of Texas industry. In 1888, a widow built a home on this spot. Just one year later, it was bought by J.F. Strickland. He was a big deal—a…
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Williams - Erwin House
· 0.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Williams-Erwin House in Waxahachie, a beautiful example of Victorian architecture. Built in 1893 for cotton merchant Edward Williams, this home showcases the wealth generated by the booming…
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Waxahachie Cemetery
· 0.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Waxahachie Cemetery. The first burial here was on New Year's Day, 1852, for Silas Killough, a pioneer merchant and one of the town's founders. The land itself was donated back in 1858 by Emory…
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Marvin College, Site of
· 0.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Marvin College, founded right here in 1870 by the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Waxahachie residents pitched in with land, labor, and cash to build it up. This place earned acclaim…
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First United Methodist Church of Waxahachie
· 0.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Waxahachie, and right here is where a faith community planted its roots way back in 1849. Nine charter members, led by Reverend Falacius Reynolds, met in a settler's cabin to start a Methodist…
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Rosemont
· 0.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Rosemont, a true Victorian gem in Waxahachie. Built in 1894 for a whopping twelve thousand dollars, this 20-room mansion was a statement. Notice the wide verandas, the ten fireplaces with carved oak…
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Joshua Chapel, A.M.E. Church
· 0.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Joshua Chapel, an important landmark in Waxahachie's African American community. Organized in 1876, this congregation was named for its first pastor, the Reverend Joshua Goins, a man who started many…
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Oak Lawn School
· 0.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the former site of Oak Lawn School, a beacon for Black education in Waxahachie. It started in 1887 as an elementary school, moving to this very location in 1893. By the turn of the century, high…
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Dunlap - Simpson House
· 1.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past a truly unique home in Waxahachie, built back in 1890 and 1891. This isn't just any house; it's a fantastic example of Queen Anne Revival style, featuring two hexagonal rooms and two octagonal rooms!…
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H.P. and Mollie McCartney House
· 1.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're cruising through Waxahachie, and you might just pass a fairytale house! This French Eclectic home was built in 1939 for H.P. and Mollie McCartney. Noted Dallas architect Charles S. Dilbeck designed it, giving it…
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Nelson, John Byron, Jr.
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
John Byron Nelson, Jr., professional golfer, was born on his parents' cotton farm in Long Branch, Texas, near Waxahachie, on February 4, 1912. He was the son of John Byron Nelson, Sr., and Madge (Allen) Nelson. Nelson…
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Dawson, Ronald Monroe [Ronnie]
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
Ronald Monroe "Ronnie" Dawson, rockabilly singer, songwriter, and guitarist, was born in Waxahachie, Texas, on August 11, 1939, the son of bandleader and bass player Pinky Dawson (of the Manhattan Merrymakers) and…
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Rogers, Emory W.
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
Emory W. Rogers, pioneer, settler, philanthropist, Confederate officer, and businessman, was born in Alabama in 1813, to James and Mary (Speaks) Rogers. On September 16, 1833, Rogers married Nancy Clinton of South…
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Still, Rae Mandette Files
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, and right here is Waxahachie, home of Rae Files Still. She wasn't just a teacher; she was a force in the Texas House of Representatives for a decade. Still is best remembered for…
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Richards, Paul Rapier
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
Right here in Waxahachie, you're driving past the birthplace of Paul "Sleepy" Richards, a Major League Baseball player and manager. But what's really interesting is how this town shaped his love for the game. Back in…
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Forrest, Frederic Fenimore, Jr.
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Waxahachie, the hometown of actor Frederic Forrest. Born here in 1936, Forrest grew up a fan of Westerns, attending movies in town and eventually pursuing his own acting dreams. He studied with…
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Allen, Jules Verne
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through what was once the rugged West, and right here in Waxahachie, Texas, was born Jules Verne Allen, the original 'Singing Cowboy.' Before he hit the radio waves in the 1920s, Allen actually lived the…
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Blaffer, Sarah Campbell
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Texas, and right here, in Waxahachie, was born Sarah Campbell Blaffer, a woman who would bring world-class art to the Lone Star State. After a visit to the Louvre on her honeymoon, she began…
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Carrick, Manton Marble
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Waxahachie, and right here is where Dr. Manton Marble Carrick spent his formative years. He went on to become a pioneer in public health, serving as superintendent of the Texas State Leper Colony…
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Erwin, Frank Craig, Jr.
