The people of Waxahachie; Texas; have always been at the heart of a thriving community that was once the largest cotton-producing county in the nation. As county seat; Waxahachie burgeoned into a bustling center for business and education and carved out a unique niche in the growing landscape. But its citizens overcame significant obstacles as well; facing such challenges as a massive slave revolt during the Civil War and the economic bust of the 1930s. Reflecting both the glory and hardship of these struggles; Waxahachie today stands as a testament to Southern determination and how a town came to be defined by a crop on which America still relies-cotton.Always with an eye on their future; the people of Waxahachie; in 1912; supported the development of an interurban electric railway system linking them to Dallas and Waco. Each July between 1900 and 1930; Texans from all over the state came to Waxahachie by covered wagon; on horseback; and later by automobile to participate in the national Chautauqua phenomenon and hear such great orators as William Jennings Bryan and Will Rogers. Waxahachies Chautauqua Auditorium; still in use today; is one of the few national survivors of this educational movement. This tradition of community and culture survives to the present day in such events as the Scarborough Fair; the National Polka Festival; and the Gingerbread Trail of Homes. In this new historical account; Waxahachie; Texas: Where Cotton Reigned King; the town springs to life in a blend of more than 100 vintage photographs and stories that chronicle the perseverance and love of a people for their town.
#2746094 in eBooks 2003-07-23 2003-07-23File Name: B00946JPNE
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