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Ellis County TX
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ENNIS, TEXAS


Ellis County, Central Texas North

32° 19' 56" N, 96° 37' 27" W (32.332222, -96.624167)

Highways 45, 34, 75, and 287, and
FMs 85, 879, 1183, 1722, and 3413

14 Miles SE of Waxahachie the county seat
34 Miles SE of Dallas
26 miles SW of Kaufman
19 Miles N of Corsicana
20 miles NE of Italy
39 Miles NE of Hillsboro
Population: 20,357 Est. (2019)
18,513 (2010) 16,454 (2000)

Book Hotel Here › Ennis Hotels

Ennis TX Depot aerial view
Vintage photo courtesy Dane Williams collection
Aerial view of Ennis Depot

History in a Pecan Shell

Named for Col. Cornelius Ennis, a railroad official of the Houston and Texas Central Railway, Ennis was established in 1871. 647 acres were purchased by trustees for a land company in 1872 and the townsite was selected in May of that year by. Capt. W. G. Veale. Theo Kosse platted the town. Angry citizens from the bypassed town of Burnham, Texas attacked Ennis - killing one hapless citizen and wounding several others.

In 1872 a post office was opened and that same year the Cumberland Presbyterian Church (originally in Burnham) moved to Ennis. The Evening Argus was first newspaper (1873) and by 1874 the population was up to 300. By 1890 it had increased tenfold and Ennis had all essential businesses as well as a brickyard and two weekly newspapers - the Local and Saturday Review.

Ennis became the northern division headquarters for the Houston and Texas Central Railroad and the city provided water for the railroad yards and machine shops. The agreement with the city guaranteed that as long as Ennis furnished water, the roundhouse and shops would remain in Ennis. To comply with the agreement, Ennis built three lakes (beginning in 1891). It wasn't until 1940 that the last lake was completed. Between 1910 and 1915 the railroad attempted to pull their headquarters from Ennis but the courts held the company to the agreement. In 1894 the Texas Midland, Ennis' second railroad arrived.

From a population of 6,600 in 1914, Ennis increased slightly to 7,069 by 1930. In the mid 1930s the Texas and New Orleans Railroad absorbed both the Texas Midland railroad and the Houston and Texas Central. In 1942 the Texas Midland rails between Ennis and Kaufman, were abandoned due to Trinity River washouts. Left with a single railroad, the line was acquired by the Southern Pacific in 1961.

Today, attractions include Lake Bardwell which is a flood control impoundment as well as a recreactional lake.

Ennis had a 1970 population of 11,550 which has since increased to over 18,000 in 2010.

1911 photo of the first Ennis Depot before it was destroyed
Photo courtesy Dane Williams Collection
Ennis First Depot


Ennis, Texas - Bird's-eye view, looking west
Bird's-eye view of Ennis, Texas, looking west
Click on image to enlarge

Photo courtesy Dan Whatley Collection


Ennis, Texas Trade day on Dallas Street
Trade Day, Ennis TX scene on Dallas Street
Click on image to enlarge

Photo courtesy Dan Whatley Collection


Ennis, Texas cotton gin
Cotton compress in Ennis
1910s postcard courtesy William Beauchamp
See Texas Cotton


Ennis TX - Ennis Residence
An Ennis Residence
Photo courtesy Dan Whatley Collection


M.E.Church, South, Ennis, Texas
M.E. Church
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/%7Etxpstcrd/


Ennis Texas Church
Ennis Texas Church
TE Photo, 2005
More Texas Churches


Ennis Texas silo
TE photo, May 2005
More Silos



Take a road trip

Central Texas North

Ennis, Texas Area Towns:
Waxahachie the county seat
Kaufman
Corsicana
Italy
Dallas
Hillsboro

See Ellis County

Book Hotel Here:
Ennis Hotels | More Hotels

Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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