Bigger and Better: Nation’s Largest Downtown Square
(Graham, TX)
Nothing is more iconic of small-town Texas than the downtown square which surrounds an ornate county courthouse: a theatre, a few boutiques, a couple of restaurants, and, if truly lucky, a soda fountain. But one small town’s square is bigger than all the rest – and not just the rest of Texas, but the rest of the nation. Graham is the county seat for Young County, and boasts a square with a one-mile circumference. There are no traffic problems when shopping in this Texas town!
History
The city was founded in 1871 by the Graham brothers, Gustavus and Edwin, shareholders in the Texas Emigration and Land Company of Kentucky. The brothers moved to Texas after the Civil War and bought over one-hundred thousand acres in Young County to help improve the depleted area. With their encouragement, families began moving to Graham, and a post office opened in 1873. The next year saw Young County reorganizing and naming Graham the county seat.
With the official county seat title, many businesses began opening, as well as the first temporary courthouse raised in 1876. The local newspaper, The Leader, still in existence today, also began printing in that year. To round out the industrial and commercial sectors of the town, a gristmill, cotton gin, brick kiln, sawmill, and two hotels were founded among several stores.
Perhaps it was the flourishing growth of the new town that drew the attention of James C. Loving, Colonel Kit Carter, and C.C. Slaughter – all prominent ranchers of the time – when they held the first ever meeting of the iconic Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association on February 15, 1877. The meeting hoped to battle cattle rustling and unify ranchers. In total, forty ranchers met in Graham to stop livestock theft. The association continues 135 years later as an important trade association in its industry, although its headquarters has since moved to Fort Worth.
By 1884, only thirteen years after the city’s founding, a three-story limestone courthouse was built. This courthouse was later replaced in the 1930s with the current county courthouse, though a remnant of the 1884 courthouse remains.
Title: Graham Public Square Date: ca. 1910-1920s Part Of: Collection of real photographic postcards of Texas Place: Graham, Young County, Texas (SMU Central University Libraries)
But with all this – the question remains – why is the square so large for a small town? The designers had foresight, and wanted to ensure the roads were wide enough for a horse-drawn wagon to be able to do a U-turn – which is no easy feat! And while we no longer use horse-drawn wagons, the large square allowed space for many stores and amusements to be founded, helping the town as it tripled in size from 1900 to 1920 due to the discovery of oil nearby.
Center Square and OPOMAC
Currently, the art-deco courthouse built in the 1930s still stands in the center of the square, and is a great representation of the beautiful courthouses found in Texas. The center also houses the Young County Veterans Memorial, a beautiful structure made of red-granite and inscribed with the names of county residents who died in service since World War I as well as area veterans. The Courthouse Archway of the 1884 courthouse’s eastern door sits to the southside of the courthouse surrounded by the loop of 3rd Street, and further to the south sits the Old Post Office Museum-Art Center.
The 1884 Courthouse Archway, Graham, TX
The OPOMAC, as it is called, is housed in Graham’s first permanent post office building built as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project in 1935. Prior to its opening, the location of the post office changed with each new postmaster, tracing back to the town’s first postmaster, G.A. Graham, who built a tiny establishment to both serve as a post office and house the city’s records. The WPA building was completed in 225 days and opened in May 1936. It stayed post office until 1993 when it was moved to a new location. The old building was then purchased by the City of Graham from the federal government. In 2002, the building became the Old Post Office Museum and Art Center, opening its doors in conjunction with the Texas Cattle Raisers Association’s 125th birthday celebration.
The Old Post Office Museum-Art Center, Graham, TX
Inside the OPOMAC are two distinct areas: The Museum and The Art Center. The museum employs the former ‘mail box’ area of the post office, and features artifacts from Young County’s history. There is also a photography wall of black and white photos of the community that dates back to its founding. The art center operates in the former ‘work area’ of the post office, and is now an art gallery for rotating exhibits and shows. The Graham Art Guild hosts an annual ‘Lake Country Art Show’, and the OPOMAC also hosts an annual exhibit of local high school art talent called ‘Art at the OPOMAC’.
Current Attractions, Shopping, and Dining
To the west of the courthouse, you will find the National Theatre. This beautiful, art-deco local icon first opened in 1920, and still maintains the nostalgic neon lights and marquee that will take a person back to times long missed. But do not let the historic outward appearance of the National Theatre fool you – new movies are still being shown on the big screen here. The cinema has three movie screens, each with their own name: the National, the Northstar, and the Staircase. The concessions offer the most important drinks to Texans: Dr. Pepper, RC Cola, and sweet tea (among less important drinks) and the popcorn is made fresh. Like most square theatres still in operation throughout the state and country: the ticket prices are a fraction of the cost of larger establishments, and so the theatre relies heavily on concession sales to maintain. Therefore, be sure to have your sweet and salty teeth at the ready when you arrive.
The National Theatre, Graham, TX
The shopping ranges from antiques to boutiques, and you will certainly walk away with many treasures for a reasonable price. Welch Western Wear will ensure you are decked out from head to toe in the latest western fashionwear for your trip in ranching country, and Boaz Department Store, established in 1921, has the latest in lady’s apparel. Joy’s Downtown Flowers has offered beautiful arrangements for over forty years in the same location on the corner of 4th Street and Elm Street (and as a daughter of a Joy – I would be remiss not to give them a strong head nod in this post).
A few doors down from Joy’s Flowers is the wonderful bistro, Neri’s on the Square. Neri’s is probably the newest establishment to this historic square, being only nine years old, but it offers beautiful seating and art – and of course, delicious cuisine. Founded by chef Neri Gonzalez, Neri’s menu ranges from sandwiches and burgers to surf and turf. Homemade chicharrones and deep-fried chicken cheese jalapeno bites tempt as appetizers. Sirloins, grilled shrimp, enchiladas, street tacos, and philly cheese steak sandwiches are a few of the entrees anyone can enjoy before heading to one of the many lakes in the region. Each day of the week has an all-day happy hour special, for those who enjoy a kick to their drink, and be sure to ask about the weekly featured desserts. Even if you find yourself full from your meal, the front counter features desserts to-go, and you will not be sorry for indulging.
Artwork from Neri’s on the Square Bistro, Graham, TX
While strolling around this record-setting downtown square, you may notice several murals, including Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association Mural to a Welcome to Graham mural. Many of these older murals were actually part of WPA projects (much like the 1936 post office the OPOMAC now resides in). Though some have faded over time, local artists such as Bailee Green, have renovated these murals to preserve history. Green also added her own mural on the corner of Oak and Second St: “Always brighten the corner where you are’. Be sure to brighten the corner you visit in Graham by getting a selfie with these wonderful pieces of art!
Downtown Square Mural, Graham, TX