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Waxahachie, and right here is the hometown of Frank Erwin Jr. A lawyer and political player, Erwin became a titan at the University of Texas System. From 1963 to 1975, he chaired the Board of…
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Twelfth Texas Cavalry
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Texas, and right here, you're passing through the territory where the Twelfth Texas Cavalry was born. Organized in September of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1861</say-as> near…
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Bradshaw, Amzi
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, heading towards Waxahachie, where Amzi Bradshaw made his home. A lawyer and legislator, Bradshaw answered the call to arms in 1861, enlisting as a private in the Nineteenth Texas…
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Central Texas and Northwestern Railway
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, near Waxahachie. Back in the 1870s, the folks here were a bit stubborn. When the Houston and Texas Central Railroad wanted to build through, Waxahachie refused to offer any money,…
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Dawson, Joseph Martin
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through North Texas, near where Joseph Martin Dawson was born back in 1879. He was a Baptist pastor, but he was also a fierce social activist. In 1914, after reading the works of Walter Rauschenbusch,…
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Ferris, Justus Wesley
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Waxahachie, the town named for Justus Wesley Ferris. He arrived in Texas in 1847, drawn here after his law mentor died unexpectedly. Ferris became a prominent lawyer and judge, even authoring…
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Gibson, Charles Reese
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Waxahachie, a town that owes a lot to Charles Reese Gibson. After serving in the Confederate Army and practicing law, Gibson arrived here in 1867. He didn't just settle down; he built up the…
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Rainey, Anson
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through North Texas, passing through communities like Waxahachie and Dallas, places that were shaped by figures like Anson Rainey. He started his Texas journey in Crockett in 1867, then moved to…
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Southwestern Assemblies of God University
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Waxahachie, home to Southwestern Assemblies of God University. But this school has a history that stretches across state lines and multiple mergers. It began in 1927 as Southwestern Bible School…
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Waxahachie, TX
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Waxahachie, a town with a name that comes from an Indian word meaning 'cow' or 'buffalo.' It was established as the county seat of Ellis County back in August 1850. Early settlers like Emory W.…
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Kemble, Josiah Wright
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, near Waxahachie. Right here, Josiah Wright Kemble, a prosperous farmer and merchant, made a big decision around 1861. Fearing the Civil War's violence back in Kentucky, he packed up…
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Ellis County
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, a place established in December of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1849</say-as>. It was drawn from Navarro County and likely named for Richard Ellis, a key figure in the…
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McKnight, Samuel Ewell
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Central Texas, and right here in Waxahachie, Samuel Ewell McKnight got his start. Born in 1864, he worked the family ranch before heading out on his own around 1891 to lease land near Brady. He…
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McPherson, Chalmers
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through North Texas, and right here, in Waxahachie, Chalmers McPherson arrived in 1879. He was a minister with a vision, serving the Christian church for twenty years. But his real passion? Education.…
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Singleton, Albert Olin
· 1.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Waxahachie, the birthplace of Dr. Albert Olin Singleton. Born in 1882, Singleton went on to become a pioneering professor of surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He…
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Waxahachie Chautauqua Building
· 1.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of a cultural phenomenon that swept across America! Back in 1899, Waxahachie became a hub for Chautauqua assemblies, drawing huge crowds from all over. People would camp out for days,…
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Trippet-Shive House
· 1.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're cruising past the Trippet-Shive House in Waxahachie, a beautiful example of late 19th-century architecture. Banker H.W. Trippet finished this home in 1896, right around the turn of the century. Later, Walter…
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First Bapist Church of Waxahachie
· 2.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Waxahachie, and right here is the site of the First Baptist Church, a community cornerstone for over 150 years. It all started way back in 1861, with just twelve members meeting in the local…
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Staff Sgt. Felix M. Conde-Falcón Memorial Highway
· 2.5 mi · Historical Marker
This stretch of highway in the Ellis County area is named for Staff Sergeant Felix M. Conde-Falcón. Conde-Falcón was Puerto Rican-born, raised in Texas, drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War. In 1969, he…
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Ellis County Farm Cemetery
· 3.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Ellis County Farm Cemetery, also known as the Pauper Cemetery. This burial ground was part of a county farm established in the 1890s to support the needy. Between 1890 and 1946, it served as the…
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McKinney-Aday Farm House
· 3.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the McKinney-Aday Farm House near Waxahachie. Henry McKinney, a former Texas Ranger, moved to Ellis County and bought farmland in 1903. By 1913, he'd hired a builder to construct this impressive…
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Tubb, Ernest Dale
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, not far from where Ernest Tubb, the legendary "Gold Chain Troubador," was born in Crisp back in 1914. He learned guitar on his own, got a break from Jimmie Rodgers' widow, and landed…
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Burnham, TX
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, not far from Ennis. Right here, you're passing through the former site of Burnham. This community was platted in 1861 on a land grant, with streets and a public square donated by…
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Lyman's Wagontrain
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through what was once a critical flashpoint in the Red River War. Right here, in late August of 1874, Captain Wyllys Lyman found himself in a desperate situation. His wagontrain, tasked with resupplying…
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Smith, Thomas Ingles
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through what was once the wild Texas frontier, a land Thomas Ingles Smith knew well. Arriving in Texas in 1836, Smith fought with the Republic of Texas Army, served as a Texas Ranger, and even negotiated…
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Telico, TX
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, not far from Ennis. Right here is the site of Telico, a town that dreamed big in the mid-1800s. Originally called Trinity City, it was renamed Telico in the 1850s, inspired by a…
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Texas National Research Laboratory Commission
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, near the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, where a massive scientific endeavor once promised to put Texas on the map. Back in 1985, the Texas National Research Laboratory Commission was…
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Forreston, TX
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Forreston, Texas, a town with roots stretching back to the earliest days of settlement in this region. It all started around 1843 when William R. Howe arrived, making this spot the very first…
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Nineteenth Texas Cavalry
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through North Texas, the heart of where the Nineteenth Texas Cavalry was formed during the Civil War. Fear of the draft pushed many men to join this mounted regiment in March of 1862, hoping to keep their…
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Trumbull, TX
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving north of Ennis on I-45, and right here is the story of Trumbull. It started in 1872 as just a railroad switch, but it went through a few names before sticking. It was called 'Switch,' then 'Ghost Hill' –…
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Young, Harvey W.
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through what is now Ellis County, a place that saw a lot of action in the 19th century. Harvey W. Young arrived here in 1842 and quickly became a key figure. He served as the sheriff of Ellis County in…
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Auburn, TX
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, and right here, you're passing through what used to be Auburn. It all started in 1852 when over a hundred covered wagons arrived from Arkansas, drawn by the water of the North Fork…
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Avalon, TX (Ellis County)
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Avalon, a community that sprung up in the 1860s along Chambers Creek. Settlers like the John, Taylor, and Loyd families arrived, and it's said William John himself gave this place its name. By…
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Beall, James Andrew [Jack]
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, near Mountain Peak, the birthplace of James Andrew Beall. Born in 1866, Beall became a lawyer and a politician, serving in both the Texas Legislature and the U.S. Congress. But his…
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Byrd, TX (Ellis County)
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, southeast of Waxahachie, near where the community of Byrd used to be. It started out as Byron, a stop on the stagecoach route from Dallas to the Gulf Coast. Rube Warren built a store…
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Oak, TX
· 4.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, not far from Maypearl, and you might just pass the site of a community called Oak, also known as Oak Branch. It started in 1869 when Joshua and Sarah Higgins arrived from Alabama.…
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Sardis United Methodist Church
· 4.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Sardis, Texas, where Methodism has deep roots stretching back to 1845. That's when a traveling preacher named Thomas Welch first rode through this area, spreading the word. The formal congregation…
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Sardis School
· 4.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the Sardis School, a community hub for decades. Kids here first learned their lessons in the local Methodist church back in the early 1870s. By 1897, a dedicated schoolhouse went up…
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Sardis Cemetery
· 5.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Sardis Cemetery, where the earliest marked grave belongs to Susan Jane Rachael Kelly, who died in childbirth back in 1871. Early settler Robert Mayfield donated land for this burial ground, which…
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Texas HS Baseball Leaders 2026: Life Waxahachie (Waxahachie)
· 5.2 mi
Life Waxahachie (Waxahachie, TX) placed on the 4A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Shaun Malone (0.583 avg).
