Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Cold Springs Log Cabin School in Denison, Texas. Text: Pioneers, who were camped near a spring on property of William S. Reeves (1794-1879) while waiting for their land grants, build this one-room schoolhouse about 1855. The leader of the group was William L. Holder (1820-1876) later used the cabin as a residence. In 1974 the structure was moved to the Old Settlers Village and restored. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1977

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Collin McKinney (April 17, 1766 - September 8, 1861) in Van Alstyne, Texas. Text: A pioneer leader of North Texas and signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, Collin McKinney was born in New Jersey, a son of Scottish immigrant parents. In 1780 the family moved to Kentucky and in 1824 McKinney migrated across the Red River and settled near present Texarkana. In January, 1836, he was elected a delegate to the General Convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos and there served on a committee of five that drafted Texas' Declaration of Independence from Mexico. On March 2, he signed the document. He also served on the committee which prepared the Constitution for the Republic of Texas. Later he served in the 1st, 2nd, and 4thCongress of the Republic. In private life, McKinney was leader in establishing the First Disciples of Christ Church in Texas. In 1846 he settled near the Grayson-Collin county line; this became his permanent residence. In 1792 he married Amy Moore; they had four children. He and his second wife Betsy Leake (Coleman), by whom he had six children, are both buried in this cemetery. Collin County and its seat, McKinney, …

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Courthouses of Grayson County in Sherman, Texas. Text: From pioneer log cabins to native Texas limestone structure, Grayson County courthouses have taken many shapes and sizes since the county's establishment in 1846. The first courthouse, a frame building on bald prairie a few miles west of the current county seat, was completed in 1847 for a cost of $232. It served for one year, until Sherman was relocated to this site, and the commissioners court ordered the construction of a log cabin on the southeast corner of the square. Neither it, nor the third courthouse (a two-story frame building on the north side of the square), nor the 1853 brick fourth courthouse were in service for any substantial period of time. An 1859 courthouse, intended to provide the county with a large and structurally sound facility, fell into disuse by the early 1870s. Thus, by the time the Houston & Texas Central Railroad reached Sherman in 1873, Grayson County had seen five courthouses in fewer than 40 years. The coming of the railroad was a boon to the local economy, and the availability of better building materials led to the construction of …

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Confederate States of America in Sherman, Texas. The text blends in with the coloring of the stone marker.

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Dannel Funeral Home in Sherman, Texas. Text: After training in the mortuary sciences in Chicago, John C. Dannel moved with his new wife, Flossie Louella Wade, to Sherman, Texas, where he purchased the Sherman Undertaking Company. John's father had owned and operated an undertaking parlor in Illinois, where John was born, and he followed his father into the business. The Dannels' first funeral parlor in Sherman was located at the corner of Walnut and Houston Streets, but the John C. Dannel Undertaking Company, as it was then known, moved into a renovated pool hall on the south side of the courthouse square in 1913. Dannel introduced the first motorized hearse to the area in 1917, but he was sued by the local livery stable which had until that time supplied horses and carriages for funerals. Dannel eventually won the case after a public fight that played out in the local newspaper. In 1923, Dannel hired architect John Tullock to design and build a structure dedicated specifically as a funeral home, one of the earliest such structures in the area. The building featured bedrooms for the family, as well as staterooms and a …

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Davis-Ansley Log Cabin Home in Denison, Texas. Text: Blacksmith Micajah C. Davis (1790-1860), one of the founders of Grayson County, erected this cabin about 1840 at Iron Ore Creek Settlement near present Denison. The pioneer home was built of hand-hewn oak logs with a plank floor. Sold in 1870 to Josephus R. Ansley (1826-1873) and his wife Gilley (1826-1915), the cabin was later occupied by their son Will (1861-1952). Mr. and Mrs. John Summers purchased the structure in 1953 and donated it in 1972 to the Old Settlers Village. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1976

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Diamond Horse Ranch in Whitesboro, Texas. Text: Founded 1850 by James R. and John Diamond, joined later by their brother George, who had founded paper that today is Houston "Post". Station, 1858-1861, on Butterfield Stage Line. The Diamond brothers were political leaders and active in Texas Frontier Defense and masonry. James is buried here.

