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Durant, Oklahoma

Everything Durant is known for

RoadyGoat plays music like this when you drive through Durant. It's free on iPhone, and full songs play through Apple Music.

Music in Durant

Songs About Durant

21%
"We drove him off that Seminole Bridge"
20%
"And the Texas line we crossed to end the night"
my texoma mona and my texarkana anna
jeremy castle
19%
Back of My Mind
Eli Young Band
8%
"headed for the state line"
River Red
Cole Phillips
7%
"Okie-Texas line"
OK Texas Wedgie
Various borders songs about
7%
"OK Texas Wedgie"
Oklahoma Girl
Eli Young Band
7%
"I crossed the state line about an hour ago"
6%
"TITLE"
Texas OK Line
special
6%
"TITLE"
If They Come Lookin’
Zach Bryan
3%
"Soon as you cross them state lines"
Guns Drugs and Allergy Pills
Tanner Usrey
3%
"Well they pulled us over north of the state line"
Oklahoma-Texas Line
Rascal Flatts
2%
"A little brick house on the Oklahoma-Texas Line"
Texas to Oklahoma
Iron Skillet
2%
"Texas to Oklahoma"
Oklahoma Borderline
Vince Gill
2%
"Come on, Oklahoma borderline"
Long Way From OK
Granger Smith
2%
"So I ran south cross that red river"

Artists From Durant

Rivers & Roads in Song near Durant

Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Durant.

History of Durant

Durant, OK RoadyGoat

Durant, Oklahoma, owes its existence to the Katy Railroad, which transformed it into a crucial link in the transportation network of the late 19th century. Named for Dixon Durant, a prominent figure in the Choctaw Nation, the town quickly became a center for agriculture and commerce. Though the Great Depression brought hardship to its farmers, Durant persevered, and education emerged as a cornerstone of its identity, with Southeastern Oklahoma State University shaping generations of students. The university's baseball team even claimed a national title in 1976, bringing pride to the town. Beyond local heroes, Durant has also produced talent that resonated far beyond its borders.

Calera, OK RoadyGoat

Calera, Oklahoma, in the rolling landscape of Bryan County, offers a quiet contrast to the bustle of city life. The town reflects a history marked by both resilience and community spirit. After a devastating fire in 1918, Calera rebuilt itself, brick by brick, maintaining its identity. Even the mysterious cave system beneath the town hints at untold stories.

4.8 mi away

Calera, OK RoadyGoat

In the rolling landscape of Bryan County, where the East Central Texas Plains meet the Lowland South, lies Calera, Oklahoma. Limestone, quarried from the earth, once fueled the town's early growth. While no grand invention originated here, Calera’s story is woven into the broader tapestry of Oklahoma. A devastating fire in 1918 swept through the town, demanding resilience and rebuilding. Today, Calera maintains a close-knit spirit, an escape from the hurried pace of larger cities. Though largely unseen, a network of caves winds beneath the town, a reminder of hidden depths. Nearby, the roar of Friday night lights echoes from Durant High School, a symbol of local pride, particularly after their 1992 state football championship victory.

4.8 mi away

Eisenhower, Dwight D.

1890

Thirty-fourth president of the United States; born here Oct. 14, 1890, third son of David J. and Ida Elizabeth Stover Eisenhower. Dwight Eisenhower graduated from the U. S. Military Academy, 1915; in 1943, during World War II, was appointed commanding general of Allied Forces in Europe; served as president of Columbia University, 1948-1952; was President of U. S., 1952-1960; active elder statesman later. (1968)