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Jefferson Dunaway Home
· 6.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Jefferson Dunaway Home, built in 1855. Jefferson Madison Dunaway built this home for his bride, Sarah Ann Brack. The stone for the chimneys was gathered right from the creek banks nearby, and…
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Parsons' Cavalry C.S.A.
· 7.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Waxahachie, and right here we remember Parsons' Cavalry. Back in September of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1861</say-as>, men from this county and beyond gathered near Rockett's Spring…
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Ellis County
· 7.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ellis County, Texas. It was carved out of Navarro County back on December 20th, 1849. The county was officially organized just a few months later, on August 5th, 1850. It’s named for Richard…
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Smith Cemetery
· 7.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Smith Cemetery, established back in 1852. It started as a burial place for pioneers on a lonely knoll, but today it overlooks nine urban areas. Nancy Owen Smith founded this spot for her family and…
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Bells' Chapel Cemetery
· 7.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Bells' Chapel Cemetery, founded way back in 1875. Local landowners John and Elizabeth Gibbons gave the land for the church and cemetery on December 27th of that year, deeding it to the Methodist…
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Bethel Methodist Church
· 7.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Bethel Methodist Church, a place with roots stretching back to 1853. It all started under a simple brush arbor at High Springs. Services moved around a bit, first to a log schoolhouse, then another…
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Rutherford's Crossing Bridge
· 7.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Rutherford's Crossing Bridge, built back in 1919 by the Texas Bridge Company for just over 500 bucks. Before this Warren Pony truss bridge went up, locals had to ford Red Oak Creek. That crossing was…
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Rockett Christian Church
· 7.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Rockett Christian Church, a building that's seen over a century of Texas history. The congregation started gathering way back in 1853, but they formally organized in 1894. This beautiful…
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Graves Cemetery
· 7.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Graves Cemetery, a final resting place for many of Ellis County's earliest pioneers. The first marked grave here belongs to Joseph Hinkle, who was laid to rest in 1859. His son-in-law, Robert Russell…
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Pecan Hill, TX
· 7.8 mi
Pecan Hill, cradled up here at 453 feet, always felt a little different. You can feel it in the way the breeze moves through the pecan trees that gave the place its name. Founded in the late 1800s, it was always a…
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Boren Cemetery
· 7.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Boren Cemetery, a final resting place for folks who settled this part of Texas. Michael Boren and his wife Mary Ann arrived here from Kentucky in 1847, bringing their children and enslaved people…
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Mount Zion Cemetery
· 8.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Mount Zion Cemetery, a place that holds the stories of early Ellis County. Back in the 1850s, an Indian who loved this hill met his end right here, killed by his own wild prairie horse. It was a…
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Oak Branch Cemetery
· 8.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Oak Branch Cemetery, a place born from a pioneer's generosity. Back in 1875, William M. Claunch donated twenty acres of his ranch for a Methodist Church, a campground, and this very cemetery. The…
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Red Oak Cemetery
· 8.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Red Oak Cemetery, which started life as the Kemble family burial ground. Abraham Kemble bought this land around 1860, and he and his wife Mary were laid to rest here in 1867. Decades later, in…
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Grady School, Site of
· 8.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the old Grady School, just outside Palmer. It started in 1895, built to educate the children of the pioneer Farrar family. The first building sat on a hill overlooking Red Oak Creek. By…
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Greathouse Community, Church, and Cemetery
· 8.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ellis County, passing the site of the old Greathouse community. It all started back in 1848 when Archibald and Mary Greathouse settled here, giving their name to the creek and the community. The…
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Nash Public School
· 8.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Forreston, and right here is the site of the Nash Public School. Back in 1873, pioneer Thomas Alexander Williams brought his family to Garden Valley and immediately set about establishing a school…
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Thomas C. Neel
· 8.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ennis, where the town's name has roots right here. Thomas C. Neel, a Georgia native, settled near here in 1855 with his wife, Willia. Their cotton and wheat plantation became known as Will's Town,…
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Fry - Butcher House
· 8.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're cruising past the Fry-Butcher House, a beautiful example of Queen Anne architecture right here in Red Oak. Sam and Sarah Jane Fry bought this land in 1882 and, with the help of carpenter Lewis Butcher, built this…
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Higgins, Michael Francis
· 9.3 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, not far from Red Oak, the birthplace of Michael Francis "Pinky" Higgins. He earned his nickname in a unique way, reportedly showing up for a sandlot football game wearing his clothes…
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Red Oak, TX
· 9.3 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving south of Dallas on I-35, and right here is Red Oak. This town started out as Possum Trot back in 1844, named for the critters that were everywhere. The first settlers were the James E. Patton family, who…
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Oak Leaf, TX
· 9.3 mi · Local history
Oak Leaf sits squarely on the Blackland Prairie, a long, fertile strip of dark, clay-rich soil that stretches down through Texas. This land, once covered in tall grasses and wildflowers, was prime cotton country. The…
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Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church
· 9.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ovilla, and right here is the site of the first organized church in Ellis County. The Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church congregation was chartered way back on July 25, 1847, two full years…
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Shiloh Cemetery
· 9.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Shiloh Cemetery, the final resting place for many of Ovilla's earliest settlers. Burials here began with Peters Colony pioneers who founded this town way back in 1844. Look closely, and you might…
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Ovilla Cemetery
· 9.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Ovilla Cemetery, established in 1886 by the Ovilla Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The earliest marked grave here is Rebecca Summers McElroy, who died in 1884. The cemetery remains a chronicle of…
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Ovilla
· 9.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Ovilla, one of Ellis County's oldest settlements. It started way back in 1844 as a fortified community right here on upper Red Oak Creek. Imagine that! Just a few years later, in 1847, the Shiloh…
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First Baptist Church of Ovilla
· 9.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ovilla, Texas, where the First Baptist Church has been a cornerstone of the community for over a century. Organized back in September of 1903, these early Baptists first gathered in a wooden…
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Midlothian, TX
· 10.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Midlothian, a town with roots stretching back to the 1840s. Originally known as Hawkins' Springs after a local spring, this community got its permanent name in the early 1880s. Legend has it a…