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Dorchester School in Dorchester, Texas. Text: The community of Dorchester was founded on the railroad during the early years of the twentieth century. Two one-room country schools were established to provide for the education of the children of the families who moved to the area. The Dorchester School came into being about 1907 with the consolidation of these schools. Between 1913 and 1915, a two-story brick schoolhouse was constructed at this site. Its auditorium also served as a location for community gatherings. Under U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's WPA program, a new school building was constructed in 1940. Its gymnasium served as athletic facility, auditorium, and social center, with the Halloween carnival as an annual highlight. The high school was closed in 1949, but the Dorchester School continued to provide classes for elementary grade students until consolidation with the Howe School District in 1959. For more than 50 years, the Dorchester School played a central and vital role in the town. Some of its graduates returned to the school to become educators, and many have remained in Dorchester to become community leaders. (1985).

Photograph of the State Historical Survey Committee marker for Birthplace of Dwight D. Eisenhower in Denison, Texas. Text: Thirty-fourth President of the United States; born here Oct. 14, 890, third son of David J. and Ida Elizabeth Stover Eisenhower. Dwight Eisenhower graduated from the U.S. Military Academy, 1915; in 1943, during World War II, was appointed commanding general of the Allied Forces in Europe; served as President of Columbia University, 1948-1952; was President of U.S., 1952-1960; active elder statesman later. (1968).

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Eleventh Texas Cavalry in Sherman, Texas. Text: In May 1861, a frontier unit was organized at Camp Reeves in Sherman. Drawing volunteers from Cooke, Grayson, Hopkins, Red River, Fannin, Collin, Titus, and Bowie Counties, the regiment began with nearly 900 men and officers. Initially led by the noted Colonel William Cocke Young, the unit fought its first battles in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma, securing the territory for the Confederacy. In October of that year, the unit was inducted into Confederate service as the 11th Texas Cavalry and joined with other forces in Arkansas. Beginning in March 1862, at the Battle of Pea Ridge, or Elkhorn Tavern, the 11th Texas supported the Confederate Army. Following the battle, the unit became an infantry regiment, designated the 11th Texas Cavalry, Dismounted. For the remainder of the year, the troops were active in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. In early 1863, the 11th Texas fought at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and shortly thereafter became a cavalry unit again. For the remainder of the war, the cavalry fought in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, participating in more than 100 battles and skirmishes. Notable engagements included Chickamauga, Knoxville, Dalton, …

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Elliot Cemetery in Van Alstyne, Texas. Text: David Elliott (d. 1909), for whom this cemetery is named, was a pioneer settler in the southern part of Grayson County. Born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, in 1817, he joined the crew of a boat on the Mississippi River at an early age. He later served as a riverboat captain before his ordination as a Baptist minister. In 1847, two years after Texas became a state, the Rev. Mr. Elliott migrated to this area. Settling on land at this site, he noted evidence of earlier pioneers, including several graves with crude markers of a sandstone not common to the area. The stones contained no inscriptions or identifying marks. When David Elliott's daughter, Virginia F., died in 1855, he interred her near the pioneer graves. Later, as other settlers moved into the area, the Elliott Family Cemetery was opened for use as a public burial ground. From 1905 until 1950, it was maintained by Pilgrim's Rest Baptist Church, of which the Rev. Mr. Elliott was an organizer. Others buried here include longtime residents, early teachers, and military veterans. Still used, the site serves as an important historical …

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for The E.M. Kohl Building in Denison, Texas. Text: Ernst Martin Kohl (1857-1935), former German Navy Captain who came to Denison in 1885, built the first floor of this structure in 1893 to house a grocery store and saloon. He added the top three floors in 1909-11 as his family's residence. In the 1930s, this building became the Traveler's Hotel, drawing business from the nearby railroad district. Purchased in 1968 by Mr. and Mrs. Bud Tucker, it was sold in 1975 to Dr. and Mrs. D. H. Brandt and restored by their sons, Bill, Bob, and Charles.

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Everheart-Canaan Cemetery in Whitewright, Texas. Text: Emanuel and Rachel Montgomery Everheart arrived here in 1848 with their son, William and members of her family. By 1850, the Everhearts owned 3,346 acres, including this land. Family history holds that the oldest burials here (in the northwest corner) date prior to 1853 and are those of the Everhearts' slaves. Pilot Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church, organized at Kentuckytown, moved to Everheart land a mile east of this site and became known as the Canaan church. Members utilized this cemetery and shared their sanctuary with a Methodist Episcopal congregation that moved from Pitman's Chapel. The oldest marked grave, from June 24, 1875, is that of W.H. Rumsower, one of several Confederate soliders buried here. Other burials include William C. Everheart, the Grayson County sheriff from 1876 to 1880 and later a deputy United States Marshal. Many of the pioneers of the Canaan community are buried in family plots here. Nell Arnoldi Everheart cared for the cemetery until her death in 1973, and the Everheart Cemetery Association later formed.

