Ennis

by Laurie J Wilson, Peggy Holland Rankin, Ellis County Czech Heritage Society

Overview

In 1871, the Houston and Texas Central Railroad reached what would soon become Ennis, Texas. A year later, the city was officially established and named for Cornelius Ennis, a Houston and Texas Central Railroad tycoon. It became home to many, including a number of Civil War veterans. Czech immigrants also made Ennis their home, adding their rich cultural heritage to this growing city. In its "Wild West" days, there were as many as 13 saloons in the city, and it became a popular train stop for as many as 10 passenger trains a day. A thriving cotton industry brought thousands to the downtown district on Trade Days. Family, tradition, and a strong sense of community have always been the foundation from which Ennis has prospered. This remains evident with yearly events such as the Bluebonnet Trails and Festival, the National Polka Festival, and the Christmas Parade of Lights.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781531637743
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing Library Editions
Publication date:	02/11/2009
Pages:	130
Product dimensions:	6.69(w) x 9.61(h) x 0.38(d)

About the Author

The images for this book were gathered from the archives of the City of Ennis, the Ennis Heritage Society, the Ennis Public Library, members of the Czech Heritage Society, and many Ennis families who opened their personal photo albums. Laurie Wilson is active in the Ennis Public Library Historic Archive Project, and both she and Peggy Rankin are members of the Ennis Heritage Society.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 6

Introduction 7

1 Early Years 9

2 Building a Community 27

3 The Way We Were 55

4 Where the Rail and Cotton Met 71

5 Church Bells 85

6 School Days 93

7 Stories We Tell 111

8 Then and Now 119

Editorial Reviews

Title: New book provides historical view of city of Ennis heritage
Author: Joann Livingston
Publisher: The Ennis Journal
Date: 2/20/2009

Images of America: Ennis provides a historical overview along with several hundred photographs celebrating the community's past.

The new book is a joint effort of Laurie J. Wilson, Peggy Holland Rankin, the Ellis County Czech Heritage Society and the Ennis Heritage Society, who worked with Arcadia Publishing, a leading local history publisher in the United States, in getting the book to print.

In the authors' words, "Images of America: Ennis is a celebration of where Ennis has been and for all that is yet to be."

In their commentary on the community's history, the authors note how Ennis and its residents have overcome several challenges since its inception. Starting with the city's incorporation in 1872, they provide details about such influences as the impact of the railroad, the importance of cotton farming, the arrival of Czech immigrants and the community's growth and economic development.

The photographs themselves provide additional details through their images and the informative narrative given for each one. Divided into eight sections - Early Years, Building a Community, The Way We Were, Where the Rail and Cotton Met, Church Bells, School Days, Stories We Tell and Then and Now - many of the photographs give rare, never-before-seen glimpses into Ennis' storied history.

Faces, places and more are within the black and white images of days past, which were graciously donated for use by the authors. Sources include the city of Ennis, the Ennis Public Library, local families and individuals, among others.

As written by the authors, "This is dedicated to those who knew us and those who didn't but believed in what we were doing and opened their photo albums, dug out their boxes, searched their memories and allowed us to tell this story."

With its publication, Images of America: Ennis becomes part of a series of local history books celebrating communities across the United States as published by Arcadia Publishing, which has more than 4,000 titles in print.

"Using archival photographs, each title presents the distinctive stories from the past that shape the character of the community today," according to the book's jacket. "Arcadia is proud to play a part in the preservation of local heritage, making history available to all."

From the Publisher