Corsicana, TX

Newcomers and long-time residents are continually surprised by the amount of cultural events, museums and entertainment available in Corsicana. there is truly something for everyone to take pleasure in. One of the most popular performance venues that residents visit is the Palace Theatre. This restored 1921 Vaudeville Theatre is located in downtown Corsicana. It features the latest in sound and light equipment to make each production spectacular. Each year, the Theatre hosts numerous performances featuring major artists. The facility can also be rented out to members of the local community for any professional arts or educational programming.

For over 35 years, The Warehouse Living Arts Center has been central to Navarro County's arts, cultural and entertainment scene. It also greatly enhances the quality of life for multiple nearby counties as well. The Center's primary purpose is to assist in the education in, production of and development of the performing arts. Withing the Center, residents can find the home base of the Navarro Council of the Arts. The Navarro Council of Arts provides numerous free exhibits and displays that change throughout the course of the year. The Center is also home to an active children's theatre company, which has produced over 300 shows that have delighted residents of all ages.

If you're interested in the history of the West, you should visit the Pearce Collection at Navarro College. Navarro College offers two collections: the Pearce Civil War Collection and the Western Arts Collection. The heart-wrenching Civil War collection documents the experiences of both northern and southern soldiers through letters, artifacts and diaries.

For an out of this world experience, visit the Cook Center Planetarium! The Cook Center Planetarium is the largest domed theatre and planetarium in Texas! Each week, audiences are dazzled by star, laser and large-format movies in addition to thrilling planetarium shows.

If you want to experience what the Old West was like, you should stop by the Pioneer Village Historical Museum. The Museum recreates the days of Navarro County's first settlers. It features replicas of old buildings and informational exhibits about the county itself. While you are there, be sure to check out the Lefty Frizzell Statue and Museum. Lefty Frizzell was a famous American country music singer that helped make honky tonk a popular style of music in the 1950's.

If you've got a sweet tooth, Corsicana has two popular attractions you'll want to visit. Russell Stover Candies and Collin Street Bakery. Russell Stover Candies is one of the world's leading makers of chocolate candies. At Russell Stovers, you can savor delicious sample candies as you watch a fun candy-making demonstration. After the show is over, you can shop Russell Stover's huge selection of hand-dipped chocolate sweets. If you prefer pastires over candy, the Collin Street Bakery is a wonderful choice. Since 1896, this family-owned and operated business has been distributing freshly-baked goodies worldwide. While you're at the bakery, you can enjoy complimentary samples and take home some fresh-baked goods.

Although the Navarro County Youth Expo happens only once a year, the expo has been one of the most popular attractions in Navarro County since 1959. Initially, the expo grew out of the Corsicana Livestock and Agricultural Show, which was a popular event from the 1930s through 1957. After temporarily shutting down, the first official expo was recognized for youths belonging to 4-H and FFA in 1959. Featuring both agricultural and non-agricultural events, the Navarro County Youth Expo has grown over 200% recently. Today's expo leaders were once the same proud youngsters that competed in the competition.

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.

Corsicana Homes Property Search

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**from RE/MAX of Texas reference library

Water Body Records for Richland-Chambers

Updated October 2, 2008

Richland Chambers Lake Fishing