This weekend, Whitesboro residents can take a step back in time to the days of cowboys, saloon girls and horse-drawn stagecoach rides at the town’s Founder’s Day festival.
The City of Whitesboro will host the inaugural event June 7-8 to honor the town’s rich history. The two-day event kicks off Friday night at 7 p.m. with the World Serious softball game, a tradition going back to 1915.
For generations, business owners from opposite sides of town played against each other in an annual summer game. Beginning in the Vaudeville days, the game was known for its comedy, pranks and tongue-in-cheek rivalries.
Held at the high school baseball field, this year’s event is sure to please the crowd of spectators. 2024 teams are as follows:
East Roster – Tanner Allred, Dalton Fallaw, Mike Burkleo, Scout Sanders, JC Bomar, Ryan Ferguson, Shawn Ablett, Matt Pike, Jeff Bruce, Scarlett Westbrook, Savannah Humphrey, Shea Fallaw, Joe Westbrook and Matthew Humphrey. The team will be managed by Heather Burkleo.
West Roster -- Brian Collman, Superintendent Ryan Harper, Bailey Nelson, Brandi Hesse, Jessica Hughes, Kayla Treadway, Michael Parish, Whitney Seitz, Mary Nelson, Rebekah Bartush, JP Bratcher, Trace Treadway and Chris Seitz. The team will be managed by Amber Parish.
The fun continues on Saturday with a day of family-friendly activities and old-time fun. Staged gunfights, vendors, food, kids’ train rides, a historic firearm presentation and horse-drawn stagecoach rides are only some of the planned festivities.
Live music on the main stage will include bluegrass with Riley Gilbreath and Lone Star Blue as well as the Tejas Brothers, who play a unique style of Tex-Mex Honky Tonk. Downtown stores will be open with plenty of opportunities for shopping.
Whitesboro 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.”
Watch social media for more details on the upcoming event.