| |
| Photo
courtesy Stephen Michaels, February 2004 |
| Photo
courtesy Stephen Michaels, February 2004 |
| Photo
courtesy Stephen Michaels, February 2004 |
| Photo
courtesy Stephen Michaels, February 2004 |
The
1888 Aston Building
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, October 2007 |
The
1890 W. H. May Building
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, October 2007 |
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 |
History in
a Pecan Shell
It may come as no surprise that the first settlers of this town were farmers.
The town drew the population of the smaller settlement of Sugar Hill (2 miles
NE) in 1854. The town was granted a post office in 1857. The land for the town
square was donated by one William Gotcher in 1859 and the town incorporated 14
years later.
In 1855 the Little Flock Primitive Baptist Church was organized,
followed by the First Methodist Church the next year. The First Baptist Church
was organized in 1865. Private schools were in operation in the 1860s and the
first public schools opened about 30 years later. A weekly newspaper, the Times
started publishing in 1885.
After the arrival of the railroad, the town
became a shipping point for vegetables and bois d’arc fence posts. In 1980 the
town began “Old Time Saturday” which is an event that remembers pre-television
Texas.
Audie Murphy was born nearby and lived in Farmersville
before his enlistment. The local library has a collection of Murphy memorabilia
in a designated room. Farmersville owns its own electrical system. One of the
town’s first generators is on display in the park next to the library.
Farmersville’s post office exhibits a Depression-era
mural painted by Jerry Bywaters. |
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|
The restored 1930's Onion Shed downtown. "we use it for our monthly Farmers
and Fleas Market and all sorts of other events." - Farmersville Main Street
|
Audie
Murphy Memorial
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, October 2007 |
| Historical
marker: Recently added to downtown, this state marker celebrates Audie Murphy's
homecoming to Farmersville in 1945 (which was covered by Life Magazine). Photo
courtesy Farmersville Main Street | |
|
