How did Sherman get started?
Texas became a state at the very end of 1845. Less than three months later, on March 17, 1846, the Texas lawmakers created Grayson County and chose Sherman as its county seat. The county seat is the town where the county's courthouse is.
The first Sherman was on a hill a few miles west. But it did not have enough wood and water. So in 1848, the whole town moved about 3 miles east, to where it is today.
In those early days, the most important spot in town was a giant pecan tree on the square. People held court under it when the weather was nice. It was also the post office! The postmaster hung an old coat on a branch and stuffed the letters into its pockets.
One day, during the very first court session, a flock of wild turkeys flew over. Everyone ran outside to hunt them, even the lawyer!
Who named Sherman's streets?
A 12-year-old girl did! Julia Shannon, the daughter of an early settler, got to name the new streets. She picked Texas heroes and trees that grow in Texas:
Texas heroes
- Houston
- Lamar
- Travis
- Crockett
- Rusk
- Jones
Trees
- Mulberry
- Pecan
- Cherry
- Walnut
- Elm
Next time you drive downtown, look for her street names!
What happened in Sherman over the years?
- 1846
Grayson County is created, and Sherman becomes the county seat. The town is named after General Sidney Sherman. His soldiers are said to be the first to shout “Remember the Alamo!”
- 1848
The town moves about 3 miles east because it needs more wood and water.
- 1858
On September 20, the Butterfield Overland stagecoach arrives. Its route is 2,795 miles long, the longest stage line in the world.
- 1870s
Sherman has so many colleges that people call it the “Athens of Texas.”
- 1876
Austin College moves to Sherman, and Washington Iron Works opens. Both are still here today.
- 1880
Grayson County has more people than any other county in Texas.
- 1896
On May 15, a very strong tornado hits the west side of town. Many people are hurt, and the town works together to rebuild.
- 1901
The first electric interurban train in Texas starts running between Denison and Sherman.
- 1908
An electric train line opens all the way to Dallas, 65 miles away.
- 1914
A new library is built with money from Andrew Carnegie. Today it is the Sherman Museum.
- 1918
Edna Gladney opens a day nursery so working moms have a safe place for their kids.
- 1930
A mob burns the courthouse during a terrible act of racial violence. It is a sad and unfair part of Sherman's history, and remembering it helps people work for fairness today.
- 1936
The courthouse that stands downtown today is built. It is Grayson County's seventh courthouse.
- 1944
Denison Dam is finished, and Lake Texoma fills up nearby.
- 1950s
Big companies like Texas Instruments, IBM and Johnson & Johnson open plants in Sherman.
- 2025
GlobalWafers opens a new factory in May, and Texas Instruments starts making chips at its giant new factory in December.
Why was Sherman called the “Athens of Texas”?
Athens is a city in Greece that has been famous for learning for thousands of years. In the 1870s, Sherman had so many schools and colleges that people started calling it the “Athens of Texas.”
One of them was Kidd-Key College, a college for women led by Lucy Kidd-Key. Its music school had 120 pianos by 1910! The college closed in 1935. Today, Lucy Kidd-Key Park and Kidd-Key Auditorium carry her name. Austin College is still here and still teaching students.
Who are some famous people from Sherman?
Buck Owens
A country music star, born in Sherman on August 12, 1929. He sang hits like “Act Naturally” and helped host the TV show Hee Haw.
Edna Gladney
She moved to Sherman in 1913 and helped get the town's first school nurse. Later she helped more than 10,000 babies and children find new families. A 1941 movie told her story.
Bass Reeves
He grew up in Grayson County near where Pottsboro is today. He was born into slavery, and after he became free he became a deputy U.S. marshal. He is one of the most famous lawmen of the Old West.
Julia Shannon
The 12-year-old who named Sherman's first streets after Texas heroes and trees.
Lucy Kidd-Key
She led Kidd-Key College and made its music school famous across Texas.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
The 34th president of the United States was born in Denison, Sherman's next-door neighbor.
Questions people ask
Who is Sherman, Texas named after?
Sherman is named after General Sidney Sherman, a hero of the Texas Revolution. It is not named after the Civil War general William T. Sherman.
When was Sherman, Texas founded?
Sherman was chosen as the county seat of Grayson County on March 17, 1846. The town moved about 3 miles east to where it is today in 1848.
Why was Sherman called the Athens of Texas?
In the 1870s, Sherman had so many schools and colleges that people compared it to Athens, Greece, a city famous for learning.
What was the Butterfield Overland stage?
It was a stagecoach mail line that reached Sherman on September 20, 1858. Its route was 2,795 miles long, the longest stage line in the world.
Where do these facts come from?
- City of Sherman: History of Sherman
- Grayson County TXGenWeb: Sherman
- Wikipedia: Sherman, Texas
- Texas State Historical Association: Sherman, TX
- Wikipedia: Sidney Sherman
- Texas State Historical Association: Kidd-Key College
- Wikipedia: Grayson County Courthouse
- SEDCO: History of Sherman
- Texas State Historical Association: Edna Gladney
- Wikipedia: Bass Reeves
- KUTX: Buck Owens is born in Sherman
- Wikipedia: Lake Texoma