Corsicana History

Corsicana is blessed with a rich and diverse heritage that extends back for centuries. The first inhabitants in the area were the Kichai, Jscani, Techuacans and Wacos Native American Tribes. Groups of Comanches and Kiowas would sometimes travel from the plains through the region as well.

The town of Corsicana was founded in 1848 to serve as the county seat of the recently established Navarro County. Navarro County was named after the Texas Revolution hero, Jose Antonio Navarro. Navarro was given the honor of naming the county seat. He suggested Corsicana after the island of Corsica, his parents' birthplace. David R. Mitchell, an early settler in the area, donated 100 acres of land to build the town upon, and he assisted in selling the town's lots. Corsicana's first courthouse was built in 1849. The courthouse was a two-room log building that also served as the town civic center, meeting hall and church. A new frame courthouse was built in 1853, but it was replaced by a brick courthouse just five years later. Around the courthouse, several stores opened up within a few years of the town's establishment. The stores served as visual proof of the town's growth and prosperity.

When the Civil War erupted in 1861, the residents of Corsicana held a huge demonstration on the courthouse square to show their support for the Confederacy. The townspeople organized a total of four regiments that joined Virginia's army. When the war was over, Corsicana was occupied by Union troops until 1874, but it did not experience the harsh strife found in many Texas towns during the Reconstruction.

During the war and early Reconstruction years, Corsicana's economy suffered a great deal, but Corsicana made an amazing turnaround by the start of the 20th century. The Houston and Texas Central Railroad's arrival in 1871 brought numerous new settlers and businesses to the area. By the 1880's, Corsicana was the chief trading and shipping center for most of the northern blacklands. The major growth of Corsicana quickly taxed the town's water well supply. In 1894, the Corsicana Water Development Company attempted to tap a shallow water well in the region. Instead of finding water, the Company found a large pocket of gas and oil. In fact, the Company discovered the largest amount of oil west of the Mississippi; thus, Corsicana became home to Texas' first oil boom. Within a short time period, nearly every lot in town had been drilled. Many oil men from the eastern states arrived by the droves in the town. Several banks, newspapers, hotels, saloons and other businesses started up to serve the growing population. By 1898, there were 287 bountiful oil wells in Corsicana. When a second, even larger oil field was uncovered in 1923, a new oil boom caused Corsicana's population to swell to record numbers. The discovery of oil transformed Corsicana from an agricultural shipping town to a major oil and industrial center. During the Great Depression, it was the oil industry that kept Corsicana afloat as other industries went under and citizens lost their jobs.

During the latter half of the 20th century, Corsicana once again experienced a large growth in terms of both the population and economy. In 1942, the Air Activities of Texas opened a large flight training center. The center was responsible for training thousands of WWII pilots. Plus, the takeover of American Well Prospecting Plant by Bethlehem Steel had a big impact on the economy. Other industires ranging from textile plants to the nation's leading hat producers excelled in the community.