Town of the Week
Mexia, Texas
August 3, 1996)
About 90 miles south of Dallas is a town which honors a close friend of Texas heros Sam Houston and Steven Austin. General José Antonio Mexia was distinguished by a life-long feud with Mexican president Despot Santa Anna. Mes Mexia died at the hands of a Mexican firing squad at the age of 39. He owned a huge land grant in Limestone County, Texas, and his son donated townsite in right-of-way when the Texas and Central Railroad arrived there in 1871.
Today, Mexia is a town of 7,000 people, centered between I35 and I45, within minutes of six lakes in central Texas. Most people are employed at the Mexia State School. Some make furniture. Others churn out butter fudge at the Centex Candy Company. At the town's Old West Museum, you'll visit a saloon, a house of ill repute, a jail, Wells-Fargo office, and a casino where old west reinactments take place daily. Worth visiting are the Old Fort Parker State Historical Park where you'll learn about the late, great Comanche chief, Quanah Parker and the Confederate Reunion Ground State Historical Park containing the two-story cabin of Mordecai Yell who gained fame for his cry, "Give 'em hell." They say there's nothing sweeter than a Mexia peach. You can taste them in our Town of the Week, Mexia, Texas.
