History of Wills Point
Located on U.S. Highway 80, 50 miles east of Dallas, Wills Point’s rich heritage dates back to the days when the longhorn cattle roamed the wide-open range. Those who call it home now are mindful of those who came before whose courage, tolerance and hard labor made their heritage a reality.
Wills Point village proper was formed in 1873. According to some accounts, the town was originally named Iola but was renamed when it was discovered that another Texas town had already chosen the name. Having to choose different name, the area residents chose the name Wills Point in recognition of tax assessor William Wills. It is said that the name ‘point’ derives from the shape of the original timberline near the Wills cabin.
Mr. Wills, along with his wife and family, arrived in the vicinity around 1848 and began building his double log cabin, now considered the oldest house in the territory. In July 1856, Wills purchased from the state 320 acres on the Dallas-Shreveport Road. He built corrals, made saddles and bridles, kept supplies, and furnished his log cabin as a resting place for travelers at the site. William and his wife were well known for their hospitality.
Wills Point was laid out at the highest elevation point between Fort Worth and New Orleans by general Grenville M. Dodge from Iowa, then construction engineer for California Construction Company. The Texas Pacific Railroad came to Wills Point in 1873, the same year the village proper was formed. The town was built around the railroad. Many businesses relocated to Wills Point from the Cedar Grove Community when they heard the railroad was coming through.
The town bustled as an agricultural community and on July 21, 1884, Wills Point became the first Van Zandt community to incorporate. It boasted cotton gins, a bottling works and an oil mill, and was a railroad shipping point for hay, grain, fruits, vegetables, and cotton.
Today agriculture still contributes to the town’s rural atmosphere. Visitors can see cattle grazing in pastures, fields of hay, fruit orchards and vegetables only minutes from downtown.
Dirt roads that once carried horse-drawn wagons through downtown gave way to the red brick streets in the early 1900’s. Many of the brick buildings erected by founding families still stand downtown as a testament to Wills Point’s earlier days.
At the time of the 2020 censes, Wills Point boasted a population of 3,747 residents. It was designated “The Bluebird Capital of Texas” in 1995 by then governor, George W. Bush and is often called “The Gateway to East Texas“. Wills Point is also known as “The Gateway to Lake Tawakoni”.
The Rose Monument
This structure was a gift to the city by a grateful former resident, I.E. Rose. He had lived in Wills Point before moving on to Dallas where he built a successful business. Fondly remembering the kindness of Wills Point upon he and his family he donated this monument in 1916 as a constant reminder of the city’s generous nature. Center of North 4th Street.
The Depot
Texas and Pacific Railway built the brick depot in Wills Point in 1927. It was the last brick depot built From Dallas to Marshall for the T & P. Mr. Ollie Webb, an officer of the railroad, was impressed with Wills Point and saw to it that a brick depot was built. This is the city’s third depot. The first was in the Middle of 4th street. E.N. Commerce and 5th Street.
Wills Cabin
The dog-trot style log cabin in Bruce Park is the original residence of William Wills, the founder of Wills Point. Surrounded with a smithy shop and smoke house, outhouse, and a pavilion, Bruce Park is designed to resemble the stage stop as it would have looked in 1848, when the Wills family ran it. E.N. Commerce and 3rd Street.
Caboose
The caboose was given to the city in 1990 after Union Pacific Railroad discontinued use of these on their trains. Texas and Pacific railroad, the original railroad that came through Wills Point, was bought by Union Pacific. The Wills Point Historical Society refurbished the caboose showing it as an original Texas and Pacific Railroad caboose. E.S. Commerce and N 4th Street.
White Rose Cemetery
The cemetery began with the burial of William Wills on family land in 1864. Wills’ widow, Mary Ann (Phillips), set aside eight acres here in a grid pattern and sold lots for community burials. Although the graveyard was known as the Wills Point Cemetery in 1874, the White Rose Cemetery Association was formed to maintain the grounds. In 1886 Mary Wills retained the family burial plot and deeded the remainder of the graveyard to the Wills Point Cemetery. The association fenced the grounds and erected a gate with a connecting archway at the west entrance in 1901. In 1909 the association obtained a state charter and officially renamed the graveyard to White Rose Cemetery. Now encompassing almost 45-acres, many of the area’s pioneer settlers and their descendants are buried here. Between E.S. Commerce and Goodnight Blvd. (Hwy. 80).
The Cartwright School
The Cartwright School was the first African American public school in Wills Point. The provision for the school was made over 100 years ago in 1878. Originally, the unnamed school was located on N. Wills Street. Professor Needham Wright was the first teacher, teaching children during the day and adults at night. In 1930, when classes were extended through tenth grade, the school was named in honor of principal and teacher Robert L. Cartwright. Students and teachers from Cedar Grove were moved to the school when their building was destroyed by fire and the school was moved to the south side of town. The last graduating class at Cartwright School was in 1965 following integration and the school gymnasium was converted into a Community Center. 315 Bertha Street.
