A Downtown Reborn. Festivals, Events, & Fun.
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WELCOMETOENNIS! Welcome to the wonderful town of Ennis, Texas where
you will find the bluebonnet spirit all year long! Whether you are visiting us for a short period of time or are a lifelong resident, you know what it means to truly feel welcome when you are in our town. We invite you to make your fall family memories right here in Ennis this October at the largest family-friendly fall event in Texas! Ennis Autumn Daze on October 30th and 31st features live music from Grammy Award Winner, Don Felder, The Bellamy Brothers and more! There is something for everyone to enjoy including carnival rides, haymaze, pumpkin patch, cornhole tournament, costume contest, beer garden, children’s art area and professional pumpkin carvers. The incredible haymaze and professionally designed pumpkin patch is free and open to the public the entire month of October (on Oct 30-31 it becomes part of the Autumn Daze festival grounds). If you need a spot for fall family photos, this is the spot! Thank you to our generous sponsors, Freshpet and Pegasus Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. Another must do in downtown Ennis this fall is the Bluebonnet Market, open every Saturday from April through October. Nothing says small town charm like strolling through the beautiful, tree-lined Dallas street visiting with vendors, sipping coffee and shopping for fresh
Ashley Colunga produce, handmade jewelry, Marketing and essential oils, pottery crafted onCommunications Director site and more! City of Ennis We are excited to announce the return of the beloved Lights of Ennis Parade and Block Party on December 2nd. Downtown will come to life this December with magical events including the parade, Christmas Bluebonnet Market, holiday roller skating, Cookies with Mrs. Claus, Lucky’s CC Car Show and Toy drive, carriage rides, elf seek and find and snow hill. Our beautiful downtown will look straight out of a Hallmark Christmas movie with stunning holiday décor and plenty of photo-ops. Thank you Ennis Regional Medical Center for your generous donation that makes these events and activities possible for our community. Make sure to visit Ennis’ historic downtown where you will find wonderful shopping and dining. There are many new downtown businesses for you to explore. While downtown, stop inside the Ennis Welcome Center to take in the incredible, NEW art installation by Michele Gutlove. Download our free mobile app, Ennis Y’all, where you will have access to all Ennis has to offer and follow us at Ennis TX: A Main Street City on Facebook. Visit us at www.visitennis.org for additional event dates and information. Welcome to Ennis Y’all!
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Special thanks to the City of Ennis, Ennis Welcome Center, Ennis Main Street, Ennis Chamber of Commerce, and Ennis Independent School District. Additional images courtesy of Bruce Lattimer Photography and other contributors. Discover Fall 2021 is a publication of The Ennis News. Features by Mark Warde and Randy Bigham. Copyright 2021. All rights reserved. For more copies, contact us at The Ennis News or go online to www.ennisdailynews.com.
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ENNISREADIESFORFALL A utumns in Ennis are chock full of seasonal color and family fun. It starts in October with Autumn Daze, a monthlong, kids’ favorite - Haymaze. While spring in the Bluebonnet City annually celebrates Czech culture, it is still featured in the fall during October’s Czech Heritage Month. The music and the food that has long been identified with Czechoslovakia just can’t be contained. Along with that, residents decorate their homes in harvest hues and seasonal motifs. North Plaza is laden with decorated hay bales and just for good measure, a convention of pumpkins, corn stalks and photo ops perfect for shutterbugs or selfies. Don’t miss the Pumpkin Patch. Ben Vyers, a local artist, adds splash and dash to autumn colors. Halloween characters and images allure young and old for seasonal photo-ops. Flowers and wreaths are liberally placed and lighting extends the venue into the evening hours through Oct. 31. Texas Motorplex, located just four miles northwest of downtown, draws thousands of revved up race fans who express their need for speed. LIVE from ENNIS, TEXAS... the annual NHRA Fall Nationals, held each October, is televised
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across the country. Add to that, the seven-month season of Saturdays at the Bluebonnet Market (farmers market), comes to a great finish on N. Dallas Street. It will resume in April. Rare for most cities is an attraction of the arts. Yet in downtown Ennis, there are two live theatre groups within blocks of each other. Both feature local talent and high-quality drama in six outstanding plays per season by both groups. Ennis Public Theatre and Theatre Rocks! They continue with show-busters, including Broadway classics, performed live in an intimate, black box setting. Visitors and area citizens can learn about the overall history of the Bluebonnet City by stopping by the Ennis Railroad and Cultural Heritage Museum. Known for its handful of festivals and carnivals, another event that grows each year is December’s Lights of Ennis. It has been held over 20 straight years and shows no signs of letting up! The highlight is a parade downtown with vehicles, horses, fire-trucks, even members of the E-Pride Marching Band... all illuminated. Cast in the setting of LED-lit buildings and Princeton American Elm trees wearing lights, it is a can’t miss classic. A community that offers so much to its residents that you, too, might utter the phrase, I love this town!