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Williams, Marc
· 10.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, the birthplace of Marc Williams, a pioneering cowboy singer who bridged the gap between the rough-hewn sounds of early Western music and the smooth crooning of Hollywood cowboys.…
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Chambers' Creek
· 10.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving by Chambers' Creek. This area was first granted land by the Mexican government in 1834 to Thomas Jefferson Chambers, a name you'll see on maps all over Texas. But before it was Chambers' Creek, settlers…
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Chris Kyle Memorial Highway
· 10.4 mi · Historical Marker
This stretch of US Highway 287 through Midlothian is named for Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle. Kyle was a rodeo kid from a small Texas town who joined the Navy and became the deadliest sniper in American military…
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Hawkins Spring, Site of Old
· 10.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Hawkins Spring, a vital water source for the very first settlers in this area. In May of 1848, William Alden Hawkins and his large family arrived here from Indiana. In a remarkable 28-day…
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First Methodist Church of Midlothian
· 10.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Midlothian, where Methodists have been gathering for worship since the 1840s. For decades, circuit-riding ministers traveled from Waxahachie to serve scattered families, meeting in homes and even…
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Trotter House
· 10.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're cruising past the Trotter House, a beautiful example of Arts and Crafts and Prairie School architecture. Built after 1918 for Jasper 'Jake' Preston Sewell Jr., this home was likely funded by oil dividends. Jake…
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Midlothian Cemetery
· 10.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Midlothian Cemetery, where the story of this town really begins. It all started with the Peters Colony, bringing settlers to Texas in the late 1840s. The Hawkins family arrived in 1848, and…
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Brindley, Paul
· 10.6 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving near Maypearl, Texas, the birthplace of Paul Brindley, a pathologist and professor who earned the nickname "Uncle Paul" from his students. He was the last of seven children and went on to earn his M.D.…
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Harkey - Payne House
· 10.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Harkey-Payne House, a home that's seen quite a bit of Texas history. Carpenter D. H. Harkey built the original four rooms around 1870. Then, in 1896, Dr. Johnson came along and added a whole…
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Ovilla, TX
· 10.9 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ovilla, Texas, the oldest town in Ellis County. Right here, settlers first gathered in 1844, not just for homes, but for protection in a fortified settlement. It grew around the Shiloh Cumberland…
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Newton Cemetery
· 10.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ellis County, and right here is Newton Cemetery, the final resting place for a true Texas pioneer. Larkin Newton arrived in Texas in 1848, joining his nephews who had settled earlier. But Larkin…
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The Sims Family of Ellis County
· 10.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Italy, Texas, and the Sims family story unfolds. These weren't just settlers; they were the bedrock of early Ellis County development. In 1851, Nicholas P. Sims and his family established their…
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Palmer, TX
· 10.9 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Palmer, Texas, a town that owes its existence to the rumble of a train. <break time="400ms"/> In 1872, the Houston and Texas Central Railway laid tracks right through this area, and soon after, a…
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First Baptist Church of Palmer
· 10.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Palmer, and right here is the site of the First Baptist Church. It all started on November 17th, 1873, when Reverend T.H. Durham preached the first sermon. Early services were held in members'…
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First Christian Church of Palmer
· 11.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Palmer, where a unique community effort in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1880</say-as> led to a shared church building. Members of the First Christian Church, originally organized here in…
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Midlothian Presbyterian Church
· 11.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Midlothian, where in 1911, two Presbyterian congregations merged to form the Midlothian Presbyterian Church. The new congregation built this sanctuary between 1913 and 1914. The church has a long…
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Hawkins, William L. and Emma, House
· 11.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the former home of William L. and Emma Hawkins, built right here in Midlothian. They bought this property back in 1892. Then, in 1901, they tore down the old place and hired a local wood artisan,…
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Glenn Heights, TX
· 11.2 mi
Glenn Heights may be a relatively young city, but it has its own quiet story to tell. Drive down I-35E today and you see the result of that late 20th-century growth spurt — homes and businesses that sprang up as people…
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Site of The Plantation Home of Edward H. Tarrant
· 11.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of a significant Texas frontier home. Edward H. Tarrant, a veteran of the War of 1812 and a renowned Indian fighter, built his house here in 1845. He was a statesman of vision and commanded…
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Polytechnic Institute, Site of
· 11.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the Polytechnic Institute, founded right here in 1883 by W.W. Works. Works was a respected educator from this area who even attended the University of Texas. He returned in 1892, and…
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Bardwell, TX
· 12.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, not far from Waxahachie, and you're passing through Bardwell. This community got its start in the early 1880s, not with a town square, but with a cotton gin built by John W.…
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Herring, Benjamin Oscar
· 12.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, and right here in Bardwell, Texas, is where Benjamin Oscar Herring was born in 1889. He became a Baptist pastor and a university administrator, but his biggest impact might be at…
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Old Lake Dam
· 12.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Old Lake Dam, built way back in 1891. Now, this wasn't just any old lake; it was a strategic move to bring the Houston and Texas Central Railroad's headquarters to Ennis. The railroad…
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Ozro Cemetery
· 12.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Ozro Cemetery, the last vestige of a town that vanished. Back in 1858, land was donated for a church and this burial ground. The earliest marked graves here date to 1870. By 1895, it served Nation…
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Rankin, Frederick Harrison
· 12.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site where Frederick Harrison Rankin lived out his long life in Texas. Born in Kentucky in 1795, Rankin was among the very first settlers to arrive with Stephen F. Austin's initial colony back in…
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Avalon Missionary Baptist Church
· 12.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Avalon Missionary Baptist Church, but this congregation started out as Mt. Nebo Baptist Church way back on July 6, 1879. Sixteen charter members, including families like the Martins, the…
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Myrtle Cemetery
· 12.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Myrtle Cemetery, a final resting place with roots stretching back to the very beginnings of Texas. The land was first deeded for burials in 1875, named for a child whose lone grave was part of the…
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Texas HS Baseball Leaders 2026: Avalon (Avalon)
· 13.0 mi
Avalon (Avalon, TX) placed on the 2A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Josh Novak (0.571 avg, 1 HR).
