I’ve been told that a cowboy would ride all day to spend 1 night in Waxahachie, Texas because it was the go-to place for a good time! Even though cowboys aren’t riding their horses to downtown, flash forward 125 years, it is still the heart of the city and center of activity with traces of cowboy history around every corner.
1. Farmers and ranchers would gather around the courthouse square to buy and sell goods, but the real focal point of the transaction was the Ellis County Courthouse. Built in 1895 and standing nine stories tall, it is one of the 100 most photographed structures in Texas.
2. We’ve upgraded the shopping experience from the 1800s to include 50+ boutiques, antiques, specialty shops, galleries and more. Giddy up for a shopping rodeo!
3. Cowboys won’t have to search hard for a good watering hole because Waxahachie is an official “Brew City, Texas” destination, and downtown Waxahachie has plenty to choose from with the College Street Pub, Railport Brewing Company, Southern Roots Brewing Company, Big Al’s Down the Hatch, Cork House Winery and Texas Art & Pour. There’s also 25 other restaurants to choose from offering all of your favorites – Mexican, American, Italian, desserts and everything in between.
LOCAL TIP: The playlist at Farm Luck Soda Fountain is CoWboy approved!
4. Thanks to our friends at the Texas Motorplex, we still drive cattle thru downtown once a year during the “Stampede of Speed Cattle Drive” when we welcome the Fort Worth Herd to kick-off the biggest racing event in the country – NHRA Texas Fall Nationals Stampede of Speed. This is a 10-day event beginning Friday, October 3rd with the Stars of Texas Festival on October 3-5 and will conclude with the 40th annual NHRA Texas Fall Nationals, October 8-12th. A full week of activities will highlight the economic benefit of motorsports in Texas as well as provide a wide variety of entertainment options for sports fans from across the state and around the country.
5. If you’ve spent a lifetime “Looking for Love” like most urban cowboys, we have examples of love throughout the city with 21 painted hearts for you to snap a selfie with AND a love lock fence where you can hang your locket. For a map of the hearts, visit hachieheartstrail.com.
6. For more cowboy fun, the annual Ellis County Livestock Show & Rodeo is a fundraiser with a mission of encouraging and equipping the youth of Ellis County today to create the leader of tomorrow. The rodeo portion is March 27-29, 2025 offering a PRCA ProRodeo sanctioned event with bull riding, barrel racing, team roping, breakaway roping and more. The ag mechanics, creative arts and youth livestock shows will begin March 23-April 5th where it all culminates with the “Sale of Champions.”
7. Last but not least, local resident and cowboy poet David Smith is real expert on the history of the cowboy in Ellis County. Catch him in action along with his cowboy poet and music friends from around the country at the annual Waxahachie Cowboy Gathering scheduled for April 5 at the Ellis County Woman’s Building.
BONUS TIP: On your way out of town, see a life-size bronze statue of “The Bronco Buster” by Frederic Remington outside Interbank located at 300 N. Highway 77.
This is where this cowgirl rides away… until we meet again! Happy Trails. -Laurie Mosley