Historical Marker → · 19.1 mi away

Eisenhower, Dwight David

1890

Dwight David Eisenhower, general of the army and thirty-fourth president of the United States, was born in Denison, Texas, on October 14, 1890, to David J. and Ida (Stover) Eisenhower. His father, who had moved from Pennsylvania during the late nineteenth century, was employed on the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad at the time. Shortly after his birth the family moved to Abilene, Kansas, from where Eisenhower was appointed to the United States Military Academy, West Point, in July 1911. At West Point he was popular and gregarious, but no dedicated student. A promising football career ended with a broken knee in a game against Jim Thorpe's Carlisle Indians, after which the cadet coached the freshman team. His future leadership abilities were predicted by one superior who described him as "born to command." Another, however, advised that his first assignment, on graduation in 1915, should be under "a strict disciplinarian." Eisenhower graduated on June 12, 1915, at the top of the middle third of his class, which numbered 163. He was commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to the Nineteenth Infantry at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, on September 13, 1915. He received promotion to first lieutenant on July 1, 1916, the day he married Mamie Geneva Doud. They had two sons. Eisenhower's military career had an auspicious beginning when, during World War I , he commanded a heavy tank brigade at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. In 1926 he graduated number one in his class at the highly competitive Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth. During the 1930s Eisenhower, as a major and lieutenant colonel, was assigned largely to staff positions. His years in the War Department (1929–35) and as chief of staff to Gen. Douglas MacArthur in the Philippines (1935–39) gave him an insight into governmental affairs, both military and civilian, that was denied most of his contemporaries. On December 14, 1941, Eisenhower, then at Fort Sam Houston, was transferred to the War Plans Division, United States Army Staff, under Gen. George C. Marshall. From that time to 1961 he held one responsible position after another. As supreme commander, Allied Expeditionary Force, he gave the order that sent British and American troops into Normandy on June 6, 1944 (D-Day). Eleven months later (V-E Day) he accepted the surrender of Nazi representatives Wilhelm Keitel and Alfred Jodl. In 1948 Eisenhower retired as army chief of staff to become president of Columbia University in New York. Though his tenure was short-and interrupted continuously by service in Washington-he was able, while there, to organize the American Assembly for the Study of War and Peace through a gift from W. Averell Harriman. In 1951 he was recalled to military duty to serve as supreme commander, Allied Powers in Europe, under NATO. Though his name had often been mentioned in connection with the presidency, Eisenhower always demurred, insisting on an honest "draft" for that office. When he relented in 1952, however, he found himself bitterly opposed for the Republican nomination by Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio. His nomination was achieved only by the seating of a pro-Eisenhower Republican delegation from Texas. By contrast, his election over Democrat Adlai E. Stevenson was remarkably free of acrimony. As president, Eisenhower followed a moderate course, continuing most of the social reforms of Roosevelt's New Deal but insisting on fiscal responsibility in the federal government. His concern over the growing size of the Pentagon budget was reflected in his much-remembered farewell address, in which he warned of the "unwarranted influence of the military-industrial complex." His domestic achievements as president included, besides balancing the federal budget three times, the construction of the Interstate Highway System, passage of the first civil-rights law since the Civil War , and the dispatch of the 101st Airborne Division to enfo

Tsha Handbook → · 19.4 mi away

Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad

1865

In 1865 the Union Pacific Railway southern branch was incorporated to build a railroad from the St. Louis-Kansas City area to the Gulf of Mexico. In 1870, with construction completed to the border of Indian Territory, the line was renamed the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad. This title was often shortened to M-K-T, which led to the familiar nickname by with the line is best known -- "The Katy." Following the route of an old cattle trail, the Katy became the first railroad to cross Indian Territory, now the state of Oklahoma, and enter Texas from the north. On Christmas Day 1872, over 100 passengers rode the first Katy train into Denison, a new townsite named for M-K-T Vice President George Denison. The construction and acquisition of branch lines soon extended the Katy east to Greenville, west to Rotan and Wichita Falls, and south to Galveston and San Antonio. By 1904, the system had over 1,000 miles of track in Texas. The railroad transported cattle, cotton, and other crops to market. It also carried passengers on such trains as the "Texas Special" and the "Katy Flyer" before passenger service ended in 1965. Today (1975) Denison is a division headquarters on the M-K-T and the home of about 600 railroad employees.

Historical Marker → · 18.7 mi away

Porter, Sophia

1839

(1813-1899) Settled 1839 at Glen Eden, a site now under Lake Texoma, north of here. Husband, Holland Coffee, early trader, built fine home, welcomed 1845-60, U. S. Army officers including Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant. During Civil War, wined and dined passing Federal scouts, found out they were seeking Col. Jas. Bourland, Confederate defender of Texas frontier. While guests were busy, she slipped out, swam her horse across icy Red River, warned Col. Bourland, helped prevent Federal invasion of North Texas.

Historical Marker → · 16.5 mi away

Porter, Sophia Suttenfield

1836

Sophia Porter, North Texas pioneer, was born on December 3, 1815, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the second child of William and Laura (Taylor) Suttenfield (or Suttonfield). Little is known of her childhood, but many stories exist about her adult life and her four marriages. In 1833 she married Jesse Augustine Aughinbaugh (or Auginbaugh), a druggist and teacher. In 1835 the couple arrived in Nacogdoches, where she said Aughinbaugh deserted her. As a participant in the Runaway Scrape , Sophia claimed to have arrived at the battle of San Jacinto and to have nursed Sam Houston there. Holland Coffee , a member of the House of Representatives and an Indian trader, successfully lobbied the Texas Congress to pass a bill granting Sophia Aughinbaugh a divorce from her missing husband, and on January 19, 1839, she and Coffee were married at Independence in Washington County. From there the couple traveled over 600 miles to Coffee's Station on the Red River in Grayson County. There they developed Glen Eden Plantation and the town of Preston until Coffee was killed in 1846. In December 1847 Sophia married Maj. George N. Butt (or Butts), who helped her run Glen Eden until he was killed in 1863. Butt reportedly was ambushed by a member of William C. Quantrill 's gang. The sobriquet "Confederate Paul Revere" was given Sophia during the Civil War , when she is said to have ridden her mount across the Red River to warn Col. James G. Bourland and his men that Union troops were at her plantation. The story continues that Mrs. Butt supplied the enemy with enough wine that they remained unaware of her departure. One account claims she locked the inebriated men in her wine cellar while she rode off. Other variants say either that Bourland escaped the Unionists or that he came to Glen Eden and captured them. On August 2, 1865, Sophia Butt married Judge James Porter, and they lived together at Glen Eden until his death in 1886. Sophia joined the Methodist church in Sherman in 1869. She had no children, but she raised two of Holland Coffee's nieces. She died on August 27, 1897, and was buried near Glen Eden. When the area was to be inundated to form Lake Texoma, her home was dismantled with the intention that it be reassembled as a museum of Grayson County history, but the wood was mistakenly burned.