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Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
· 13.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Ennis. Organized in 1880 by residents who moved from Telico, the congregation was led in the early 1900s by Dr. C.A. Harris. In 1905,…
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Lummus, Andrew Jackson, Jr. [Jack]
· 13.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ennis, Texas, the hometown of Jack Lummus, a man who lived a life of extraordinary courage. Lummus was a star athlete, playing for both Baylor University and the New York Giants. But when World…
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National Polka Festival
· 13.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're rolling through Ennis, Texas, and right here is the heart of the largest Czech polka festival in the United States! First organized back in 1966, the National Polka Festival explodes every Memorial Day weekend.…
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Coronado, Sam Zaragosa, Jr.
· 13.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ennis, Texas, the birthplace of Sam Z. Coronado, Jr. Born in 1946, Coronado became a celebrated artist, educator, and cultural activist. After serving in the Army in Germany, he returned to Texas…
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Ennis, TX
· 13.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ennis, Texas, a town born from a railroad rivalry. Back in 1871, the Houston and Texas Central Railway reached this spot, and a new community was named for an official, Cornelius Ennis. But the…
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Ivery, Marchel Lee
· 13.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ennis, Texas, where jazz saxophonist Marchel Lee Ivery was born. Ivery grew up in a musical household, but it was hearing Charlie Parker that made him switch from trumpet to saxophone. After…
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Barley Home, H.P.
· 13.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the H.P. Barkley Home, a Victorian beauty built right here in Ennis back in 1892. Think elaborate gingerbread detailing! It was constructed by B.F. Sargeant for Barkley, who was a conductor and…
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Moore House
· 13.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Moore House in Ennis, a stunning example of Neoclassical Revival architecture built back in 1905. It was home to Malinda and Hardin T. Moore. Malinda was quite a force – widowed twice, she…
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Daffan, Lawrence Aylett
· 13.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ennis, Texas, a town that was home to Lawrence Daffan. Daffan was just 16 when he enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861, heading east to Virginia to join Hood's Texas Brigade. He fought in…
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Mikula, Josef Matej [Jodie]
· 13.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, and right here is the story of Josef Matej Mikula, known to everyone as Jodie. Born in Telico in 1918, Jodie was a Texas-Czech musician who became a legend in the polka world. He…
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Sharp, John Henry
· 13.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Robertson County, and right here is where John Henry Sharp got his start. Born in 1874, he grew up on a farm, studied law, and eventually became a judge. But what's really interesting is his…
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Central Texas League
· 13.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Central Texas, and right here, you're passing through the heart of what was once the Central Texas League. This was a minor league baseball circuit that ran from 1914 to 1917, but it was shaky…
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Rankin, Frederick Harrison
· 13.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through what was once Spanish Texas, and right here, you're near the lands granted to Frederick Harrison Rankin. He was one of Stephen F. Austin's Old Three Hundred colonists, arriving in 1822. By 1824,…
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Jack Lummus
· 13.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ennis, where a local farm boy became a national hero. Jack Lummus was born right here in Ellis County in 1915. He was good at sports, playing football for the New York Giants before joining the…
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Matthews - Atwood House
· 13.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ennis, and right here is the Matthews-Atwood House. In 1900, Pearl C. Matthews and his brother Will opened a second department store in Ennis, expanding their business from McKinney. Pearl and his…
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DeSoto High School (Von Miller)
· 13.4 mi
DeSoto High School in DeSoto, Texas (600 Eagle Drive) is where Von Miller was district defensive MVP before becoming a pass-rushing legend. He won the Butkus Award at Texas A&M as the nation's top linebacker, then was…
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DeSoto - 2025 Texas 6A Division II state football champion
· 13.4 mi · Sports News
You're near DeSoto High School in DeSoto. Last December, they took down Sheldon C.E. King fifty-five to twenty-seven to win the Texas 6A Division II state football championship. They wear that crown until this December,…
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UIL 6A Football State Champions — 4 titles
· 13.5 mi
Desoto High School (DeSoto, TX): Most recent: 55-27 over Sheldon King · 2025 6A Division 2 final.
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Burnam Square and Cemetery
· 13.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Burnam Square, a town that vanished thanks to a railroad. In 1856, William and Edeline House bought this land for the price of a slave named John. After her husband died, Edeline laid out…
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Ennis, Town of
· 13.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ennis, a town born on the railroad in 1872. Originally a market town on the Houston & Texas Central Railway, it was named for a railway official, Cornelius Ennis. Ennis quickly became a hub,…
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Ennis City Hall
· 13.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Ennis City Hall, a building that's served this community since 1915. Look at that Classical Revival style, designed by Hix McCanless, a Tennessee native who became Ennis's top architect and city…
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Ennis National Bank
· 13.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the historic Ennis National Bank building, constructed way back in 1883. That same year, the bank opened its doors with Joseph Baldridge at the helm. For over thirty years, until 1917, the bank ran…
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Southern Pacific Railroad in Ennis
· 13.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ennis, a town born from the railroad. Back in 1887, this spot became the northern end of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad line. The city itself was named for Cornelius Ennis, an early…
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Daffan, Katie
· 13.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Ennis home of Katie Daffan, a woman who wore many hats in early 20th-century Texas. She started as a teacher, then became an author, writing books including a Texas history textbook. For years,…
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Railroads in Ennis
· 13.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ennis, a town that owes its very existence to the railroad. The Houston and Texas Central Railroad laid tracks nearby in 1871, and the very next year, Captain W. G. Veale platted this town along…
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Elm Branch Cemetery
· 13.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Elm Branch Cemetery, a quiet resting place for generations of Ellis County settlers. The earliest marked burial here is Martha R. Tidwell, who died way back on November 28, 1877. This rural community…
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Winniford House
· 13.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Winniford House, a testament to Texas grit and good design. William Johnson Winniford arrived here in 1853, chasing opportunity after a stint in the California Gold Rush. He homesteaded 320…
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Hardeman, John Marr
· 13.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the marker for John Marr Hardeman, a soldier who fought for Texas independence in 1836. He was born way back in Tennessee in 1804, but he made his life here in Texas. Hardeman lived a long life,…
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Italy, TX
· 14.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Italy, Texas, a town with a name that might surprise you. Back in 1879, settlers were debating what to call this new spot. Some wanted Houston Creek, others Egypt. But it was Gabriel Penn, a…
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Meharg, Emma Grigsby
· 14.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Italy, Texas, a town that was home to Emma Grigsby Meharg, the first woman to ever serve as Texas Secretary of State. Appointed in 1925 by Governor Miriam Ferguson, Meharg served for two years,…
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Watson, Benjamin William
· 14.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, near Italy, Texas, where Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Watson commanded the Nineteenth Texas Cavalry during the Civil War. Watson, a plantation owner who arrived in the 1850s, helped…
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Tarrant, General Edward H.
