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WHITESBORO,
TEXAS
AKA Whitesborough
Grayson County,
North Central Texas
Highways 56, 377 and 82, and Loop 441
15 Miles E of Gainesville
15 Miles W of Sherman
80 Miles N of Dallas
Population: 3,760 (2000)
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Downtown
Whitesboro
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2007 |
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History in
a Pecan Shell:
Whitesboro's namesake was Ambrose B. White who moved into the area
(then named Wolfpath) in the late 1840s. But the White family wasn't
the first to arrive. The honor of "first settler" went to Robert Diamond.
From 1858 - 1861 the White family ran White's Westview Inn which was
a stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail route. The community was then
comprised of about 14 families living in a small cluster of homes.
The town applied for a post office under the name Whitesborough in
1860. After the Civil War the influx of Southerners to Texas seemed
to congregate at Whitesborough, bringing the town notoriety. Gunplay
was frequent and townsfolk spent their Saturday nights in the safety
of their homes. The town had a respectable population of 500 in 1873.
By the late 1870s the town had received a railroad connection through
the MKT (the first out-of-state railroad to enter Texas).
Although it had prviously been incorporated, in1887 the town was reincorporated
under the simplified name of Whitesboro. |
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Bones Chapel
NW of Whitesboro
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2007 |
A closed church
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2007 |
The population
in 1900 was around 1,200 which increased to 1,810 by 1920 when the
town had a second railroad connection. The population of Whitesboro
declined during the Great Depression and WWII - but by the late 50s
it had returned to the level of the 1920 census. By the late 60s it
was 2,985 and has slowly increased to the present 3,760.
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Architectural
detail
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2007 |
Whitesboro
City Hall
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2007 |
Whitesboro,
Texas Forum
Subject:
Remembering Whitesboro
I love living in small towns, and though I've moved to a medium
sized City, I still live out in the country since it's where I feel
most comfortable. I had found your site while googling Texas small
towns, since I've lived in a few and have enjoyed reading about
the towns I used to live in. (Small list: DeSoto, Ferris, Whitesboro,
and Kerens) There was a
small gap between '94 and '95 when I moved up to Massachusetts to
stay with my grandmother for a year. Here's some small memories
about Whitesboro from me:
I loved their Peanut Festival! They have some pictures on
their website of it. I remember being in KAD (Kids Against Drugs)
and marching in the festival one year. I was also in the band, and
remember when the Middle School was a part of the High School, and
the 6th grade band joined the High School band for one football
game during half time. I also remember in the 3rd grade, when Good
Morning America filmed their opening from our school. We all wore
our pep-rally shirts, stood out on the bleachers of the football
field, and sang "Oh What A Beautiful Morning" back when it was Paula
Zahn and Harry. If I remember correctly, I belive one year the band
placed 1st in the district.
I do hope more people send in information on their home towns; I
know there's nothing more insightful than personal experiences and
knowledge. - Sherryl Trowbridge (now Sherryl LaPrad), December
16, 2006
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Anyone wishing to share history, stories or photos of Whitesboro,
Texas, please contact
us.
Copyright John Troesser
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