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THEATRELIVESHERE access to tickets can be found at www.ennispublictheatre. com or by calling 972-878-PLAY.
Theatre Rocks! Under Rhotens’ leadership
Founded in 2013, Theatre Rocks! Is a very popular venue for live plays. An intimate atmosphere with seating for approximately 75, the talent you’ll find is big and productions are unique and well-performed featuring local amateurs working alongside well-trained actors. Theatre Rocks has produced a number of well-known hits, from “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ” by Tennessee Williams to Sam Shepard’s “True West” and “12 Angry Men” in the summer of 2019. Bill Rhoten, artistic director, and Suzanne Rhoten, executive director, have teamed together in Dallas area performing arts for well over 30 years and have been active in both producing and directing in Ennis since 2002. Located near downtown at 505 NW Main Street, visit TheatreRocks.com or their Facebook page or call 972-8785126 for additional info.
Ennis is home to two local theater organizations, each of which presents six productions a year and offers other entertainment on their respective stages. Ennis residents and those in the local area are exposed to some great shows at Ennis Public Theatre and Theatre Rocks! Plus, they get the chance to be part of a production. Ennis Public Theatre, an Ennis Treasure
An extraordinary find in Ellis County is the live drama productions available year-round as delivered by the Ennis Public Theatre. With over a decade of plays under their belt, EPT produces superb live entertainment at a reasonable cost. Part of the Main Street revitalization program in Ennis, EPT is located in their new downtown digs at 113 N. Dallas St., where the atmosphere and amenities are outstanding. The theatre delights audiences of all ages with laughout-loud comedies, heart-warming dramas, lively musicals and a fantastic Young Artists Program. This year’s Christmas show includes a guest director in Pam Dudley. A married tandem, Julie Mitchell and Markus Baldwin, serve as overall artistic directors. Dakota Russell is the house manager, while Karen Blewitt is the business manager. The theatre group is supported by a board of directors and a receptive community. For more information, a list of their shows as well as 8 - DISCOVER ENNIS FALL 2021
ENNISAUTUMNDAZE The largest family-friendly Fall event in Texas, Ennis Autumn Daze, will be held Saturday, Oct. 30 and Sunday Oct. 31, in historic downtown Ennis. This charming event has been a longstanding favorite among locals and we are so excited to take it to the next level this year! With a unique and culturally electrifying Dia De Los Muertos theme, a complete transformation will take place downtown with festive elements beyond what has ever been done before. The Haymaze and Pumpkin Patch will be the largest one to date, engineered and professionally designed by MESA, an award winning landscape architecture and urban design firm. The maze and pumpkin patch will be free and open to the public Oct. 1-29 and will be part of the festival experience Oct. 30 and 31. The entertainment headliner for Saturday evening is Don Felder. He has been credited for giving the Eagles their rock and roll edge… now he flies solo. Grammy Award Winner, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Member and former lead Guitarist of the Eagles, Don Felder performs the explosive hits he’s co-penned or performed for 27 years. On Sunday The Bellamy Brothers will take the stage with their chart topping hits including “Let Your Love Flow,” “Redneck Girl” and “When I’m Away from You”. Along with these two national headliners will be a full lineup of local talent providing a variety of unique and upbeat music. In addition to music guests will also be wowed by award winning professional pumpkin carvers creating masterpieces live on stage. Kids will have a blast getting creative in the free kids craft area where they can learn to weave, sling mud (pottery wheel) and paint their own pumpkin. They can also enjoy fun sensory play in the giant corn pit! Talley Amusements, the carnival provider for the State Fair of Texas and Ft. Worth Stock Show, will be bringing in carnival rides
appealing to both thrill seekers and small children. The event will also feature a corn hole tournament with a $1,000 CASH PRIZE, costume contest for both people and pets, trick-or-treating, beer garden, food, and unique shopping vendors. This event is truly a family experience with fun for ALL ages! Ticket price is $5 per day for adults. Children 12 and under are free. All proceeds go to Ennis Main Street, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that is committed to providing free, educational, social and cultural programming in Historic Downtown Ennis. The City of Ennis would like to thank Title Sponsor Pegasus Chevrolet & Pegasus Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and Co-Title Freshpet for making this event possible. With their help, families are able to create wonderful memories in Ennis, Texas. Download the free Ennis Y’all mobile app for more details on Ennis’ year round events and activities. Contact the Ennis Welcome Center at 972-878-4748 or www.visitennis.org for more information. Follow us on social media at Ennis TX: A Main Street City for the latest events and updates.