Tsha Handbook → · 18.6 mi away

Denison, TX

1872

Denison is on U.S. highways 75 and 69 seven miles north of Sherman in northeastern Grayson County. In the early 1870s William Benjamin Munson, Sr. , and R. S. Stevens bought land in the area and prepared for the arrival of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad (the Katy). The townsite was laid out in the summer of 1872 and named for the vice president of the Katy, George Denison. The first train arrived on Christmas Eve. The town had over 3,000 residents by the summer of 1873, when it incorporated. Although Main Street appeared to be an orderly collection of businesses, the surrounding area consisted of a tent city, inhabited by bars, gambling halls, and houses of prostitution. On February 6, 1873, Denison established the first free public school in Texas. The first Denison Independent Order of Odd Fellows was organized on February 19, 1873. Denison had the first women's club in Texas; the XXI club began in 1876. In 1886 a post office opened, and in 1889 the town had 5,000 residents. During the next ten years Denison established itself as a retail and shipping point for North Texas. In addition to the tracks of the MKT, the town also became a stop on the St. Louis, San Francisco and Texas and the Kansas, Oklahoma and Gulf railroads. Five additional rail lines that connected Denison with other communities in North Texas were chartered between the late 1870s and 1900, including the first interurban electric line between Denison and Sherman in 1896. By the end of the 1870s local businesses included two cotton compresses, a large flour mill, and a slaughterhouse capable of handling 700 cattle a day. In 1884 the town had an opera house that seated 1,200. In 1889 the Denison Herald began publication. During the twentieth century industrial and manufacturing plants provided a diversified economic base for the community. Electronic parts, clothes, furniture, and a variety of plastic goods are among the products manufactured in Denison. In 1900 the population surpassed 10,000. By the mid-1920s Denison had just over 17,000 residents and 400 businesses, including four banks. It also had two high schools, nine grade schools, and numerous churches. In 1936 Denison had 13,850 residents and 460 businesses. By the end of World War II the number of residents was just short of 16,000. The population was 26,000 in 1966, when businesses numbered just under 600. In 1989 Denison had a reported 24,234 residents and 427 businesses. In 1990 the population was 21,505, and in 2000 it was 22,773. Denison was the birthplace of the thirty-fourth president of the United States, Dwight David Eisenhower . The home he was born in in 1890 has been returned to its original appearance and sits in the Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site , a three-acre area that includes a museum.

Tsha Handbook → · 19.4 mi away

Things to Do in Durant

Everything Near Durant

121 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.

  • Durant, OK · Local history

    Durant, Oklahoma, situated in the rolling terrain of Bryan County within the East Central Texas Plains ecoregion, owes its origins to the Choctaw Nation. Established in 1872 and named for Dixon Durant, a respected…

  • Bennett, Henry Garland · 0.9 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Durant, Oklahoma, a town that was once led by a visionary educator named Henry Garland Bennett. He arrived in 1908, teaching in Boswell before becoming superintendent of schools in Hugo. By 1919,…

  • Zaneis, Kate Galt · 0.9 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Durant, home of Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Right here, in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1935</say-as>, Kate Galt Zaneis took the helm as president, becoming the first woman…

  • Durant · 0.9 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Durant, a town that started with a boxcar. In November 1872, a wheelless boxcar was placed on the railroad tracks right here. Dixon Durant then built the first store next to it, naming it Durant…

  • Durant, OK · 1.1 mi

    Durant, Oklahoma, owes its existence to the Katy Railroad, which transformed it into a crucial link in the transportation network of the late 19th century. Named for Dixon Durant, a prominent figure in the Choctaw…

  • Fisher's Station · 4.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Imagine weary travelers in stagecoaches, kicking up dust right here! This was Fisher's Station, a vital stop on both the Butterfield Overland Mail route and the older Texas Road. Think of it as a 19th-century rest stop,…

  • Armstrong · 4.6 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bryan County, just north of Durant, and you're passing through Armstrong. This small town owes its existence to the railroad, specifically the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway, which laid tracks…

  • Calera, OK · 4.8 mi

    Calera, Oklahoma, in the rolling landscape of Bryan County, offers a quiet contrast to the bustle of city life. The town reflects a history marked by both resilience and community spirit. After a devastating fire in…

  • Calera · 5.2 mi · Eohc

    You're cruising down U.S. Highway 69/75, and right here, you're passing through Calera. This town started in 1872 as Cale, Indian Territory, when the Katy railroad pushed through. It was named for a railroad official,…

  • Bryan County, OK · 6.0 mi · Local history

    The wide, rolling plains of Bryan County stretch out, a mix of fertile farmland and scattered woodlands typical of the East Central Texas Plains. Recent years have brought both challenges and opportunities to this…

