WELCOME to Malakoff

Malakoff, located at the southern end of Cedar Creek Lake, took its name from a Russian fortification that was in the news during the Crimean War in 1854. The community had applied for a post office under the suggested name of Mitcham or Purdon, but those names had previously been used, so officials in Washington, D.C., suggested the name Malakoff after a Russian fortification where the battle of Malakoff took place during the Crimean War. Only a few towns in Texas have a Russian name. The town was incorporated in 1948.

The town was home to lignite coal mines, which later supplied fuel to the nearby Texas Power & Light (TP&L) electric plant in Trinidad from the 1920s to the 1940s. Between 1920 and 1940 the town’s population grew rapidly. In Oct. 1942, TP&L decided to convert its generator to natural gas. The Malakoff Fuel Company began laying off employees soon thereafter and closed its operations in 1945. Not until the Tarrant County Water Board began constructing nearby Cedar Creek Reservoir in the 1960s did it begin to grow again.

With a 2020 population of 2,179 people, Malakoff has seen immense growth over the years. An eclectic variety of downtown businesses have opened in Malakoff, bringing visitors from around Texas and from several states. Those include T104 Decor, a design center; Opal & Viv’s women’s boutique; Antoinette’s Coffee House; Bookish bookstore; Chalk Lounge; and Wild Horse Boutique.

LOOKING FOR A GREAT GETAWAY?

Malakoff offers several wedding destinations, event venues, restaurants, modern gym, health food store, flower shops, bookstore, boutique specialty stores, coffee shop, antique stores, art gallery, dance and tumbling, daiquiri shop, gift shops, home décor store, bed and breakfast, community center, community library, grocery store, pet grooming, and so much more!

Malakoff gained prominence for the nearby gravel pit discovery of three large carved heads in the 1920s and 1930s, proclaimed by contemporary archeologists as prehistoric, known collectively as the “Malakoff Man.” Those heads are now on display at the Pearce Museum at Navarro College in Corsicana.

Also, Fisherman’s Wharf, Marina & Campgrounds is just north of town, as is Sunrise Point at Cedar Creek Lake, which rents cottages and hosts special events. The One67, an American Bistro, has plans to open in summer 2023. In addition, a new beauty salon is slated to open in Malakoff.

Malakoff has great fast-food restaurants, convenient shopping centers, the Red Waller Community Library and a progressive school district. The town also hosts a Cornbread Festival and has plans to restore its original train depot into a historical museum.

Students and teachers at Malakoff ISD’s Malakoff Elementary earned national Blue Ribbon School status in 2015, which recognizes high student achievement. The high school has also been known for its many award-winning programs and college preparatory plan and expects a new facility to be complete in summer 2024, as part of a districtwide $72 million package of improvements.