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for a federal building, a United States Courthouse, in Sherman, Texas. Text: After the Sherman Division of the federal district court for the Eastern District of Texas was established in 1902, plans were made to construct this building to serve the court and the postal service. U.S. Treasury Department supervising architect John Knox Taylor designed this Spanish colonial revival - beaux arts style building. Located in the commercial center in close proximity to the rail station, the structure was completed in early 1907 at a cost of $140,000. With its Terra cotta roof tiles, faux balconies with wrought iron grillwork, lamp brackets at both entrances, and two eagles overlooking the main entry, it was an imposing edifice and a significant addition to Sherman's downtown environment. In addition to the federal court, the building has housed local offices of other federal agencies, including the selective service administration, internal revenue service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, general services administration, and the Departments of Agriculture, Labor, and Defense. From 1907 to 1963, the U.S. Postal Service occupied the entire first floor. The original design of the building has remained essentially unchanged except for the first floor, which …

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Fink, Texas. Text: A community grew up near Fort Johnson on the Texas Military Road (also known as the Shawnee Trail) in the 1840s. Earlier called Georgetown and Reevesville, the settlement became known as Fink when a post office (500 feet north) was established in 1897 and named for Fiedrick Finke (1858-1920), a German immigrant who had come to Grayson County in 1884. The post office was discontinued in 1908. Never incorporated, Fink was eventually included within the boundaries of Pottsboro. In the 1960s local residents began annual Fink celebrations. (1988)

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for First Baptist Church of Bells in Bells, Texas. Text: Originally known as Bell Plain Baptist Church, this congregation was organized in 1879 at the home of J. A. Lindsay. The first services were conducted in the Bailey Junction Schoolhouse by the Rev. Isaac Reed. In 1884, soon after the school building burned, the members constructed a sanctuary on the property donated by A. T. Wilson. They worshiped there as the Baptist Church of Christ until about 1896, when high winds destroyed the structure. Later that year the congregation built a chapel at this location. The present sanctuary was completed in 1954.

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for First Christian Church of Howe in Howe, Texas. Text: In the 1840s, settlers moved to this area as part of the Peters Colony. In the early 1870s, plans for the Houston and Texas Central Railroad coming through the settlement brought new residents to the community, known as Summit. Renamed for railroad official F.M. Howe, the town of Howe was established circa 1872. The same year, several residents met to organize what would become the first Christian Church of Howe. Founders and charter members included George Miller, J.A. Hughes, Henry Stevens, J.A. Matthews, W.T. Copeland, Si Collins, C.E. Wheat, L.M. Davis, J.C. McBee, Jim McCoy, and John Grigg, and members held their first Sunday school classes and worship services in homes, schools, and other buildings. The congregation grew and purchased this site in 1893 from John W. and Minnie B. Simpson. The church, led by trustees Charlie Hanna, J.W. Bearden, and John and Frank Grigg, constructed a building on the site. The structure was one of four Protestant sanctuaries constructed in Howe during that period. Each had similar vernacular designs showing Victorian influences. Features included fishscale shingling, steep-pitched gable roofs and neo-Gothic details. …

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for First Christian Church in Van Alstyne, Texas. Text: The predecessor of this church, the first Disciples of Christ congregation in Texas, was founded during the winter of 1841-1842 at McKinney's Landing in Bowie county near the Texas-Arkansas border. Collin McKinney, pioneer settler and signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, was the leader of the Bowie county congregation, which had worshipped informally since 1831. Between 1844 and 1846 the group moved to Liberty (later called "Mantua"), three miles southwest of here. In 1846, under McKinney and J.B. Wilmeth, the congregation was reorganized as the "Liberty Church" with eighteen members. In 1854, the First Mantua Christian Church was built. In this early structure a rail in the center aisle separated men from women. No offering plate was passed - donations were placed on the communion table. Members constructed their own "hymn books" which doubled as souvenir and recipe books. Founders of churches in many cities including Galveston, Sherman, and Glen Rose were members of the Mantua Church. In 1887 the Mantua Group organized the church on this site in the infant town of Van Alstyne, located on the Houston & Texas Central Railroad. …