  • Silo · 6.3 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bryan County, and right here is Silo. It started as a stop on a stagecoach route back in the 1800s, with a post office opening in 1893. It even had a hotel, but when that caught fire, the…

  • Jones, Wilson Nathaniel · 6.7 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bryan County, Oklahoma, near the town of Cade. Right here is where Wilson Nathaniel Jones built his empire. Born around 1827, Jones moved to Indian Territory with his family in 1833. After the…

Show all 121 nearby places
  • Bryan County · 6.7 mi · Eohc

    Right here in Bryan County, you're driving through land that was once home to powerful Native American nations. Choctaw and Chickasaw people lived and farmed here for decades after their removal from the South. In fact,…

  • Camp Washita · 6.7 mi · Eohc

    Right here, near the Oklahoma-Texas border, you're driving past the site of Camp Washita. Established in 1834 by the Third Infantry, it was a forward base for the Dodge-Leavenworth Expedition. Famous artist George…

  • Cooper, Douglas Hancock · 6.7 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through what used to be Indian Territory, near Fort Washita. Right here, in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1879</say-as>, died Douglas Hancock Cooper. He was a Confederate general, yes, but he was…

  • Fort Washita · 6.7 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bryan County, and right here, you're passing the site of Fort Washita. Established in 1842, this place was built to protect the Chickasaw Nation from hostile tribes and shady characters, and it…

  • Mead · 8.1 mi · Eohc

    You're driving past Mead, Oklahoma, a town with roots stretching back to 1866. It started as a camp meeting ground for a band of Creeks, near two large springs. Presbyterian missionaries held services here, preaching in…

  • Nail's Station · 9.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Imagine weary travelers, bouncing along in stagecoaches, finding respite right here. Nail's Station, also known as Blue River Station, was a vital stop on both the Butterfield Overland Mail route and the older Texas…

  • Fort McCulloch · 9.7 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Pull over here for a second and imagine this quiet spot buzzing with activity – it was once Fort McCulloch, a vital Confederate stronghold in Indian Territory. Built in 1862 by Confederate Brigadier General Albert Pike,…

  • Platter, OK · 10.1 mi · Local history

    Platter, Oklahoma sits within the rolling East Central Texas Plains, where the land begins its slow descent toward the Gulf Coast. This part of Bryan County is defined by its fertile soils, a legacy of ancient seas and…

  • Autry, Orvon Gene · 10.8 mi · Eohc

    Right here near Achille, Oklahoma, is where America's favorite cowboy got his start. Gene Autry was born in Texas, but his family soon moved to Oklahoma, homesteading near Ravia. As a teen, he worked for the railroad,…

  • Achille · 10.8 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bryan County, and right here is Achille. This town owes its existence to the railroad, specifically the Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf line that was built through here between 1908 and 1910. The post…

  • Eaker, Ira Clarence · 10.9 mi · Eohc

    Right here in Kenefic, Oklahoma, is where a true pioneer of air power got his start. Ira Eaker moved here in 1912, and went on to become one of the "fathers" of the U.S. Air Force. You might know him as the commander of…

  • Fort McCulloch · 10.9 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bryan County, not far from Kenefic, and you're passing the site of Fort McCulloch. This was the main Confederate stronghold in southern Indian Territory during the Civil War. Built by General…

  • Kenefic · 10.9 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bryan County, near Caddo, and right here is Kenefic. This area was once a crucial stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail route, with Nail's Station right nearby from 1858 to 1861. Later, Fort…

  • Chahta Tamaha, Indian Territory · 11.0 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Right here, in what might look like just another field, you're near the former heart of the Choctaw Nation: Chahta Tamaha. This area started growing in the 1840s around the Armstrong Academy, a school for Choctaw boys…

  • Stuart Ranch · 11.3 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bryan County, and right here is the Stuart Ranch, one of Oklahoma's oldest continuously operated family ranches! It all started back in 1868 when Robert Clay Freeny homesteaded this land. He was…

  • Caddo · 11.3 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bryan County, right near the Atoka border, and you're passing through Caddo, the oldest town in this county. It owes its start to the railroad, specifically the MK&T line that laid track here in…

  • Colbert · 11.9 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bryan County, and right here is Colbert. This place was named for Benjamin Franklin Colbert, a descendant of Scottish settlers who'd married into the Chickasaw Nation. In 1853, he got permission…

  • Colbert's Ferry · 11.9 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bryan County, not far from the Red River, and you're passing through a place that was once a vital lifeline. In 1853, Benjamin Franklin Colbert, a Chickasaw citizen, was granted permission to…

  • Fort Washita · 12.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Pull over and step back in time! This is Fort Washita, established to keep the peace on the edge of a growing nation. In 1842, General Zachary Taylor, later President, founded the fort to protect the Choctaw and…

  • Cartwright, OK · 13.1 mi · Local history

    Cartwright, Oklahoma sits nestled in the rolling landscape of Bryan County, where the East Central Texas Plains begin their slow transition into the Lowland South. The town's heritage is rooted in the dreams of families…