Oct. 30 headliner - Don Felder
Oct. 31 headliner - The Bellamy Brothers
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TEXASMOTORPLEX Texas Motorplex hosts a National Hot Rod Event each racing season which draws fans from across the globe.
The Texas Motorplex is known nationwide for being the host of the prestigious NHRA Fall Nationals (Oct. 7-10, 2021) event each fall, but it’s also a year-round racing center, located about two miles west of Ennis. Events start in February and run through November, among them National Hot Rod Diesel Association events, Import Face Offs, car shows, and Fast Fridays. Fast Fridays give people a chance to take their own cars to the strip to
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give drag racing a try. It’s a way for people to legally satisfy their need for speed, and for a very reasonable fee. Anyone can head to the track and race unlimited times. Home of the world speed record of 333.95 mph, the Texas Motorplex is considered one of the finest onequarter-mile drag racing facilities in the nation. Constructed in 1986 by Billy Meyer, the Texas Motorplex is known across the country as “the ultimate
drag racing facility” both by drivers and the fans alike. The Motorplex hosts over 90 events each year, with 500,000 fans visiting the race track annually. Ennis welcomes the racers and race fans with open arms. If you are just visiting or planning to come back, be sure to get your hotel reservations early. Ennis is blessed with great lodging, and accommodations fill up as fast as a dragster on the strip. www.texasmotorplex.com
KATOLICKA JEDNOTA TEXASKA SOCIETY NO. 35 Members: Approximately 1,250 Community Outreach & Activities:
KJT youth program, scholarships for KJT members who are graduating seniors
History:
KJT Society began so that Czech immigrants could bond with each other after coming to the United States. The Ennis chapter was founded in 1900. KJT began accepting women members in 1980. Although it started out as an exclusively Catholic organization, in 2008, KJT opened membership to all Christians.
SOKOL Members: Approximately 300 Community Outreach & Activities:
Sokol provides gymnastics and fitness classes for all, and a twirling program. Facilities can be used for community functions, weddings, and other parties.
History:
Sokol, which means falcon in Czech, was founded in 1862 in Prague, and brought to the United States by Czech immigrants to preserve their heritage. The Ennis unit was formed in 1908.
SPJST LODGE #25 Members: Approximately 700 Community Outreach & Activities:
SPJST #25 Youth Program; Scholarships for SPJST Members who are graduating seniors; SPJST Lodge #25 Bar open every Wednesday Night from 5pm-10pm; Kitchen/Dining Room, Bar, and Hall available for bookings for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, holiday parties and special occasions. New Year’s Eve Party with live music featuring The Moravians and a Balloon Drop. Facebook / Instagram: @spjstennistx
History:
SPJST stands for Slovanska Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas which translates to Slavonic Benefit Order of the State of Texas. SPJST Lodge #25 was established in 1897.
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ENNISEVENTSCALENDAR Apr – Oct June – Oct
OCTOBER Oct 1-29 Oct 2 Oct 2 Oct 2-10 Oct 8-24 Oct 9 Oct 27-29 Oct 30-31
Oct 30
Bluebonnet Market (formerly Farmers Market) 100 N Dallas St, Saturdays, 8am – noon Mornings at Minnie: family friendly entertainment at Minnie McDowal Park, 119 N Dallas St, Saturdays 10am
Hay Maze & Pumpkin Patch, FREE! North Plaza Parking Lot, 302 N Dallas St “Bless the USA” Ennis Choral Department fall concert at Minnie McDowal Park, 119 N Dallas St, 10am Bristol Fall Festival, 1132 Stacks Rd, 10am-5pm Stampede of Speed at Texas Motorplex, Tickets at www.texasmotorplex.com Moonlight & Magnolias at Theatre Rocks, www.theatrerocks.com Annual Lion Pride Fall Sweep litter cleanup event, www.KeepEnnisBeautiful.com Downtown Ennis Fall Carnival, Ennis Main Street on Facebook for details Ennis Autumn Daze fall festival, www.VisitEnnis.org Live entertainment, carnival, hay maze, pumpkin patch, vendors, and more! Bluebonnet Market Finale, 8am-noon
NOVEMBER Nov 6 Nov 12-15
Pure Speed Driving Experience at Texas Motorplex All Together Now a Broadway musical revue at Ennis Public Theatre www.ennispublictheatre.com Nov 13 SPJST 50th Anniversary Celebration, 1901 E Ennis Ave, 4pm-midnight Nov 15 - Jan 1 Radiance Holiday Light Spectacular at Texas Motorplex Nov 26 - Dec 18 Carriage Rides, Friday and Saturday evenings, Downtown Nov 27 Small Business Saturday, a downtown Ennis shopping event
