Waxahachie: A Breath Of Fresh Air

My wife and I took a 'mini-vacation' to Waxahachie several weeks ago, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Ellis County either trying 'hole-in-the-wall' restaurants or wandering around the region's many historical and cultural points of interest. All, I would recommend visiting Waxahachie and appreciating the vibrant atmosphere of Central Texas. Below, I have written a brief history of Waxahachie and shared some photographs from our wonderful trip.

The sun shines brightly on the beautiful Ellis County Courthouse, the heart of Waxahachie.

The earliest inhabitants of the South Dallas region were the Tonkawa, Bidai, Kickapoo, Anadarko, and Waco Indians. The Natives' settlements were large and their economies heavily relied on agriculture and trading. Due to the Shawnee Cattle Trail, where ranchers moved longhorns and cattle from San Antonio to Missouri, an influx of settlers moved to the area after the 1836 Texas Revolution. One of the first white settlers was Emory W. Rogers, who, on October 4, 1849, received a grant of 640-acres along the north-fork of the Waxahachie Creek to establish the seat of the newly-created Ellis County (the county is named after Richard Ellis, president of the 1836 Constitutional Congress which had declared Texas' independence from Mexico). By December of 1849, Waxahachie boosted several wood-built stores, 989 people, and a dirt-tracked Main Street. The first courthouse was built of logs and cost only $59 to construct. The City of Waxahachie, located on the black waxy soiled banks of Waxahachie Creek, was officially established in 1850. The name of the new community was proposed by State Representative E.H. Tarrant from the Waxah Indian Tribe (Tarrant County is named in his honor) and the Native word for creek is 'hachie.' Following the Civil War, Waxahachie's economy relied on agriculture and cattle. The first railroads in the county in the 1870s, including the Houston & Texas Central Railway, opened Waxahachie's trading tentacles and connected the people of Central Texas to traders in New Orleans and on the Gulf Coast. At the turn of the twentieth century, prosperous Waxahachie was suitably dubbed the "Banner Cotton County of the World." Owing to a thriving economy, the city saw a herd of wealthy individuals settle on its lands in the 1910s and 1920s, whom built grand "gingerbread" style homes. The city's social life rested heavily on churches, boarding houses, and women's clubs. The Chautauqua Auditorium, an octagonal amphitheater built in 1902, was one of the first in the United States and was frequently used by the city's wealthiest elites. Distinguished orators, such as William Jennings Bryan and William Penn Adair Rogers spoke in this structure. After the 1930s Great Depression, Waxahachie's once-prominent agricultural economy scaled back, making way for a flourishing retail center. Although the cotton industry is gone, today's Waxahachie provides city-goers from Dallas and Fort Worth a breath of fresh country air, plus a variety of fantastic antique shops and local restaurants. 

A section of the Downtown Square. Note the old Texas Movie Theater, which possibly drew huge crowds of hormone-raging teenagers in the 1950s and 1960s (the theater is now closed).

Waxahachie has also been featured in several award-winning films, including Travelling Man (starring Kay Lenz), Valentine's Day (starring Matthew Broderick and William Converse Robert), and Bonnie and Clyde (with the legendary duo Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty). Moreover, TV producers have filmed their television flicks in Ellis County, including The All-American Cowboy (with Charlie Pride) and Of Mice and Men (starring Randy Quaid and Robert Blake). It is of little surprise that filmmakers chose the quiet, picturesque Waxahachie for their flicks' backdrop since the 'ole Texas town is beautiful! Since I am talking about Waxahachie's colorful Hollywood past, it is necessary to bring up the town's prepossessing structures; in particular, the Ellis County Courthouse, located in Waxahachie's Town Square. The building, which was completed in 1897, was flawlessly designed by James Riely Gordon, a New York architect, in a 'Richardsonian Romanesque' style. Marshall Sanguinet, an architect from Fort Worth, was the supervisor during construction. Red limestone from Burnet County as well as pink granite and Pecos red sandstone from a quarry near Barstow were used to coat the building's exterior. The roof was meticulously pieced as ten thousand slate and ceramic tiles were laid that gave way to an imposing clock tower (the tower is now powered by electricity and has a windup of 250 pounds!). A group of bronze eagles finished the tower. The most striking features of the attractive courthouse were the stone carvings in the walls that appeared to be faces. I admired the pair of lion heads over the south entrance. Depictions of the 'Greek Man,' an elderly man, and young woman donning a pillbox hat grace the courthouse's other entrances. Usually, carvings like these are found on oldish-European churches, which gives us the clear impression that Gordon strategically designed this courthouse to be stunning, exquisite, and exuding a powerful tone. I was impressed at the courthouse's interior, which consisted of paneled walls, metal grates, and arching ceilings. The people of Waxahachie appear to have great pride in their county's courthouse since they agreed to pay for a building restoration in 2002, which cost $10 million. The nine-story courthouse proudly stands as a testament to the county's growing pride and political influence in the southern part of Dallas.

My Kia Soul, Winston, sits in front of Waxahachie's train depot. The railroads played an instrumental role in the city's economic growth at the end of the nineteenth century. The last train departed from this depot in 1989.

Information from Waxahachie's city website & various flyers from the County Courthouse/Museum.

All photographs from the author's personal collection.

A group of stone carvings on the Ellis County Courthouse. Some of the heads looked creepy...

Waxahachie has many colorful, cute murals. This one depicts the city's cotton past.

My wife and I treated ourselves to a lunch at Pop's Burger Stand, a local diner that sells fantastic & juicy cheeseburgers (the shakes were great too!). I felt as if I was stepping back in time and re-living the diner experience of the 1950s (the restaurant wall's were covered with car antiques and retro decorations).

The Ellis County Museum is located on the Downtown Square. This building (constructed in 1889) originally housed retail stores and professional offices. Although most of the museum was being renovated at the time of our visit, the exhibitions they did have were fantastic and insightful. Definitely worth another visit in the near future!

At the turn of the twentieth century, many groups constructed monuments to remember their fallen relatives/townsfolk from the Civil War. The Ellis County Confederate Monument, which currently stands next to the courthouse, was unveiled on November 2, 1912.

Waxahachians appear to take great pride in their quaint city. There were many of these large, painted hearts around the city square. This is a beautiful community!

A courtroom in the Ellis County Courthouse. The city renovated their principal structure in 2002.

A statue of Richard Ellis in front of the County Courthouse. Ellis was president of Texas' Congress during the 1836 Revolution. He later was part of the first four congresses of the Republic of Texas.

A tasty meal at the Catfish Plantation included chicken fried steak, Texas toast, fries, and green beans.

My wife and I had a fabulous lunch at Catfish Plantation. According to history, the establishment is the 'Most Haunted Restaurant in Texas!' Some customers have reported to have seen knives and forks being thrown across the room, a fry basket levitating in the kitchen, or coffee cups magically disappearing. The restaurant has been featured on the History Channel. I did not feel the presence of ghosts while eating my meal, however, my wife feels confident that she felt a tap on her shoulder...