  • Bloomfield Academy (Oklahoma) · 13.3 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Right here, near Achille, Oklahoma, once stood a beacon of education for young Chickasaw women. Bloomfield Academy, established in 1852, was a boarding school funded by both the Methodist Church and the Chickasaw Nation…

  • Bokchito · 13.6 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bokchito, a town born from the railroad and the Choctaw people. The name itself, meaning 'big creek,' hints at its deep roots. In 1900, a new railway line spurred the town's creation, and just a…

  • Colbert's Ferry · 14.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Imagine standing on the banks of the Red River, where a vital crossing once buzzed with activity. This was Colbert's Ferry, a crucial link between Texas and Indian Territory for decades. From around 1853 to 1899, this…

  • 1931 Free Bridge Controversy · 15.0 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of a major bridge dispute back in 1931. Texas and Oklahoma wanted free highway bridges over the Red River, but the company running the old toll bridge, Colbert Bridge, got a court order to…

  • Colbert's Ferry · 15.0 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of Colbert's Ferry, established around 1853 by Benjamin F. Colbert. This crossing was a vital gateway for thousands of immigrants heading into Texas during the 1850s. It even served the…

  • Hendrix · 15.1 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bryan County, and right here is Hendrix. This town owes its very existence to a railroad dispute! Back in 1910, the Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway was bypassing the nearby town of Kemp. So,…

  • Kemp · 15.4 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bryan County, near Hendrix. This spot, originally called Warner Springs, was settled in the 1880s because of its water. It was a thriving Chickasaw community, even getting a post office in 1890…

  • Bryan County, OK · 15.9 mi

    Bryan County, Oklahoma, lies within the East Central Texas Plains, a landscape of rolling grasslands and scattered woodlands that mark the transition from the Great Plains to the South. Lake Texoma, a sprawling…

  • The Mountain of Earth That Made the Lake · 16.4 mi

    The lake that defines Pottsboro exists because engineers stacked a small mountain of dirt across the Red River. Denison Dam, authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1938, was begun in 1939 and completed in 1944. It is…

  • Preston, TX · 16.5 mi

    Preston is nestled on the Red River in the Red River Valley, on a river bend just downstream from the river's confluence with the Washita River. The area, also known as Washita Bend or Coffee Bend, is characterized by a…

  • Porter, Sophia · 16.5 mi · Historical Marker

    (1813-1899) Settled 1839 at Glen Eden, a site now under Lake Texoma, north of here. Husband, Holland Coffee, early trader, built fine home, welcomed 1845-60, U. S. Army officers including Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S.…

  • Lake Texoma · 16.5 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving along the edge of Lake Texoma, a massive body of water that reshaped the Texas landscape. Completed in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1944</say-as>, this lake is the second largest in Texas and…

  • Carpenters Bluff Bridge · 16.5 mi · Historical Marker

    You're crossing the Red River right now, and behind you is a bridge with a story that stretches back over a century! Built in 1910 for the Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway, this was a vital link for hauling coal from…

  • Coffee, Holland · 16.6 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of Coffee's Trading Post, established around 1837. This was a crucial hub for trade with Native American tribes across the Red River region and the western plains. More than just a place for…

  • Ray, TX · 16.6 mi · Local history

    Ray, Texas, emerged from the fertile Blackland Prairie of Grayson County, a landscape of rich, dark soils and gently rolling hills. Farming families, drawn by the promise of productive land for cotton and corn, were…

  • Oak Ridge Cemetery · 16.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past Oak Ridge Cemetery, established in 1882. Emma Messenger donated land for this community burial ground after her mother-in-law died. It grew with land additions in 1939 and 1992, and today holds over…

  • The Red River Bridge War · 17.1 mi

    In July 1931, Texas and Oklahoma nearly went to war over a bridge. The states had jointly built a free bridge across the Red River near Denison, Texas, to replace a privately owned toll bridge. The toll bridge company…

  • Texas HS Baseball Leaders 2026: Denison (Denison) · 17.4 mi

    Denison (Denison, TX) placed on the 5A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Masen Patton (4 HR).

  • Emory, William Hemsley · 17.4 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Johnston County, Oklahoma, near Emet, and right here is where a tough decision was made during the Civil War. In 1858, Major William Hemsley Emory was in command of forts in Indian Territory,…

  • White House of the Chickasaws · 17.8 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Pull over here – this isn't just another house; it's the White House of the Chickasaws, a window into a nation's history. Built in 1895, this beautiful Queen Anne-style home was the residence of Chickasaw Nation…

  • A Park Named for the Hometown General · 17.9 mi

    Just up the shoreline from Pottsboro sits a state park with a hometown story. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the World War II Allied commander and 34th U.S. president, was born in nearby Denison in 1890. When the brand-new Lake…

  • Denison, TX · 18.0 mi · Local history

    Denison arose from the fertile Blackland Prairies of North Texas, its fate tied to the arrival of the Katy Railroad in 1873. Named for a railroad executive, the town quickly became a transportation hub, drawing farmers…