· 14.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the final resting place of General Edward H. Tarrant, a man who saw action in the War of 1812. Born in North Carolina in 1796, Tarrant moved to Texas and became a courageous Indian fighter. He also…
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Texas HS Baseball Leaders 2026: Ennis (Ennis)
· 14.2 mi
Ennis (Ennis, TX) placed on the 5A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Keno Castillo (0.459 avg, 1 HR); Kevin Rodriguez (3 HR).
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Aurburn Cemetery
· 14.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ellis County, near the site of what was once the thriving farming community of Auburn. Pioneer settlers used this cemetery as early as 1856, and it was later part of land deeded for a school and…
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Italy - Because the Founder Said So
· 14.3 mi · Historical Marker
Italy is a small town in Ellis County, just south of Dallas off Interstate 35. It was platted in 1879 along the railroad. The founder, a man named John Tucker, had recently traveled in Europe, and he decided that the…
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Duff, Virginia Elizabeth
· 14.5 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ellis County, and right here is the story of Virginia Elizabeth Duff. Born in Ferris in 1920, she grew up with a family steeped in Texas politics. After graduating from Trinity University and…
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Rawlins Homestead
· 14.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the Rawlins Homestead, a place that served travelers on the road between Waxahachie and Dallas. Roderick A. Rawlins, a Confederate officer, started building this house in 1855. After the…
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Ferris, TX
· 14.5 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Ferris, a town that put itself on the map thanks to the dirt beneath its feet. <break time="400ms"/> Founded in 1874 along the new Houston and Texas Central Railway, Ferris quickly became known…
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Edgewood Cemetery
· 14.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Edgewood Cemetery in Lancaster, the final resting place for some of Dallas County's earliest settlers. Look for the grave of Lizzie Richardson, a pioneer child who died way back in the summer of 1845…
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Ferris, City of
· 14.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ferris, a town with roots stretching back to 1851. That's when the Ephriam Andrews family and their in-laws, the McKnights, settled this area on purchased land. By 1874, the Andrews family deeded…
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Desoto, TX
· 14.7 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Desoto, a community that started life as "the Store." It all began in the 1840s when families like the Parks, Cheshier, Ramsey, and Johnson settled here. In 1848, T.J. Johnson built the first…
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First Christian Church of Lancaster
· 14.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the First Christian Church of Lancaster. Back on July 5, 1846, Roderick Rawlins and thirteen other settlers started this Christian fellowship. For years, they met in homes and a simple…
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First Presbyterian Church of Ferris
· 14.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ferris, and you're passing the site of the First Presbyterian Church. This congregation started way back in 1858 with just 13 members. They moved to this spot in 1875, and the building you see…
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Phillip R. Pierce
· 15.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the resting place of Phillip R. Pierce, a soldier who fought for Texas's independence. Born in North Carolina in 1813, Pierce later joined the Madisonville Cavalry, Texas Volunteers. He served during…
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Lancaster Education
· 15.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Lancaster, a town with a rich educational history! Back in 1846, the very first log schoolhouse was built just a mile north of here. As the community grew, so did its schools. By 1868, African…
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Lancaster, TX (Dallas County)
· 15.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving south of Dallas, and right here in Lancaster, you're passing through a town that played a small but significant role in the Civil War. In 1861, a volunteer company from Lancaster was raised and joined the…
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Lavender, Margaret Hall Little
· 15.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Dallas County, near Lancaster, where Margaret Hall Little Lavender arrived in 1845. She and her husband William traveled all the way from Illinois as part of the Peters Colony's push to settle…
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Confederate Arms Factory
· 15.1 mi · Historical Marker
As you drive through Lancaster, look for the site of the Confederate Arms Factory. In 1862, Joseph Sherrard, William Killem, Pleasant Taylor, and John Crockett established this factory. Their mission? To manufacture…
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Strain, W. A., Home
· 15.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're cruising past the former home of W.A. Strain, built in the late 1890s. Strain's pioneer family had already owned this land since 1846. Noted Dallas architect James E. Flanders designed this frame Victorian house,…
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Venus, TX
· 15.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Venus, Texas, but did you know this town used to be called Gossip? It wasn't until the late 1880s that J. C. Smyth bought land and laid out the town lots, renaming it Venus in honor of a local…
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Cedar Hill, TX (Floyd County)
· 15.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Floyd County, and right here is the spot where Cedar Hill began. Settlers started arriving in the late 1880s, drawn to the wheat farming in this part of the Caprock escarpment. A schoolhouse…
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First United Methodist Church of Lancaster
· 15.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the First United Methodist Church of Lancaster, a North Texas institution tracing its roots back to 1868. Organized by Reverend Andrew Davis, services first gathered in the Masonic Hall. Imagine, if…
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Cedar Hill
· 15.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Cedar Hill, one of Dallas County's oldest settlements. Back in the late 1840s, settlers were drawn to this high prairie hill, establishing a community. The early economy thrived by supporting…
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Lancaster
· 15.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Lancaster, a town with roots going back to 1844. It was officially established around 1852 by A. Bledsoe and his son-in-law, Roderick Rawlins, who patterned it after Bledsoe's grandfather's…
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First United Methodist Church of Ferris
· 15.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Ferris, a town that sprung up around the Houston & Texas Central Railway back in 1874. Right here is the site of the First United Methodist Church. Circuit-riding ministers first served this…
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Head House
· 15.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Lancaster, and right here, you're passing the former site of the Head House. Lucy Frances Jeffries, a Virginia transplant, discovered her true talent wasn't just raising four kids, but cooking!…
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Roberts House, Dr. R. A.
