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Page 1 of 3  This is one of the highlights of the Summer Season in Waxahachie Texas. The citizens of Waxahachie graciously open their historic homes to visitors during the Gingerbread Trail. The tour began 37 years ago to showcase the unique surviving homes and public buildings designed and constructed during the era of the ornate gingerbread style.
Before the turn of the Century and well into the 20's, the town of Waxahachie and Ellis County were among the most wealthy and influential areas in Texas. Cotton was KING. The rich dark earth of the black land region of Texas produced tremendous crops of cotton which led to the growth of all sorts of assorted industry and commerce for the area. With this newfound wealth, many of the businessmen, farmers, bankers and industrialists during this time built large beautiful homes for their families. Many beautiful public buildings were constructed in the city as well. The Great Depression dealt Ellis county and the cotton industry a devastating blow. Many farmers and businesses went bankrupt. Most people could not accept the fact that the unbelievable prosperity of the past 50 years had come to an end.
From around 1929 to the 1970's, nothing much changed in Waxahachie and Ellis county. Very little new industry sprang up. Many believed that PROGRESS had completely passed them by. The bank robbers, Bonnie and Clyde, had even visited the local bank in the 30's but left with very little. During this time in Texas, many towns experienced change with new growth and new industry. But it also took something away. That progress erased their past. Many historic structures lost out to the developers and land speculators. Many towns lost those things which had made them great. They lost their history and their identity!
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