Photograph of a historic plaque in Paris, Texas. It reads: "The Paris Fire. 1916. Although Paris was founded in the mid-1840s, many of its historic structures were lost in a fire that destroyed almost half the town in 1916. The blaze started about five o'clock on the afternoon of March 21, 1916, at the S. J. Long warehouse near the southwest city limits. Its cause is unknown, but one theory is that a spark from a switch engine ignited dry grass near the warehouse. Winds estimated at 50 miles per hour soon blew the fire out of control as it burned a funnel-shaped path to the northeast edge of Paris. Firemen from Bonham, Cooper, Dallas, Honey Grove, and Hugo, Okla., helped the Paris Fire Department battle the flames, which were visible up to 40 miles away. The blaze destroyed most of the central business district and swept through a residential area before it was controlled at about sunrise on March 22. Property damage from this fire was estimated at $11,000,000. The structures burned included the federal building and post office, Lamar County Courthouse and jail, City Hall, most commercial buildings, and several churches. Rebuilding was begun quickly as townspeople collected …

Photograph of a historic plaque in Clarksville, Texas. It reads: "Red River Courthouse. Records date from 1836. Fifth courthouse for county. Built 1885. Italian Renaissance design. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1966."

Red River County Courthouse, Clarksville. Built 1884, architects William H. Wilson

United States Post Office and Court House, Paris

Photograph of the First United Methodist Church in Paris, Texas. It was built between 1921 and 1924. It is a three-story stone building with a dome that houses an additional story on the top.

Photograph of a gazebo on the grounds of the Red River County Courthouse in Clarksville. The roof is supported by four columns, and there are plants all around the gazebo.

Red River County Courthouse, Clarksville

Red River County Courthouse

Veterans memorial, Red River County. In grateful memory we dedicate this memorial to those from Red River Cunty who died in the service of their country. They stand in the unbroken line of patriots who were willing to die so freedom might live and grow and increase its blessings. Freedom lives adn through it these patriots live ina way which humbles the undertakings of mankind.

Photograph of a historic marker. It reads: "Fannin County Courthouses. Commissioners' Court first met at Jacob Black's cabin on Feb. 26, 1836, before Fannin County was officially organized. In 1838 Warren (near present Ambrose in Grayson County) was named the county seat. The courthouse built there in 1840 was a two-story oak and cedar structure with rough plank floors. In 1843 the county seat was moved to Bois D'Arc, town's name was changed to Bonham, for an Alamo hero, the next year. Judge John P. Simpson donated land for the small log courthouse of 1843. Later another cabin was built with a breezeway connecting the two. In this early courthouse jurors sat above the courtroom in a loft that could be reached only by an outside ladder. This log building served until 1881 when a two-story brick structure was erected at the same location. This was replaced in 1888 by a three-story courthouse made of native stone from Gober, south of Bonham, and built by Scottish-born stonemasons Kane and Cormack. Fire in 1929 destroyed the clock steeple, and the building was remodeled. Using part of the 1888 structure, this courthouse was constructed in 1965-6 with a facade of Leuders stone. …

Morton Museum of Cooke County

Photograph of the Cooke County Courthouse under renovation. There are vans and orange construction equipment in front of the building, and many of the windows are boarded up.

Red River County Courthouse, Clarksville

Photograph of the Fannin County Courthouse in Bonham. It has many windows, and a flagpole stands in front of the building. There are four cars parked in front of the courthouse.

Photograph of a historic plaque. It reads "Colonel Isham Chisum (1818-1884) One of the leading early citizens of Kaufman County. Represented the county in Texas Secession Convention, Jan. - March 1861. Later in 1861, he fought in Confederate Cavalry of Col. Tom Green in New Mexico campaign. As Colonel of 2nd Partisan Rangers, Walker's Division, fought at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill (La.), in Red River campaign to prevent a Federal invasion of Texas in 1864. A cousin of Jesse Chisholm, who pioneered famous Chisholm Cattle Trail, and of cattle baron John Simpson Chisum, Col. Chisum married Charlotte Martin. They have many descendants in Texas. (1971)"

