Chambersville

Chambersville ran along a single street. A resident's memoir counts thirteen houses on Main Street in the early 1900s. A sawmill behind the cotton gin also stored ice under sawdust. Tom Robison and his father-in-law built caskets, lined with brocade, in the blacksmith shop, and Robison made the church benches. School Fridays began as recitation exhibitions and became literary societies, box suppers and spelling matches, while a town band under teacher W. S. Smith played county picnics. In 1918 influenza struck nearly every family, and few could attend the many funerals.

What the plaque says

Chambersville Elisha and Margaret (Peggy) Ann Mannon Chambers immigrated to Texas in 1847 with their seven children. Elisha took up two headrights in Collin and Dallas Counties, donating a piece of his homestead for the creation of a cemetery and a school in present-day Chambersville. This land was originally called "Chambers" in honor of Elisha and Peggy's donation. The town thrived at the turn of the 20th century with a sawmill, blacksmith, cotton gin, post office and two general stores. By the late 1880s, Chambersville School was already a center for community congregation. The first school building was located on the south edge of the cemetery. The community outgrew this structure by 1916 and a new school was constructed two hundred yards southwest. Besides the yearly Christmas tree and end-of-school exhibition, the school served the community as an auditorium, gathering hall, and its gymnasium was even used a skating rink in the 1950s. During World War I, the Red Cross established a base out of the school and local women helped to make bandages and wrap packages for servicemen. It continued in this role as a community meeting place until its destruction in 1973. The local church has also played a central role in bringing together current and former Chambersville citizens. The first church was built in 1905 and a new church, designed and built by pastor Thomas M. Robertson, was completed in 1949. Church members organized local events, such as the harvest festival, that continue to strengthen the cultural traditions and ties of the Chambersville community. 175 Years of Texas Independence * 1836-2011

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary — 10 mi
  A 289-acre sanctuary in McKinney that Bessie Heard founded at the age of 80, with five habitats, a 50-acre wetland and 6.5 miles of trails.
• Sam Rayburn House State Historic Site — 30 mi
  The two-story farmhouse west of Bonham that the longtime Speaker of the House built in 1916 and kept as his home, left as he lived in it and open as a museum since 1975.

More markers nearby

• Chambersville Cemetery — steps away
• Chambersville Methodist Church — steps away
• Gus Wilson — 1.7 mi
• Dr. William Edward Throckmorton — 2.8 mi