%b%crOvilla%b%c* and other Waxahachie, TX Off The Beaten Path Tips

Ovilla is a close knit community neighbouring Waxahachie. It is the oldest town in the county. It began in 1844 as an armed settlement when Texas was still a Republic. As settlers arrived in the area, the town grew. A log cabin initially served as both church and schoolhouse. The area remained unnamed until 1857 when it was then named for the wife of the Reverend, D. G. Molloy. By the 1900's there was a post office, bank, cotton gin, pharmacy and blacksmith shop but in 1918 and 1926 fires destroyed most of the downtown buildings, and this devastation along with the fact Ovilla was bypassed by railroads and major highways, led to a decline in growth. Ovilla is said to be 'a place of fertile land, towering trees, and rolling terrain.'

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Ennis is about 10 mins northeast of Waxahachie. There is a lot of Czech culture in Ennis. The Railroad and Cultural Heritage Museum - houses memorabilia from the days when Ennis was the hub for Houston and Texas Central Railroad. Items include a 1897 edition of the Book of Rules for train operators, photos of trains that stopped in the town and miniature replicas of the train station in its early days. Ennis is also the Bluebonnet Capital of Texas.

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Corsicana is located in Navarro County just southeast of Waxahachie (about 30 miles). The city's richness began from an innocent drilling for water which resulted in oil being found although at the time, the elders weren't happy - they needed water! There are lots of lovely antique stores in Corsicana as well as the famous Collins Street Bakery. There are also some lovely historic homes there as well as the county courthouse which is worth a look.

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