Downtown McKinney
by btex
Downtown McKinney is a great place to stroll. The buildings that date back to the 1800s and early 1900s have been preserved and restored. Downtown and the houses just outside of downtown are time capsules that display what small-town Texas life looked like in the past. There are historical landmark signs all over the place for your reading pleasure. Antiques shops, restaurants, coffee houses, boutiques, and more line the downtown square. Downtown is also host to several festivals throughout the year.
http://www.mckinneytx.com/
Old Bank Building
by VeronicaG
There are numerous historic buildings surrounding McKinney's town square, including this old bank building. It's currently occupied by a shop called Another Time and Place.
Here are some interesting and fun facts about McKinney:
1841 The first pioneer settlers came to Collin County
1848 The US Post Office Department changes the name of the new county seat from Buckner to McKinney
1866 Outlaws, Jesse and Frank James are frequent visitors to McKinney when they visit their cousin Tuck Hill
1872 The first railroad comes through Collin County. The East line links McKinney to Jefferson, Texas
1878 McKinney organizes its first fire company, complete with a small, hand-pulled pumper and hose cart
1889 The city of McKinney gets electric lights
1910 Street cars come to McKinney
1912 Professor C.F. Walsh flies the first airplane flight in Collin County, taking to the skies over the McKinney Fair Grounds
1915 The County Federation of Women's Club is organized to include women's literay and service clubs from around the county
from mckinneytx.com
Local Facts
by keeweechic
Rebecca Baines Johnson, the mother of the 36th US President Lyndon Baines Johnson, was born in McKinney in 1881. There is a historic marker located at 411 Chestnut Street.
In 1910 The Thompson Gin & Grocery Store (Graves & Rockhill Rd) was almost robbed by outlaw Sam Bass and his Gang. Apparently the owner James J. Thomson was so polite, even offering to carry the heavier items, that the robbers changed their minds and left.
Heard Museum
by btex
Heard Museum - it's just south of McKinney. It's a nature reserve and natural history museum about. They keep birds that have been injured and that can't return to the wild. There's also a nature trail where you'll see native trees and plants and animals...it's what the area would still look like if the farmers hadn't cut all the trees down all those years ago. They also have exhibits at the Heard - the latest one is about bats - I looked it up on their web site and discovered that there were no live bats in their bat exhibit...what's up with that?
Distinctive Artwork and Gifts
by VeronicaG about Lone Star Specialty
We were taken completely by surprise to see colorful Chihuly-type glass creations at this shop. We had admired these large, fluted glass pieces at the *Chihuly Glass and Garden show at Pittsburgh's Phipps Conservatory. After glimpsing those prices, we never expected to see anything affordable.
The store connected with artists who created similar glass art and are marketing their pieces. My husband is drawn to these beautiful glass creations, so I'm sure we'll be traveling back to McKinney to check on the inventory. They aren't authentic Chihulys, but "in the style" of...
Other glass/ceramic art that is displayed throughout the store has been obtained at artisan shows or brought in by the artists themselves.
FYI: * Dale Chihuly is an artist who has expanded glass art beyond what was once the norm, creating huge sculptures and unique pieces that are museum quality environmental art.
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A sweet place in which to wander
Taste testing the ice cream
May Lee Thomas
Have fun at the candy store!