· 15.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Roberts House, a beautiful example of late Victorian architecture right here in Cedar Hill. This home was built in 1884 by Dr. R. A. Roberts, a North Carolina native who settled in this area back…
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First Presbyterian Church of Lancaster
· 15.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the First Presbyterian Church of Lancaster. It all started in 1856, when Reverend Michael Dickson and just nine members gathered in a small workshop to get this church off the ground. For…
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Rocky Crest School
· 15.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Rocky Crest School, a vital part of African American education in Lancaster. In 1868, this school opened its doors in a former Confederate pistol factory, serving 73 students. Imagine…
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First Baptist Church of Lancaster
· 15.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the First Baptist Church of Lancaster, but its story starts way back in the 1840s, with Baptists meeting in private homes. Then, on September 29th, 1867, fourteen people officially organized the…
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First United Methodist Church of Cedar Hill
· 15.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the First United Methodist Church of Cedar Hill. This congregation got its start way back in 1854. Their very first church building didn't last long – a tornado ripped it apart in 1856! They rebuilt…
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St. Paul Freewill Baptist Church
· 15.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of St. Paul Freewill Baptist Church in Lancaster. This congregation was organized in 1870, born from the community of freed Black Texans after the Civil War. Land was acquired in the late…
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Shedeur Sanders at Trinity Christian School
· 15.6 mi · Sports Alumni
At Trinity Christian School in Cedar Hill, Shedeur Sanders threw to a soundtrack of his father's voice. Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders ran the offense as coordinator from 2017 through 2019, and together they…
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Nance Farm
· 15.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Nance Farm, a place that's been in the same family for a century. Otway Nance arrived here from Kentucky in 1851, settling on land acquired through Peters Colony. He started building this…
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Pleasant Run
· 16.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Pleasant Run, a town that nearly was! Madison Miller arrived here in 1846, a Texas Ranger who’d served with Bigfoot Wallace. He settled down, married, and opened a store in his home,…
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St. Paul Cemetery
· 16.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the St. Paul Cemetery, a place that started as a burial ground for early settlers, with graves dating back to 1875. The land here was deeded to the Mountain Creek School community in 1881. Later, in…
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Texas HS Baseball Leaders 2026: Lancaster (Lancaster)
· 16.8 mi
Lancaster (Lancaster, TX) placed on the 6A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Jason Gardner (0.449 avg).
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Bristol School
· 17.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the Bristol School. The community's first school started in a multi-purpose building here in 1870, with the district officially established in 1877. Later schools were built in 1886 and…
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Little Bethel Cemetery
· 17.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Little Bethel Cemetery, where the story starts with tragedy. Two small children were buried here back in 1856, opening this resting place. The oldest stone you'd see today belongs to Etna Barker,…
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The Daniel Cemetery
· 17.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Daniel Cemetery, the final resting place for some of southwest Dallas County's earliest settlers. The first person buried here, back in 1853, was Fannie P. Daniel, daughter-in-law of Rev. Ellison…
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Lowrey - Hurst Homestead
· 17.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the Lowrey-Hurst homestead, a farm that stayed in the same family for over a hundred years. James Barker Lowrey bought this land back in 1881. His son Nicholas took over farming and…
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Penn Springs
· 17.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Penn Springs, a place that's been a vital stop for travelers for centuries. Long before settlers arrived, Native Americans used these springs. Then, wagon trains and cattle drives on the Shawnee…
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Trees Cemetery
· 17.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Duncanville, passing the site of the Trees Cemetery. Crawford Trees arrived in Texas in 1845, eventually buying over 5,000 acres. He and his wife Anna donated land for a school and church, but…
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Wilmer, TX
· 17.6 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Wilmer, Texas, a town that started as a railroad stop called Prairie Valley. It got its current name in 1884, named after a Houston and Texas Central conductor who passed through. By 1890, it was…
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David W. Carter High School, Dallas (Michael Crabtree)
· 18.1 mi
David W. Carter High School in Dallas (1819 West Wheatland Road) is where Michael Crabtree played quarterback before converting to receiver. At Texas Tech he set NCAA freshman records with 1,962 receiving yards and 22…
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Duncanville HS - Bryson Kennedy Transfer Ruling
· 18.2 mi · Sports News
You're rolling through Duncanville, home of one of the most decorated football programs in Texas. Earlier this year, the Panthers nearly landed a six-foot-three sophomore quarterback named Bryson Kennedy. Kennedy…
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Wheatland Methodist Church
· 18.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Wheatland Methodist Church, a testament to faith in early Texas. Founded way back in 1847, just a year after Texas became a state, this church holds a significant title: it's the oldest Methodist…
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Penn Springs, TX
· 18.3 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Duncanville, right in the heart of Dallas County. Just imagine, this spot was once known as Penn Springs, a vital watering hole for travelers heading west. Back in the day, two natural springs…
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Daniel, Ruby Kathryn
· 18.3 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving near Duncanville, the birthplace of Dr. Ruby Kathryn Daniel. She wasn't just any eye surgeon; she was a global medical pioneer. After training at the Mayo Clinic and teaching in China and India, Dr.…
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Duncanville, TX
· 18.3 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Duncanville, a Dallas suburb. This town owes its start to a railroad switch, named for a line foreman. In 1880, the Chicago, Texas and Mexican Central Railway reached this area and built Duncan…
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Music Room
· 18.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of a small but important piece of Duncanville history! Back in 1887, folks were pretty resistant to building a new school, worried about taxes. But six citizens stepped up and funded it…
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Southwestern Presbyterian Home and School for Orphans
· 18.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the Southwestern Presbyterian Home and School for Orphans in Itasca. It all started in Dallas with a few church women caring for four children whose father had died. That act of kindness…
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First United Methodist Church of Duncanville
· 18.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the First United Methodist Church of Duncanville. This congregation actually started as a Union Sunday School way back in 1882, just after the railroad arrived. For a few years, classes met at Union…
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First Christian Church of Duncanville
· 18.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the First Christian Church of Duncanville. Its story begins in the early 1890s, with informal services led by a preacher from nearby Lancaster. By 1893, Robert N. Daniel and his wife…
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McDaniel, James
· 18.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the resting place of James McDaniel, a veteran of the Texas Revolution. Born in Alabama in 1810, McDaniel came to Texas and served in the army in 1836, the very year Texas won its independence. He…
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Jordan, Thomas J.