DECEMBER Dec 2
Dec 2 Dec 1-31
Dec 3-12 Dec 3-19 Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec. 10-12 Dec 12 Dec 17-19 Dec 31 Nightly Weekly Weekly Monthly Monthly
*Calendar is updated weekly and subject to change. Please confirm event details before driving long distances. Follow Visit Ennis, Texas on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow Ennis Tx: A Main Street City on Facebook and Instagram. Download the mobile app Ennis Y’all . www.VisitEnnis.org 972-878-4748 12 - DISCOVER ENNIS FALL 2021
Lights of Ennis Parade & Block Party in downtown Ennis Christmas Market, 5-8pm Lights of Ennis events in downtown Ennis: includes cookies with Mrs. Claus, horse drawn carriage and wagon rides, Elf Seek and Find game, a giant snow hill, photo ops, and more! Details TBA Beasley’s Christmas Party at Ennis Public Theatre Steel Magnolias at Theatre Rocks Cookies with Mrs Claus, Ennis Main Street on Facebook for details Lucky’s Car Club Car Show & Toy Drive, Ennis Main Street on Facebook for details Holiday Skating, times TBA Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration, Ennis Main Street on Facebook for details Snow Hill, times TBA Downtown Countdown, 5pm-10pm, Ennis Main Street on Facebook for details Movies at Galaxy Drive Theatre-In www.galaxydriveintheatre.com Races at Big O Speedway www.bigospeedway.com and the Texas Motorplex www.texasmotorplex.com Latino Vibe Saturdays w/ DJ Daniel Boom at Kuzzins Kitchen Seafood & Eats 808 W Ennis Ave, 7pm-12am Public Antique Auction at the Ennis Auction House www.landmark-auction.com Sip, Shop & Stroll, 1st Thursday of the month shopping event in downtown, 5pm-8pm
ENNISCARES The Ennis CARES Program was born as a response to community needs identified during the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020. Ennis C.A.R.E.S. serves our (C)ommunity by providing (A)ssistance and (R)esources, through (E)ngagement and (S)ervices while focusing on long term solutions for people and families in need. Ennis CARES serves as the resource hub for the City of Ennis, all while working alongside other agencies, organizations and churches, by providing charitable, benevolent, civic, educational, social and societal services to the community of Ennis to improve the lives of our fellow citizens. The Ennis CARES Program identifies a need in the community and looks for ways to address those needs. To date, the Ennis CARES Program has assisted with initiatives such as the Hurricane Laura Evacuation Center, Extreme Cold Weather Emergency Shelter, Emergency Water Distribution, COVID-19 Working Group, Ellis County Vaccination Hub, Ennis Vaccination Hub, Ellis County Mobile Vaccination Team (In-Home), Mobile Food Pantry Events, Community Thanksgiving Meal and Angel Tree Programs. The non-emergency Bluebonnet Call
Center serves the Ennis and Ennis ISD area and is a great resource to citizens needing help with running errands for the homebound, picking up a prescription, financial assistance with a bill, welfare checks, prayer or just someone to talk to. For assistance or information on how YOU can help those in need, call the Bluebonnet Call Center at 972-6953524 or email BBCC@ennistx.gov. We are here for YOU because
ENNIS LOVES YOU!
KEEPENNISBEAUTIFUL Keep Ennis Beautiful (KEB) is a City of Ennis affiliation with Keep Texas Beautiful. The mission of KEB is to cultivate community pride through volunteerism and education focused on creating a healthy, beautiful, and sustainable environment. Our goals are: 1. To inspire, initiate, plan, direct, and coordinate programs for litter control and prevention 2. To encourage the planting and preservation of trees, flowers, plants and shrubbery 3. To initiate programs that promote a cleaner, safer, healthier, and more beautiful community 4. To stimulate interest and action toward conservation of resources. In a nutshell ~ we dig in the dirt, we pick up trash, we try not to waste, and we encourage others to do the same. We believe that our words and our actions should create an environment that we can be proud of. Since its creation in 2018, KEB volunteers have put their love for our community in action by spending countless hours picking up litter, planting trees, and encouraging others to respect the planet and all of the organisms that we share it with. We ARE the change! Join us in making Ennis the most beautiful city in the great state of Texas.