  • McCoy, Joseph G. · 18.2 mi · Historical Marker

    Hey road trippers! You're cruising through Denison, Texas, where a man named Joseph G. McCoy made a massive impact on the cattle industry. After the Civil War, Texas's economy was in ruins, and its vast herds of cattle…

  • Washington, L. A., Jr. and Martha · 18.2 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Denison, and you're passing the site of a remarkable arrival in Texas. In 1849, Dr. L. A. Washington Jr. rode into the state. Now, this wasn't just any doctor – he was the grandnephew of George…

  • Porter, Sophia Suttenfield · 18.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Sophia Porter, North Texas pioneer, was born on December 3, 1815, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the second child of William and Laura (Taylor) Suttenfield (or Suttonfield). Little is known of her childhood, but many stories…

  • North-South Railway Connection · 18.6 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Denison, Texas, a town born from the railroad. On Christmas Eve, 1872, the Katy Railroad pulled into town, completing a massive effort to build south into Texas. But the real magic happened just a…

  • Glen Eden Plantation · 18.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Grayson County, near where Preston Bend used to be. Right here, Holland Coffee started what became Glen Eden Plantation in 1837, building a trading post and eventually a grand mansion. His unique…

  • Huff, John · 18.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Wharton County, and right here, you're passing through the land where John Huff settled over 200 years ago. Born in Pennsylvania around 1801, Huff was one of Stephen F. Austin's original…

  • Preston, TX (Grayson County) · 18.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving near Lake Texoma, but imagine this: right here, over 180 years ago, was the rough-and-tumble frontier town of Preston. Established around 1837 near the Red River, it quickly became a vital crossing point…

  • E. M. Kohl Building · 18.6 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Denison, and right here is the E.M. Kohl Building. This place started as a grocery and saloon back in 1893, built by Ernst Martin Kohl, a former German Navy captain who settled in Texas. He later…

  • Site of Saint Francis Xavier Academy · 18.6 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Denison, where in 1876, the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur founded St. Francis Xavier Academy. It was the first of six Texas schools organized by the Sisters, educating girls in the arts, sciences,…

  • Coffee, Holland · 18.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Holland Coffee, Red River trader, the son of Ambrose and Mildred (Moore) Coffee, was born on August 15, 1807, probably in Kentucky. He was orphaned at age eleven and grew up in McMinnville, Tennessee, with an uncle,…

  • Bush, William M. · 18.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Grayson County, Texas, near the town of Preston. Right here, in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1862</say-as>, William M. Bush enlisted to fight for the Confederacy. He was elected…

  • Preston Supply depot · 18.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Grayson County, near the Oklahoma border, and right here is where the Preston Supply Depot once stood. Back in 1851, the U.S. Army was trying to figure out the best way to get supplies to forts…

  • Preston, TX (Wharton County) · 18.6 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Wharton County, not far from the site of Preston. Back in 1838, developers advertised lots for this brand-new town, promising brick factories and twenty houses. They even planned for a public sale…

  • St. Patrick's Catholic Church · 18.6 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Denison. Founded in 1872 by the Bishop of Galveston, this parish saw its first church building completed in 1898. Designed by the noted architect Nicholas J. Clayton,…

  • Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad · 18.7 mi · Historical Marker

    In 1865 the Union Pacific Railway southern branch was incorporated to build a railroad from the St. Louis-Kansas City area to the Gulf of Mexico. In 1870, with construction completed to the border of Indian Territory,…

  • XXI Club · 18.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Denison, and you're passing the site of a truly pioneering Texas institution: the XXI Club. Founded way back in 1890 by ten influential women, this was no ordinary social club. Look to your right…

  • Waples-Platter Grocery Company · 18.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past what used to be the heart of Denison's early commercial district. In 1872, this area saw the founding of Waples-Platter Grocery Company, initially supplying railroad workers. By 1885, they built a…

  • Old Thompson Home · 18.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Denison, and just ahead is the Old Thompson Home, the oldest house still standing in Grayson County. Built in 1830 near Preston Bend, it was also home to the county's very first post office.…

  • First Presbyterian Church · 18.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Denison, the site of the First Presbyterian Church, organized way back in 1872. The congregation started in a living room, then moved to the town hall, finally getting their own building in 1874.…

  • Kingston · 18.8 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Kingston, Oklahoma, right where highways 70 and 32 meet. This town has a bit of a split personality, born from a railroad switcheroo! It started in 1894, named for a local resident, Jeff King. But…

  • St. Luke Church · 18.8 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past Denison's oldest house of worship, St. Luke Church. It's also the oldest Episcopal sanctuary in Grayson County. The site was given by the Denison Town Company, and the first bishop of Texas visited…

  • Miller, J.K. · 18.9 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Denison, and just off the road here is the site of the J.K. Miller home. Miller and his wife came to Texas in 1852, settling this area around 1860. About 1866, he and his sons built this log…

  • Miller's Spring · 18.9 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Denison, and right here is the site of Miller's Spring. In <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1866</say-as>, J. K. Miller bought this land, and this spring became the lifeblood for his…

