Forreston, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Forreston, Texas
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Forreston Baptist Church (established 1891)
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 Forreston, Texas
Location in Texas
Forreston, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Ellis |
| Elevation | 541 ft (165 m) |
| Population
(2008 est.)
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| • Total | 238 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes |
76041
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| Area code(s) | 972 |
Forreston is a small community in Ellis County, Texas, in the United States. It's not a city with its own government, but a part of the larger county. You can find it about 8 miles south of Waxahachie, which is the main town of Ellis County. In 2008, about 238 people lived there, but it wasn't counted separately in the 2010 census.
History of Forreston
The story of Forreston began in 1843. Back then, it was called Howe's Settlement, named after one of the first people to live there. In the mid-1840s, the community's name changed to Chambers Creek. It even got its first post office in 1846.
Chambers Creek was originally the main town, or county seat, for Navarro County. But in 1850, when Ellis County was created, the town became part of the new county instead.
From the early 1850s to the late 1880s, Chambers Creek was a quiet farming community. It had a school and a church for local families. In 1890, the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad (also known as KATY) built train tracks through the area. This brought new businesses to the town.
The community was then renamed Forreston. This new name honored Carr Forrest, a local landowner. He was the first postmaster and gave the land for the new train station. By the 1940s, Forreston was a busy place. It had three cotton gins, many businesses, and about 350 people. For many years, it was an important place for shipping farm goods and other products.
Over time, the number of people living in Forreston slowly went down. By the year 2000, only about 200 residents remained.
Forreston has been featured in magazines! In March 1999, it was in Texas Monthly in an article called "The Best of Small-Town Texas." In August 2007, it was also in D Magazine. This was because of a shop called Bon Ton Vintage. This shop, started in 1984 by retired jazz musicians Barbra and John Kauffman, is known for having a huge collection of old clothes in Texas.
Education in Forreston
Students in Forreston attend schools that are part of the Waxahachie Independent School District.
Notable People from Forreston
Forreston is connected to a few interesting people:
- Denver Pyle: He was an actor who played many different roles. You might know him from TV shows like The Doris Day Show or The Dukes of Hazzard. He is buried in Forreston Cemetery, just south of the community.
- James "Big Jim" Bynum: From Forreston, he was a famous rodeo cowboy. Along with Jack Favor, he held a record in bulldogging a steer. This is a rodeo event where a cowboy jumps from a horse onto a steer and wrestles it to the ground. Their record was an amazing 2.2 seconds!
Images for kids
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Former bank building in Forreston
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A long-closed business in Forreston
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Forreston Cemetery is located south of the community.