For more information: www.KeepEnnisBeautiful.com 972-878-4748
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DISCOVERENNIS Check out our Discover Ennis Spring edition for more
details and information on these exciting events and MORE!
Ennis Czech Music Festival February 19, 2022 Ennis Bluebonnet Trails April 1-30, 2022 Bluebonnet Trails Festival April 8-10, 2022
National Polka Festival Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-29, 2022 Blues on Main June 11, 2022 Ennis Freedom Fest June 25, 2022 • Please confirm event details before driving long distances. • Follow Visit Ennis, Texas on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. • Follow Ennis Tx: A Main Street City on Facebook and Instagram. • Download the mobile app Ennis Y’all. • www.VisitEnnis.org • 972-878-4748 14 - DISCOVER ENNIS FALL 2021
FRIDAYNIGHTLIGHTS W hen fall rolls around TGIF takes
on a spirited meaning, and its color is maroon. Friday night lights shine brightly for Ennis High School and has for decades. In fact, the game of football has been played on Fridays for over a century. Five times the Lions have advanced to the state championship game, winning every time, most recently in 2014 before 28,000 at AT&T Stadium. A long pass, from QB Devin Smith to WR Donta Thompson, ended in the game-winning touchdown in a 38-35 triumph over Cedar Park. The game was also broadcast on television, so most everyone in the area says they saw it because they were there. Sort of. Lion Nation, like most small-towns, loves them some high school football, and when the team is winning they travel like a herd to whatever stadium the Oval E’s are playing. In fact, it is common for Ennis to outnumber the fans of the home team on the road. While donning the colors of the Lions is pretty near required, the only mistake one can make is to be seen in dreaded green or royal blue. A rival school 15-miles to the west puts on the first color while a school 20-miles to the south, who calls Ennis their rival, sports the blue. Avoid related pigment in fashion on Fridays. At home in the friendly confines of Lion Memorial Stadium, which opened in 2001 and seats 10,000 fans, the team averages approximately seven-to-eight thousand, with open seating usually left for the opposing side of the field. The school has produced scores of award-winning teams, college-bound athletes, and for the last 60 years, a superior-rated marching band. The atmosphere they create can only be capped with the hand-shaped letter “L,” and a fight song that must be memorized to attend first grade. Almost, but you get the idea.
Cheer teams are rousing up fans who need little rousing. Plus, the Lionettes dance troupe has over 30 years under their wide white belts and cowgirl hats. If it seems like there is room on the bandwagon for newcomers, you’d be correct in your thinking. Traditions carry strong meaning in this town, where conservative family values, a strong work ethic and a living faith will bring automatic respect, and a Czech name will bring honor. Few places in this country circle the wagons in support of the military, the colors wafting on a flag pole and especially the heart of meeting the needs of their own. Ennis gives mightily to its organizations, civic groups, heritage halls, veterans service organizations, Helping Hands, Give-A-Kid-A-Chance and churches, to name a few. It is no wonder they have such pride for those who call the Bluebonnet City their home. Race or creed or nationality are free from much of the tension seen in many metropolitan areas. And when Friday’s in the fall arrive, late August through November, and in special seasons it stretches into middle December, everyone is either at the game or tuning in to the radio. Everybody loves a winner and Ennis has had their share. Starting in 2012 under HC Jack Alvarez and through 2021 with Hall-ofFame HC Sam Harrell, back for a second go-around, the team has made the playoffs for nine years and counting. As for being coronated Lion Kings, the first was in 1975 under the late HC Don Essary. Harrell won 3-in-4-years and Alvarez notched the fifth in 2014. In the process, Ennis has been a
haven for a quality education, athletics that instill values worth learning and living, and being a city that makes for the best in small-town Americana. No wonder so many keep wearing maroon or return here after college. It truly is a wonderful town to grow a family, operate a business and the stage shines brightest on Fridays. To follow all things maroon, visit EnnisLions.org.