  • W. B. and Ella Munson Home · 18.9 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past W. B. and Ella Munson Home. William Benjamin Munson (1846-1930) was born in Fulton County, Illinois. He was the first graduate of Kentucky&#x2019;s Agricultural and Mechanical College (later,…

  • Lone Star Masonic Lodge No. 403, A. F. & A. M. · 18.9 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past Lone Star Masonic Lodge No. 403, A. F. & A. M.. Organized a year after Denison was founded, Lone Star Masonic Lodge was chartered June 6, 1874. Meetings were held in several locations before the…

  • Forest Park · 19.0 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Denison, and right here is Forest Park, a place that's seen more than just picnics. In 1922, this park became the site of Camp Ellis, a tent city housing the Texas National Guard during a major…

  • Waples Memorial United Methodist Church · 19.0 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the site of Waples Memorial United Methodist Church in Denison. Organized in 1873, it was the first Methodist congregation in town. The church was later named for E.B. and Mrs. Waples, who helped…

  • Eisenhower, Dwight D. · 19.1 mi · Historical Marker

    Thirty-fourth president of the United States; born here Oct. 14, 1890, third son of David J. and Ida Elizabeth Stover Eisenhower. Dwight Eisenhower graduated from the U. S. Military Academy, 1915; in 1943, during World…

  • Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site · 19.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Pull over here for a moment – this unassuming house is where a future President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, was born! On October 14th, 1890, Dwight David Eisenhower was born in this very house in…

  • Eisenhower Birthplace · 19.1 mi · Historical Marker

    On October 14, 1890, Dwight David Eisenhower was born in this small two-story frame house near the railroad tracks in Denison, Texas. His father, David, worked at a cotton gin across the street. The family was poor.…

  • First Fannin County Settlement · 19.2 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Elwood, Fannin County, near where history was made back in April of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1836</say-as>. This was the site of the first Fannin County settlement, established by…

  • Mulberry Cemetery · 19.2 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Mulberry Cemetery, a place that's seen more than its share of hardship. Established in the early 1880s, it holds the remains of Civil War Captain Thomas Lightfoot and the community's first…

  • Caney · 19.2 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Atoka County, right near the Union Pacific Railway line, and you're passing through the area that was once the town of Caney. It started in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1888</say-as>…

  • Smith Plantation, Site of · 19.3 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Fannin County, passing the site of the old Smith Plantation. Back in 1851, Gideon Smith arrived from Alabama and bought a massive 3000-acre spread. He soon brought his brother John to join him.…

  • Eisenhower, Dwight David · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Dwight David Eisenhower, general of the army and thirty-fourth president of the United States, was born in Denison, Texas, on October 14, 1890, to David J. and Ida (Stover) Eisenhower. His father, who had moved from…

  • Denison, TX · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    Denison is on U.S. highways 75 and 69 seven miles north of Sherman in northeastern Grayson County. In the early 1870s William Benjamin Munson, Sr. , and R. S. Stevens bought land in the area and prepared for the arrival…

  • Griggs, Allen R. · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through North Texas, and right here is where a remarkable man, Allen R. Griggs, made his mark. Born a slave in Georgia around 1850, he was brought to Texas as a child. Griggs didn't just become a Baptist…

  • Munson, William Benjamin, Sr. · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through North Texas, and right here is Denison, a town born from a bold gamble. William Benjamin Munson arrived in Texas in 1871, a surveyor and lawyer looking for opportunity. When Sherman residents…

  • Red River Bridge Controversy · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving near Denison, Texas, where in July of 1931, a brand new, free bridge over the Red River sparked a bizarre interstate standoff. A private company, operating an old toll bridge, sued to stop the opening,…

  • Acheson, Alexander W. · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Denison, Texas, a town that owes much of its development to a Civil War hero. Alexander Acheson, then a Union Army captain, was the first officer to lead his men over captured Confederate…

  • Acheson, Sarah C. · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Denison, Texas, where Sarah Acheson made her mark as a pioneering suffragist and temperance reformer. <break time="400ms"/> Born in Pennsylvania in 1844, she moved to Denison in 1872. <break…

  • Eisenhower State Park · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Grayson County, not far from Denison, the birthplace of a national hero. Back in 1947, the Texas legislature voted to honor World War II hero Dwight D. Eisenhower with a state park. It took a few…

  • Ervin, Booker T., Jr. · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Denison, Texas, the birthplace of Booker T. Ervin, Jr., a jazz tenor saxophonist whose sound would echo across the globe. Born in 1930, Ervin's musical journey began with his father's trombone and…

  • Lake Texoma · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving near Lake Texoma, a massive playground on the Red River, straddling the Texas-Oklahoma border. Right here, Denison Dam was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a colossal earth embankment stretching…

  • Lease, Mary Elizabeth Clyens · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Denison right now, and you're passing through a place that helped launch the career of one of America's most fiery orators. Mary Elizabeth Lease arrived here in 1874 with her family, after losing…

