The town of Ferris opens its own historical museum

Ferris, a small town in Ellis County, is a 4.6 square mile community located just 20 miles south of downtown Dallas. Settlement of the area began in the early 1870s.

On September 28, 1874, a local family ceded approximately 100 acres of land to four trustees for the establishment of a town and a railway station. Judge Justus Wesley Ferris of Waxahachie handled the transaction, and the community was later named in his honor.

In 10 years, Ferris had a population of 300 with a post office, flour mills, cotton gin factories, four churches and a school. Ferris was incorporated on September 30, 1882. And, thus, the existence of the city of Ferris began.

Information cited from the Town of Ferris ‘History of Ferris’ web page reads: “Six brick factories benefited from the mineral-rich soil of the region, operating in 1914. Ferris flourished during the early years post-war. Four brick factories operated during the 1950s, and the community was known locally as the “brick capital of the nation”. Ferris also has a second nickname – “The City That Brick the World” – which is still in common use to this day. By 1952, the population had grown to 1,734 and 1,807 by 1964. Today the population is around 3,000. The Ferris Annual Brick Festival takes place

every year at the end of April.

Due to the town’s wealth and early settlement, a group of local Ferris residents rallied to open their own Ferris Historical Museum as part of the Ferris Historical Society. Its new address is 201 S. Main St., and it’s located inside the local Country Corner Treasures store.

The official museum inauguration and reopening ceremony took place on Saturday, June 26, 2021.

Its opening hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and 9 a.m.

at 4 p.m. on Saturday. No entrance fee is required, but donations are always welcome.

A native of Ferris, Mrs. Connie Edwards Bratcher, organized the Ferris Historical Museum in 2014. Bratcher says: “I am in charge of the museum and have spent months of hard work (a true labor of love) to collect, organize and display interesting histories. memories that all its citizens can enjoy. The public in peripheral areas is also invited to discover the wide range of remarkable contents of our recently reopened museum. “

Its creation began in a small donated room within the confines of another local business – Country Corner Treasures. Then a larger room was donated to the museum organization by John and Patricia Wills, business owners who were also inside Country Corner Treasures.

Some of the objects of interest from all aspects of Ferris history are the brick yards, the interurban track, bank documents, photos galore, the life-size mule of the mule that pulled the Ferris bricks there. has years, a 1974 Ferrisites quilt, and even money sign up at the famous Bea’s Cafe.

The members of the museum’s board are Connie Edwards Bratcher, founder and

President; Karen Carrion, vice-president; Marilyn Lindsey Little, treasurer; and Ty Hall, secretary.

Born and raised in Ferris, Cheree Barrett said: “We have been looking for a museum for a long time to contain all the historical documents and other local treasures. We are more than happy that the museum has been moved to a larger space where it can be seen in more detail. But we could always use more space in the future. The Ferris Historical Society sends a special ‘thank you’ to Connie Edwards Bratcher for all she has done to make the museum a reality.

Bratcher says, “As a lifetime resident of Ferris, I cherish the entire history of Ferris. I’ve seen so many changes it’s refreshing to put together a collection shining a light on Ferris ‘past for those who love Ferris from the start, as well as for new residents who will appreciate Ferris’ history as well.