Ennis Lions - 2021 Schedule Aug. 27 Red Oak (9-3) Sept. 3 Keller Fossil Ridge (1-7) Sept. 10 @ Waxahachie (6-5) Sept. 17 @ Greenville* (4-5) Sept. 24 Sulphur Springs* (3-4) Oct. 1 Open Oct. 8 @ North Forney* (9-2) Oct. 15 Crandall* (3-5) Oct. 22 @ Forney* (0-9) Oct. 29 @ Royse City* (5-4) Nov. 5 Corsicana* (4-6) All games begin at 7:30 p.m. Head Coach – Sam Harrell *denotes District 8-5A games (Number indicates W-L record in 2020)
ENNIS:HISTORYLIVESHERE The Ennis Railroad and Cultural Heritage Museum is located on Northeast Main Street, along the railroad tracks, on Ennis Avenue. The City of Ennis was established as a town in 1872 and was named after Cornelius Ennis, director of the Houston & Texas Central (H&TC) Railroad. Much of its history can be found at the museum. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sundays 1-4 p.m. Mondays are open only by appointment for group tours. Please call 972-875-1901 or 972878-4748 at least 48 hours in advance for reservations. The museum is housed in a former Van Noy restaurant building built in 1915. The restaurant served customers from the 10 passenger trains a day that once stopped in Ennis. The yellow wood-frame building to the north of the museum served as the ticket office and baggage building after the original two-story depot was destroyed by fire in the late 1930s. Located to the south of the museum is the former Wells Fargo freight office. The City of Ennis acquired the museum building from the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1991. In 1871, the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, a forerunner of the Southern Pacific Railroad, purchased 647 acres of land in Ellis County at a price of $5.00 per acre, establishing the line’s northern terminus. It was on June 8, 1872 that the site was established as the City of Ennis. Ennis was the banking and agricultural center of east Ellis County by the 1880s. Ennis National Bank, with capital of $100,000, held the title of the largest bank in the county in 1883. Many of the early settlers of this area were people from the East and South who were attracted by the rich Blackland Prairie soil, the railroad, and other business opportunities. In 1873, Jacob Shebasta, an immigrant from Czechoslovakia, was the first of many Eastern Europeans to make this area his home. Ennis retains a strong Czechoslovakian influence, and today is home to four Czech social halls as well as the annual National Polka Festival each May. In 1891, the Texas & New Orleans Railroad, a part of the Southern Pacific system, established a division point in Ennis, leading to the construction of shops and a roundhouse. The citizens of Ennis contributed $25,000, 90 acres of land, and a 43 acre lake toward the project. A contract 16 - DISCOVER ENNIS FALL 2021
was drawn up stating that the railroad could not move its shops out of town as long as the City of Ennis was able to provide water for the railroad’s use. The railroad was the key to the development of Ennis as an agricultural, commercial, and later, an industrial center. According to early resident Joseph Baldridge, “If Ennis had not obtained the shops and the superintendent’s offices, it would have remained only a small agricultural center.” Ennis was able to successfully combine the natural resources of its rich farm land with the transportation advantages offered by the railroad. In May 1930, Ennis had become known as the place “Where Railroads and Cotton Fields Meet.” From its founding, various cultures have shaped the development of the City. In its earlier days, Ennis was a settlement town with a “wild west” reputation. At one time, the City had 13 saloons and six beer halls. The town also served as a stopping place for outlaw gangs including those of Cole Younger and Sam Bass; and the family of gunfighter John Wesley Hardin was among the city’s pioneers. Other cultures have also contributed to the history of Ennis. For example, Robert Martinez drove 3,200 head of cattle from Ennis to Montana along the Chisolm Trail in the late 19th century. Also, during the 1920s, Ennis resident Dr. Armour Rogers became one of the first practicing African American doctors in Ellis County. About our history: • The City of Ennis was established in 1872. • A record-making Texas League game with 8 homeruns was played in Ennis in 1902. • Author and educator Katie Daffan, the first woman to head a state agency in Texas, lived in Ennis. • In 1920 a total of 152,601 bales of cotton were ginned in Ellis County, the most of any county in America. • Ennis is known as the Bluebonnet City because of the springtime beauty and abundance of the state flower in and around the city. • U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Jack Lummus, born in Ennis, posthumously received the Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery in World War II. Lummus, a former Baylor University and New York Giants football star, was one of only two National Football League players to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor, and he was inducted into the New York Giants Ring of Honor in 2015.
DISCOVERNEWDOWNTOWNENNIS F or years the hopes of a city whose downtown was seriously damaged and, faced with the likelihood of never coming back, had a fresh vision born in the hearts of people. Pacing back and forth like a new father, the revitalization of the Bluebonnet City came to blooming life. Nearly 20,000 residents have witnessed the growth of new housing sectors and incoming businesses. They have sprung up along the I-45 corridor and in downtown, a mile west of the interstate. May 13, 2013 was the date when 13 local twisters ravaged the area, including one that strolled down midtown toward the east on Ennis Avenue. Once the effects, which included the loss of vitality between McKinney and Main, had taken their toll, what rose from the collapsed heap of bricks was a new-found purpose. Ideas of rebuilding and restoring began to outnumber thoughts of vacating and starting over elsewhere. Right in the middle of it all the Historical Society
helped foster a desire to parlay seeming defeat into a spirit of revival. Even old buildings that had perhaps outlived their usefulness have seen investors step in to do much more than a face-lift. Work has been completed on Dallas Street, including a huge undertaking beneath the five blocks of North and South Dallas. Minnie McDowal Park, formerly a theatre downtown, has been a huge benefactor. So have plans for new restaurants and night life, retail, offices, apartments and lofts, banking and a fenced in dog park at North Plaza. The city’s heartbeat is alive and well. Festivals and wholesome events that fill the calendar make Ennis a growing destination for families. A multi-cultural mesh give credence to sustaining that life for years to come. Most of the venues bring thousands of people, and then there are the 40,000 that flock to Memorial Weekend’s National Polka Festival. The magnetic appeal of Ennis is related directly to the vibrant life of this community. It’s alive, and contagious.