Photograph of a historic plaque in Paris, Texas. It reads: "John James Culbertson, March 16, 1853 - September 27, 1932. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, John James Culbertson grew up in large Northeastern cities. He married Emily Lou Lee of New Jersey in 1882 and soon became a salesman for a cotton product company based in Alabama. During his southern travels, Culbertson saw the potential for profit from cottonseed oil. He moved to Paris and was instrumental in building the first Paris cotton mill about 1884. The company, Paris Oil Works, was sold to American Cotton Oil Trust in 1887, and Culbertson moved to Arkansas to manage a Southern Oil Company Plant. Four years later the Culbertsons returned to Paris, where he built a small cottonseed oil empire through the Paris Oil and Cotton Company, later known as Southland Cotton Oil Company. Culbertson was asked to participate in a master plan for the growth of Paris in 1913. As an influential Texas financier, he was appointed to the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas when it was formed in 1914. His nationwide reputation as a cotton producer led President Woodrow Wilson to appoint him to a board …

Photograph of a historic plaque in Clarksville, Texas. It reads: "Stagecoach Stand, C. S. A. Across the street from this site, and facing the county courthouse which was later (1885) torn down, the Donoho Hotel and State Stand operated during the Civil War, 1861-65. Travel in those years was heavy, soldiers arriving in Texas from Arkansas, Indian Territory or elsewhere would catch the stage here for home. Many called by to give news to the Clarksville "Standard", one of fewer than 20 Texas papers to be published throughout the war. The "Standard's" emphasis on personal news from camps was valued by soldiers' families. Stagecoach passengers for Marshall left at 4 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, going by Daingerfield and Jefferson, where steamer connections could be made. Railroad and stage connections were made at Marshall, 42 hours after the coach left here. The stage to Waco every second day went by Paris, Bonham, McKinney, Dallas, Waxahachie and Hillsboro, arriving in 4 days, 14 hours. Connections made in Waco included Henderson, Hempstead, Nacogdoches and San Antonio. 31 stage lines in Confederate Texas hauled mail, soldiers, civilians. 26 made connections with railroads or steamships, expediting travel. (1965)"

statue of Confederate soldier

Monument with statue of Confederate soldier, dedicated to Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865. Provided by the John C. Burks Camp No. 656 of United Confederate Veterans 1890-1937.

Photograph of a historic plaque in Clarksville, Texas. It reads: "Texas in the Civil War, Members of Confederate Congress. During the 4 years, 4 months after secession, Texas sent 18 lawmakers to the Confederate capitols. Her delegates to the provisional congress, Feb. 1861 to Feb. 1862 were John R. Gregg, Freestone County; John Hemphill, Travis County; Wm. B. Ochiltree, Nacogdoches County; Williamson S. Oldham, Washington County; John H. Reagan, Anderson County; Thomas N. Waul, Gonzales County; and Louis T. Wigfall, Harrison County. Texans in the first Confederate States Congress, Feb. 1862 - Feb. 1864, were B. H. Epperson of Red River County; M. D. Graham, Rusk County; Peter W. Gray, Harris County; Claiborne C. Herbert, Colorado County; Frank B. Sexton, San Augustine County; John A. Wilcox, Bexar County; and Wm. B. Wright, Lamar County. Oldham and Wigfall served as senators, 1862 - 1865. Herbert and Sexton were re-elected to the second Confederate Congress, in 1864. Their colleagues were Gen. John R. Baylor, Parker County; Anthony M. Branch, Walker County; Stephen H. Darden, Gonzales County; and Simpson H. Morgan, Red River County. Several Congressmen left the legislative branch of the government for the battlefield, two becoming Generals. Others left for Presidential …

Photograph of the Kaufman County Courthouse. An American flag flies from the building, and cars are parked in front of the building.

Red River county jail, detail of window with barred windows.

Photograph of a historic plaque in Clarksville, Texas. It reads: "Red River County Jail. This building was completed in 1889 as the second jail for Red River County. Architects Maj. S. B. Haggart and Marshall Sanguinet designed the structure as a companion building to the county courthouse, which had been completed five years earlier. The elaborate high Victorian Italianate styling of the Red River County Jail features finely crafted stonework and intricate metal cornices. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1982."

Old Jail Museum in Clarksville