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for First Methodist Church of Whitewright in Whitewright, Texas. Text: This congregation traces its history to Sears Chapel (one mile southeast), a union church established in the late 1850s at the home of early settlers Christopher and Mary Sears. In 1876 the Sears family deeded the land on which the Sears Chapel Church building stood to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The village of Whitewright was established in 1878. The Methodist congregation associated with Sears Chapel organized the First Methodist Church of Whitewright in 1882. By 1885 the congregation had completed a sanctuary and a parsonage and was served by the Rev. W. M. Robbins, a circuit-riding Methodist preacher. A Sunday school, organized in 1886, averaged about 50 pupils during its early years of operation. A new sanctuary, built at this site in 1895, served the congregation for over 100 years. A new parsonage was completed in 1930, and in 1942 the church erected an education building. Major renovations to the church and education buildings were completed in 1979. The church, renamed First United Methodist Church in 1968, supports a variety of special annual events and continues to …

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for First United Methodist Church in Tom Bean, Texas. Text: This congregation was organized in the mid-1880s, growing out of Brush Arbor meetings at the Cedar campground near Whitemound. The original church building at Whitemound was moved, in 1906, to Tom Bean, where it burned in 1924. Methodists worshiped in the Presbyterian church until it was destroyed by a tornado a short time later. A new edifice was built, serving both denominations until 1972. In 1974, the sanctuary was moved here, and the heritage of the Old Perrin Air Force Base Chapel was preserved when it was added to the facility.

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for First Presbyterian Church and Manse in Whitewright, Texas. Text: On October 30, 1853, a Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized in the home of Christopher Sears in nearby Lick Skillet (Pilot Grove). J. A. Zinn served as moderator, and T.E. Montgomery, J.D. Barbee, and J.T. Clark as first elders. The church established the Canaan and Sears Chapel congregations in the 1860s. Sears Chapel moved to Whitewright in 1883, built a sanctuary in 1899, and became First Presbyterian Church in 1907. This classical revival church building, erected by the congregation in 1930, features art glass windows and doors. The adjacent manse has provided housing for pastors since 1902.

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for First United Methodist Church of Van Alstyne in Van Alstyne, Texas. Text: Outgrowth of Liberty Class, formed 1847 for bible study and worship, in log cabin of Jim Creager (1.25 mi. s.) by the Rev. Joab Biggs, of the Dallas Methodist circuit, and M.F. Cole. In 1855, after a rainstorm that detained quarterly conference delegates to listen to an all-night sermon, the Rev. Y.S. McKinney preached for three weeks and had 60 conversions. The enlarged class moved to Mantua, where it built a frame chapel on the town square and was renamed Mt. Zion Methodist Church. At founding of Van Alstyne on Houston & Texas Central Railroad in 1873, Mt. Zion moved its building into town, to a site now in Van Alstyne Cemetery. By 1890 membership exceeded 400. The congregation in 1893 moved again, erecting a larger building at Waco and Jefferson Streets, and changing name to First Methodist Church. In this sanctuary in 1894 there was organized the first district Epworth League of the Southern Methodist Church. Here in 1912 ex-President Theodore Roosevelt gave an address, and in 1917 one of Texas' earliest Boy Scout Troops was formed. Present sanctuary …

Photograph of the State Historical Survey Committee marker for the Fitzgerald Home in Denison, Texas. Text: Build on 800-acre farm near Bells by Geo. S. Fitzgerald. Who moved with family from Virginia to Texas in 1857. He cut building timber on his farm in 1859. On return from Confederate Army he erected this house in 1866. He was prosperous and esteemed, serving as a Grayson County commissioner from 1880 to 1884. House was framed of pegged oak logs. Main rooms are 20 by 20 feet, joined by 12-foot hall. Two stairs lead to upper story. Recorded Texas historic landmark - 1969.

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Fred Douglass School in Sherman, Texas. Text: Named for the famed 19th century African American orator Frederick Douglass, the Fred Douglass School was created as one of Sherman's first three public schools in 1879. Two houses one block west of this site were rented for the education of the area's African American children. In the first years of the Fred Douglass School the number of students was about 85. By 1907 the school's population was 350. Fire plagued the Fred Douglass School: in 1904 and again in 1919 the wood buildings were destroyed. In 1920 a three-story brick structure was erected at the corner of college and East Streets. The school grew rapidly and by the 1939 plans for expansion were necessary. In 1943, educational improvements began to take place. More faculty members had advanced degrees and the curriculum was expanded to include African American history, business and vocational courses. A national honor society chapter was formed, and the sports program was expanded. A modern building was erected in 1957; ten years later, the school district became fully integrated, and the Fred Douglass School became the district's special education facility. In the …