"Sherman, Texas--Home of The Red River Museum" Sherman by VeronicaG

Sherman Travel Guide: 27 reviews and 39 photos

A Quiet Place on Saturday Afternoon

We arrived in Sherman, Texas after 2pm on a Saturday afternoon. Perhaps not the best time to visit since most businesses circling town square were already closed for the day.

However, we stopped by the Kelly Square shops which were open and the Antique Mall, whose three levels of wares kept us occupied for a time. After determining which view of the courthouse was to its best advantage, I snapped a few photos then we drove a couple blocks to the Red River Museum. In no time at all, two hours had passed before we made the decision to retrace our steps and proceed to McKinney, Texas for dinner.

Sherman, Texas is the seat for Grayson County and sits along US 75, approximately an hour and a half from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Apparently it is quite busy during the week as both the County Courthouse and Federal Courthouse draw many to town for business.

Established in 1846, the town was named after Sidney Sherman, a leader from the Battle of San Jacinto. It was once a vigorous place of commerce with multiple schools of learning located here. Austin College continues to offer college degrees. It was the first Texas institution to offer graduate and law degrees and was the first to have a national fraternity.

Infamous desperadoes, like Jesse James and William Quantrill moved in and out of Sherman often. The town suffered destruction from two fires in 1875 requiring a good part of the town to be rebuilt and in 1930 the courthouse was destroyed during the Sherman Riot (see tips).

While visiting this small Texas town, we encountered some very friendly people, but were disappointed that there was not much to waylay visitors that Saturday afternoon. Coming to the rescue--The Red River Museum!!

Note to self: if visiting again, arrive before 2pm!

Last visit to Sherman: Jan 2009
Intro Updated Jan 6, 2009
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Reviews (11)

pictured borrowed from texasindians.com - Sherman

Early Residents of Grayson County Local Customs (2)

Before Grayson County* was created, when the area was unsettled yet by travelers venturing to the area, the Caddo... more travel advice

The Fifth Industrial City of Texas Favorites (6)

Sherman was once nicknamed "Fifth Industrial City of Texas*" in the mid-1920's when it was home to 54 industrial plants.... more travel advice

borrowed from www.desertusa.com - Sherman

The Butterfield Overland Coach Company &... Local Customs (2)

Sherman was one of the scheduled stops on the Butterfield Overland Coach Company and Mail Route--you might be thinking,... more travel advice

Sherman's Masonic Lodge Favorites (6)

This imposing structure is the Travis Masonic Lodge #117, "charted by the Grand Lodge of Texas on February 10, 1852 and... more travel advice

Shopping (2)
See All Shops On The Square

Things to Do (1)
The Red River Museum

Comments (5)

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amandajayne81 Oct 9, 2009 at 11:44 PM

I enjoyed learning about Sherman. We are considering staying here and then driving to Dallas the following morning to catch a flight. Am I correct in thinking it would take about 1 and a half hours?
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Nemorino Jan 31, 2009 at 3:11 AM

Good that the Red River Museum was still open after everything else had closed on that Saturday afternoon! An uncle of mine devoted his retirement years to setting up a museum in Minocqua, Wisconsin, so now I'm always interested in local/regional museums.
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scottishvisitor Jan 20, 2009 at 1:44 PM

Nice history of the mail coach & the original inhabitants :0) seems like a nice place to visit!
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ATXtraveler Jan 12, 2009 at 8:36 AM

I might pass on Sherman if I am there for the weekend.
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kyoub Jan 7, 2009 at 2:19 PM

Sherman looks like a nice place to spend an afternoon. Interesting page on its history.