  • Mooar, John Wesley · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through North Texas, and right here, you're passing through a piece of the legendary buffalo hide trade. John Wesley Mooar, a businessman from New York, realized big profits could be made selling buffalo…

  • Simmons, Marshall Lee · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Grayson County, right near Denison. Back in the early 1900s, this area was known for widespread lawlessness, bootlegging, and general trouble. In 1912, the community pleaded with Marshall Lee…

  • Cameron, William · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Texas, perhaps near Denison or Waco, and you're passing through the legacy of William Cameron. Born in Scotland in 1834, Cameron came to the US and eventually found his fortune in Texas lumber. In…

  • Randell, Choice Boswell · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Denison, Texas, a town that owes much of its early development to the efforts of Choice Boswell Randell. Arriving here in 1879, Randell quickly became a prominent figure. He served as Denison's…

  • Van Katwijk, Viola Edna Beck · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through North Texas, and right here in Denison, Viola Beck was born in 1894. She became a renowned pianist, composer, and educator. Viola studied piano with none other than Percy Grainger and even made…

  • Cook, Jesse Mercer · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Grayson County, heading towards Denison, a town that owes its existence in part to Jesse Mercer Cook. Born in Georgia in 1830, Cook came to Texas after serving in the Mexican War. He settled in…

  • Cook, John R. · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through the Texas Panhandle, a land that, not too long ago, was defined by the thunder of hooves and the roar of a rifle. Back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1874</say-as>, John R. Cook arrived…

  • Denison, Bonham and New Orleans Railroad · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through North Texas, and right here, the story of the Denison, Bonham and New Orleans Railroad, nicknamed 'Nellie,' unfolds. <break time="400ms"/> Chartered way back in 1887, this ambitious project aimed…

  • Grayson County College · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving through Denison, Texas, home to Grayson County College. It all started in 1963 when the Grayson County Development Council organized this junior college. By 1965, classes were underway with nearly 1,500…

  • Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway Company of Texas · 19.4 mi · Tsha Handbook

    You're driving near Denison, Texas, a town that became a crucial connection point for a brand new railway back in 1910. The Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway Company of Texas was chartered right here to build nine…

  • Coffman Cemetery · 19.4 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving through Denison, and if you look closely, you might spot Coffman Cemetery. While David Coffman fought in the Civil War, his family settled here. After the war, David joined them, and they bought this…

  • Bennington · 19.5 mi · Eohc

    You're driving through Bryan County, just east of Durant, and you're passing through Bennington. This town's story started way back in 1853 as a Presbyterian mission called Mount Pleasant. A few years later, it moved…

  • Watkins, Wesley Wade · 19.5 mi · Eohc

    You're rolling through Bryan County, Oklahoma, the hometown of Wesley Wade Watkins. Born in Arkansas in 1938, Watkins grew up near Bennington. He went on to serve in the Oklahoma National Guard, run a real estate…

  • Denison, TX · 19.7 mi

    For a town its size, Denison has an outsized claim to fame. Its most famous son is Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President and Supreme Allied Commander in World War II. Ike was born here in 1890 in a small house by the…

  • The President Born by the Tracks · 19.7 mi

    Just a few blocks from downtown Denison, you can find a small, simple, two-story white house. It may not look like much, but it's the birthplace of a giant of the 20th century: Dwight D. Eisenhower. On October 14, 1890,…

  • The Denison Man Who Saved French Wine · 19.7 mi

    Here in Denison, a local horticulturist named Thomas Volney Munson performed a miracle for the world of wine. In the late eighteen hundreds, an aphid called phylloxera was devastating the vineyards of France,…

  • The Red River Bridge War · 19.7 mi

    Imagine the governors of Texas and Oklahoma facing off with armed troops over a bridge. It really happened, right here at the Red River in 1931. A new, free bridge was built connecting Denison to Durant, Oklahoma,…

  • Taming the Red River: The Denison Dam · 19.7 mi

    Just northwest of Denison stands one of the great engineering feats of the 20th century: the Denison Dam. For decades, the Red River was a menace, prone to catastrophic floods that wiped out farms and bridges. To…

  • The Hero of the Hudson's Hometown · 19.7 mi

    On January 15, 2009, the world watched as Captain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger masterfully landed a crippled airliner on the Hudson River, saving all 155 people on board. That hero's story began right here in Denison.…

  • Mayes House · 19.7 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Mayes House in Denison, a home designed by architect Donald Mayes himself. He lived here with his wife, Rose Marie, from the time they married in 1940 until his death in 1966. Mayes left his mark…

  • Milburn · 19.8 mi · Eohc

    Right here in Milburn, you're driving through a town that almost had a dozen names! When the railroad came through in the early 1900s, everyone wanted a say in naming the new townsite. The railroad company liked McLish,…

  • Munson, Thomas V. · 19.9 mi · Historical Marker

    You're driving past the Denison home of Thomas V. Munson, a world-famed scientist who literally saved France's wine industry. Born in Illinois and educated in Kentucky, Munson settled in Denison in 1876. He developed…

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