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ENNIS ENNISVETERANS MEMORIAL Ennis Veterans Memorial Park, located at 2301 Ennis Pkwy, was dedicated to those who are serving, have served, and gave up their lives to protect American freedom. The Veterans Memorial monuments honor veterans from each 20th and 21st Century U.S. military conflict. In addition to the memorial site, there are three lighted competition football /soccer fields for league play and six youth soccer fields, available for use by reservation. There is also a building for concession and restroom facilities, a 0.4 mile of walking paths, picnic tables and a children’s playground. Veterans Memorial Park has been open to the public since August 2011, and many have enjoyed its recreational amenities since then. A salute in brick and mortar to the men and women of America’s Armed Forces, the memorial has been the backdrop for many local patriotic events. Vietnam War veteran Gerry Wright has referenced how the AO (Agent Orange) monument erected at the Ennis site inspired him in his work to change the law governing health coverage for AO survivors. The memorial is now known nationally due to his campaign to secure better medical care for fellow sufferers of AO. The memorial takes the form of a circular promenade with a centerpiece devoted to veterans and surrounding sections dedicated to specific conflicts, from World War I to the current War on Terror. The stewards of the Ennis Veterans Memorial are pleased to incorporate the Jack Lummus Memorial, formerly located on the grounds of the old Ennis Chamber of Commerce property, and the new ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’ bronze monument, which represents such a well-known scene carried out on so many battlefields over the years, to the Memorial. “This Veterans Memorial has been blessed as Hallowed Ground, and therefore the City of Ennis and the Ennis Veterans Memorial Committee attempts to honor all Veterans of the past, present, and future with this premiere Veterans Memorial,” says Commandant Robert Bell, of the Ellis County Marine Corps League, and Ennis Veterans Memorial Committee member. For more information, contact City of Ennis Parks Department at 972-875-1234. 18 - DISCOVER ENNIS FALL 2021
LIGHTSOFENNIS Holiday fun is on the way between Thanksgiving and Christmas in Ennis. While situations dictated no parade or block party in 2020, this year looks to welcome back all of the fun and events to Light Up the Y’all in you all. Families will create great holiday memories in downtown! Try these on for size. A handful of the most popular activities return, so plan ahead: - December 2: Lights of Ennis Parade & Block Party, 5 p.m. - December 2: Bluebonnet Market, 5 p.m. - December 4: Cookies with Mrs. Claus and Lucky’s Car Show - December 31: Downtown Countdown, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. - All of December: Carriage Rides Snow Hill Rollerskating
Visit www.visitennis.org, follow facebook.com/ ennistx or download the free mobile app Ennis Y’all for all updates.
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LAKEBARDWELLRESERVOIR Ellis County is home to one of the largest recreational facilities in North Texas – Lake Bardwell Reservoir. It is one of the most visited tourist spots in the county. Thousands of residents and tourists visit the 3,500acre lake each year, enjoying fishing, boating, camping, picnicking, swimming, hiking, biking, and just about any other outdoor activity within and along its 25 miles of shoreline. It is more than 5 miles long and more than 1 mile wide at its largest point. Both the lake and surrounding campgrounds are maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which features a marina and several boat ramps. You can reach the marina at 972-646-5330. Camping reservations or additional information is available at 972-875-5711 or recreation.gov. Congress authorized construction of the reservoir of the Bardwell Reservoir on March 31, 1960. Construction began in September 1963. Impoundment of water at the lake, which provides flood control and conservation platform for area water, began in November 1965. It cost more than $12 million to build.
