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History in
a Pean Shell
Named for Judge Justus W. Ferris of Waxahachie,
for his community service, the town was born with the arrival of
the Houston and Texas Central Railroad in 1874. The McKenzie family,
who had settled in the region since the 1850, donated land for the
railroad's right-of-way. Before long, the town was thriving with
a post office and general store - both opening the same year the
railroad arrived (1874).
By the mid 1880s, Ferris had a population of 300 with schools and
four churches. The town incorporated in the early 1890s when the
population was 350 and it had nearly 20 businesses.
The available
clay gave the town a brick industry. Led by the Ferris Brick Company,
there were five other companies of various size. From 901 people
in 1904, the population increased to 1,586 in 1925.
The Great Depression
and World War
II had the same effect on Ferris as most smaller Texas towns
and by the end of the war it had declined (slightly) to 1,436. But
by 1952, it had increased to 1,734 and to 1,807 by 1964. The brick
industry was still thriving in the 1950s with four plants in operation.
Although the
number of businesses decreased, the population increased - reaching
2,228 by the end of the 1980s - about the same as today. The town's
proximity to Dallas has
always affected the town's prosperity - perhaps more today than
in the past.
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