The sound of guitars and fiddles wafting through the air. Peddlers selling their wares along the roadside to passersby. Neighbors waving from the window of a horse-drawn stagecoach as it rolls down Main Street. A dispute ending in a gunfight in the center of downtown. What sounds like a scene straight out of the 1800s is actually a description of downtown Whitesboro at the upcoming Founder’s Day celebration this spring.
The City of Whitesboro will host the inaugural event June 7-8 to honor the town’s rich history. The town was founded in 1873 by Ambrose B. White, a retired captain in the Blackhawk War in the Illinois and Wisconsin territories. The colony began with just a few houses, but when the Butterfield Overland mail route sent its stagecoaches nearby, White built the Westview Inn to be a stop on the route. He cared for and supplied teams of horses used on the mail route and began bringing in a steady revenue to his little town. This attracted more settlers, and the town grew from there. The rest, as they say, is history.
Whitesboro has experienced an array of success and growth in its 150 years. From peanut farms to thriving enterprise, Whitesboro has a lot to celebrate.
“Last year’s sesquicentennial celebration gave us a renewed appreciation for how much history there is here in town,” City Administrator Julie Arrington said. “We decided to continue the celebration with an annual Founder’s Day event, a party for the entire community to enjoy. Not only are we honoring Whitesboro’s past, but also celebrating its bright future.”
The two-day festival will be a step back in time, beginning with the return of the World Serious softball game on Friday night. Two teams of business representatives will play against each other in a ballgame of ridiculous fun, in which each inning the rules change. From playing with the opposite hand to running the bases clockwise, hilarity and hijinks are sure to please the crowd of spectators.
The fun continues on Saturday with a day of family-friendly activities and old-time fun. The event begins at high noon with a DJ playing music from the stage. At 12:15 p.m., Mayor Dave Blaylock will welcome attendees with opening remarks, followed by the unveiling of a monument and burial of a time capsule commemorating the town’s 150 years. At 1 p.m., a staged gunfight will get things started off with a bang.
Starting at 1:15 p.m., horse-drawn stagecoach rides will take people around downtown. Saloon girls will provide live dancing throughout the day, a historic gun presentation by Past & Blast will take place at 2:30 p.m. on the main stage and more gunfight shows will entertain guests throughout the day. All day long, a children’s train will be offering rides for the kiddos, an old-time wandering minstrel will play country music and downtown stores will be open with plenty of opportunities for shopping. At 6 p.m., the main stage will feature a Bluegrass performance with Riley Gilbreath and Lone Star Blue. Then, at 8 p.m., headliner Tejas Brothers will play a unique style of Tex-Mex Honky Tonk until the event ends at 10 p.m.
Harkening back to last year’s 150th celebration, commemorative history books will be available for sale.
“We have lots of fun planned for our residents and out-of-towners alike,” Arrington said. “Everyone is invited to help us celebrate our wonderful town.”
Watch social media for more details on the upcoming event.