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FUN&GAMESGALORE • Bluebonnet Park: On Ennis Pkwy, west of Hwy 287, and follow the signs. Facility includes eight lighted ball fields, 10 acres of recreational open space, a two-acre fishing lake, and a 0.7-mile jogging path. Available for softball and baseball tournaments and attracts teams from all across the State. • Community theaters – Ennis Public Theatre and Theatre Rocks! • Disc golf located adjacent to the dam on the south end of Lake Clark, at 3000 W. Ennis Ave. • Big O Speedway: Located east of Ennis, the facility offers dirt track racing on weekends March-October. • E.I.S.D. Tennis Center: 9 championship quality tennis courts (4 indoors), snack bar, and pro shop. • Lions Lanes – 2303 W. Ennis Ave. • Galaxy Drive-In Theatre features seven screens. • The Gameroom - 807 W. Lake Bardwell Dr., 469-881-1022 • Golf is open to the public at Red Oak Valley Golf Club in Red Oak and the Old Brickyard course in Ferris. • Highview Park at Lake Bardwell: Picnic and/or swim. This park requires a facility use fee per carload. For camping reservations, please call 972-875-5711 or go to recreation.gov. • Highview Marina at Lake Bardwell: 972-646-5330. • Lake Clark Park: Found on the west end of Baldridge Street, it is a perfect place to have a picnic, to fish, to play on the playground, or to take a walk with a lake view. Check out Kachina Prairie and the bison statue there.
• Lions Park: Corner of Hall and Lampasas streets. • Meadow View Nature Area: 972-878-4748 for hours. • Minnie McDowal Park is a unique gathering spot for families located at 119 N. Dallas featuring a gazebo, art wall and water feature. • Opry: Located in the old Bristol School, about 15 minutes east of Ennis, the Opry features local talent performing live on stage. The show goes on the fourth Saturday of each month at 7 p.m., except in December. The Bardwell Opry, located in the Bardwell Community Center, is every fifth Saturday. • Puppy Patch Dog Park: 302 N. Dallas St., is sure to be a favorite stop for the dog in your family! • Railroad & Cultural Heritage Museum: 972-875-1901. • Rotary Park: 2300 Park St. At 35.5 acres, it is the largest community park in Ennis. Features a splash pad, National Fitness Center Fitness Court, pickleball/tennis courts, baseball practice diamond, gazebos, and playground. Connects to Kiwanis Park via 3/4 mile Ivan Goodwin Walking trail. Fishing allowed with proper license. • Sugar Ridge Winery in Bristol offers local wines, a private tasting room, and reception area. • Texas Motorplex: 972-878-2641. • Veterans Memorial Park at 2301 Ennis Parkway features a veterans memorial and athletic fields. Youth soccer is a favorite. • Xtreme Raceway Park Ferris: Info on Facebook.
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BY THE #’S
OFFICIALS CITY OF ENNIS
20,357
Census Bureau Est. Population in 2019 Angeline Juenemann Mayor
Jake Holland Mayor Pro-Tem
Rowdy Pruitt
Ward 1 Commissioner
Bruce Jones
Ward 2 Commissioner
39
Miles from Ennis to downtown Dallas
5
State Football Championships
27.6
Percentage of homes with children under 18 Scott Hejny
Ward 3 Commissioner
Shirley Watson
Ward 4 Commissioner
Bill Honza
Ward 5 Commissioner
Dustin Munn Chief of Police
INFORMATION City of Ennis, 972-875-1234 Ennis Police Department, 972-875-4462 Ennis Fire Department / Ambulance Service, 972-875-3473 Ennis Fire Station #2, 972-875-6151 Ennis Fire Station #3, 972-895-3313 Ennis Regional Medical Center, 972-875-0900 Ennis Chamber of Commerce, 972-878-2625 Ennis Welcome Center, 972-878-4748 City of Ennis Economic Development, 972-878-4748 City of Ennis Health & Inspections, 972-878-6442 Ennis Independent School District, 972-872-7000 The Ennis News, 972-875-3801 Ennis Main Street Program, 972-878-4748 Ennis Public Library, 972-875-5360 Go to www.visitennis.org or download the ENNIS Y’ALL Ennis Municipal Airport, 972-875-4279 app for event times and dates. Ennis Cares, 972-695-3524 Do you need information for your visit? Go to www.visitennis.org, or contact the Ennis Chamber of Commerce at 972-878-2625 or www. ennis-chamber.com. Download the free mobile app, Ennis Y’all, for Ennis information and where to shop, stay, do and see! 22 - DISCOVER ENNIS FALL 2021
57,619
Median family income in dollars
11
Number of Ennis Independent School District instructional facilities
2021 & 69th
Bluebonnet Trails Festival celebrated its 69th in April 2021
1/4
Length in miles of drag races at Texas Motorplex
2
Number of Operating Stage Theaters
40
Miles of Bluebonnet Trails
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