· 18.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the final resting place of Thomas J. Jordan, a soldier who fought for Texas's independence in 1836. Born in Tennessee in 1808, Jordan lived a long life, passing away in 1880. His wife, Stacy Choate…
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Milford Cemetery
· 18.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Milford Cemetery, a final resting place for generations of Ellis County pioneers. It all started back in 1853 when W.R. Hudson and J.M. Higgins settled here, laying out the townsite of Milford just a…
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Duncanville
· 18.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Duncanville, a town that owes its very existence to the railroad. Back in the 1880s, this area was just farmland, but then the Chicago, Texas & Mexican Central Railroad decided to build a line…
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Alma
· 18.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Alma, a town that owes its very name to a little girl. The first settlers arrived here way back in 1848. But it wasn't until 1871, when the railroad came through, that Alma officially got its…
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First Baptist Church of Milford
· 19.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Milford, and right here is the site of the First Baptist Church, chartered way back in 1855. It started with just eleven members meeting at a doctor's home. The first pastor, Reverend J.M. Perry,…
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Milford Presbyterian Church
· 19.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Milford, and just off the road stands Milford Presbyterian Church, organized way back in June 1855. It started with 16 members and was one of only four Presbyterian churches within a massive…
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Carnohan, Harry Peyton
· 19.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through North Texas, maybe near Milford, where artist Harry Carnohan got his start. After studying art in Dallas and Chicago, he spent over four years in Europe, soaking up modernist ideas. Back in…
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Milford, TX
· 19.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Milford, a community that owes its start to a bit of foresight and a bargain. Back in the 1850s, settlers bought land for just fifty cents an acre. Then, in 1854, men like William R. Hudson laid…
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Estes Cemetery
· 19.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Estes Cemetery, which began as a family burial ground for Sarah and James Estes when they moved to Tarrant County in the mid-1850s. The earliest marked grave is Sarah's, from 1857. By 1867, the…
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Saint James A.M.E. Church
· 19.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Milford, and right here stands Saint James A.M.E. Church, Milford's oldest African-American church and building. It all started back in 1883, organized by Reverend Joshua Goins, Sr. Services first…
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Site of Fort Smith
· 19.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Fort Smith, established around 1846. This was one of a chain of forts built to protect settlers from Indian raids, stretching all the way from the Colorado River to the Red River. The…
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Alma, TX
· 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Alma, Texas, a community with roots stretching back to the early 1840s. <break time="400ms"/> It all started with settlers like Thomas Smith, who claimed land around a spot called Willow Pond.…
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Hutchins, William J.
· 19.5 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through what is now Dallas County, heading towards Hutchins, a town named for a man who shaped Texas railroads. William J. Hutchins arrived in Texas in 1844, quickly becoming a major player in Houston's…
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Hutchins, TX
· 19.5 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving south of Dallas, and right here is Hutchins. Settlement began around 1860, with folks crossing the Trinity River at Dowd's Ferry to trade. The town really got its name and a boost when the Houston and…
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UIL 6A Football State Champions — 2 titles
· 19.6 mi
Duncanville High School (Duncanville, TX): Most recent: 49-33 over Galena Park North Shore · 2023 6A Division 1 final.
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Texas HS Baseball Leaders 2026: Duncanville (Duncanville)
· 19.6 mi
Duncanville (Duncanville, TX) placed on the 6A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Braylon Hubbard (6 HR); Raul Lomas (5 HR).
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First Methodist Church of Hutchins
· 19.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Hutchins, a town born from the railroad back in 1872. Just a few years later, in December of 1887, the First Methodist Church got its start. Reverend John M. Davis and eight members gathered in a…
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Duke Cemetery
· 19.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through the Willow Springs Community, near Alvarado. Look to your right for the Duke Cemetery. It began in 1870 when the Duke family buried their ten-year-old daughter, Zilla, on their farm. By 1879, Dr.…
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First Baptist Church of Hutchins
· 19.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the First Baptist Church of Hutchins. The town itself sprang up around 1860, but these Baptists were meeting privately, or with other congregations, for decades. Finally, in September of…
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Telico Cemetery
· 19.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Telico Cemetery, a quiet reminder of early pioneer life right here in Ellis County. The first burial was Rev. William J. Kirkpatrick, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister, who died way back on May 1st,…
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Telico Church, The
· 19.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Telico Church, a building with a story as enduring as its architecture. Built in 1867 as Kirkpatrick Presbyterian, this sanctuary has seen a lot of life. It even served as a Baptist church for…
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Hutchins Memorial cemetery
· 19.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Hutchins Cemetery, a resting place for generations of Dallas County pioneers. The earliest marked burial here is Alonzo B. Clark, who died in 1875 at just eleven years old. This historic…
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Oak Cliff Presbyterian Church
· 19.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Dallas, and right here is the Oak Cliff Presbyterian Church. It all started way back in 1890 with just seventeen members. Over the years, this church grew, moving from Ninth and Patton streets to…