The town of Rancho existed about one mile north of here for many years prior to the establishment of Nixon in 1906 on the new San Antonio and Gulf Railroad line. This church was organized in 1869 as a mission of the San Antonio Baptist Association by the Rev. T. Christmas and the Rev. J.F. Hines. The congregation built a small sanctuary in Rancho and remained there until 1907 when they moved to the new town of Nixon and changed their name to Nixon Baptist Church. A Sunday School and Ladies Aid Society were organized and 37 members joined the church in 1909 as a result of a successful revival service. In 1921 Nixon Baptist joined the Gambrell Baptist Association. The congregation began a long-term association with the Alto Frio encampment near Leakey, Texas, when they erected a building there in 1928. In conjunction with the building of a new sanctuary here in 1955, the congregation changed its name to First Baptist Church of Nixon. The congregation has since established a scholarship fund for local high school graduates pursuing Baptist studies, sponsored youth activities and programs, helped establish area mission churches, and contributed to the educational, moral, and cultural development of the community.

At the beginning of the 20th century, members of Houston’s Methodist community worked toward organizing a new congregation on what was then the burgeoning south end of town. In December 1905, individuals met at the J.O. Ross family home and held Christmas Eve services at the city auditorium. The congregation officially organized on January 14, 1906 with 153 charter members. Bishop Joseph Key preached the first sermon and suggested the congregation adopt St. Paul’s as its name. The Ross family gave lots at the corner of Milam and McGowen streets for a new building. Designed by R.D. Steele and consecrated in January 1909. The structure reflected a Grecian design with a dome reminiscent of Byzantine architecture. The church grew along with the city of Houston, and in the late 1920s, members launched a campaign to raise money for new facilities. Jesse H. Jones, Walter Fondren and J.M. West, Sr. each contributed $150,000, and the church hired noted architect Alfred C. Finn to design a new building at the corner of Main and Binz streets. The Neo-Gothic styling features a cruciform plan on a steel-frame structure with limestone cladding. Stained glass windows from the structure, and the impressive tower houses bells also brought from the church’s original sanctuary. St. Paul’s church members support an array of outreach, worship, education, mission, music and caring services to the community. At the turn of the 21st century, the church is a spiritual and social community center, as well as a long-standing Houston institution.

Pioneers arrived in this area as early as 1845, establishing small settlements that developed over time into the Tripp, Long Creek, Hatterville and New Hope communities. By 1882, Tripp residents attended church services in the local schoolhouse. C.J. Washmon, who owned a local grocery store, served as an early pastor for what became Tripp Baptist Church. In 1906, the congregation began collecting donations to build a new sanctuary, and in 1916 Kaufman County resident Richard Linn donated the property. The building, dedicated in 1918, was also used by the local Assembly of God congregation. In 1954, the Baptists remodeled the original white frame structure, adding a brick façade as well as three classrooms, a pastor's study and a nursery. Later additions included a bell tower. Early church activities included summer revivals held under brush arbors, often in conjunction with other churches, and baptisms conducted in area creeks, ponds and cotton gin tanks. Over the years, congregation members have also participated in dinners, Christmas nativities and educational programs, and the church has regularly contributed to home, state and foreign missions, and continued in service to its members and its community. In the 1950s, Tripp consolidated with the neighboring towns of Long Creek, Hatterville and New Hope to form the city of Sunnyvale. For decades, the communities had shared resources, including the Long Creek Cemetery, where many church members are buried. Today, the history of Sunnyvale is comprised of the stories from each community, including the long-standing institution that is Tripp Baptist Church.

The Texas and Pacific Railroad founded Texarkana on December 8, 1873. Anthony Ghio and Col. R.W. Rodgers purchased town lots on the first day of sale. They and several other residents formed Sacred Heart Catholic Church under the leadership of Father Theodore Buffard, a priest from Galveston who served much of the region's Catholic population. The next year, the congregation celebrated Christmas Eve Mass in their first sanctuary. Two years later, Col. Rodgers donated land for this church cemetery; his young daughter, Agnes Bernard Rodgers, had been buried here the previous year.

Over the years, the congregation grew and also sponsored a sister church in the city. Sacred Heart Catholic Church established a school, and later developed a second burial ground and new church facilities. Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery features ironwork by the local LeGrand family, as well as sculpture by Raffl Studios of Paris, France. Immigrants from sixteen countries are buried here; inscriptions on the monuments, which vary greatly in style, indicate the diverse history of the congregation.

First Christian Church organized in Eastland in 1878 under the Rev. Cyrus Scarborough. There were a number of important Eastland leaders, including city founders, among the church’s early membership. In 1886, the congregation moved from the county courthouse, where it had been holding services, into new facilities. In 1907, it moved again, constructing a building on this site. The church has a history of ecumenical programs, working in partnership with local Presbyterian and Methodist churches. The congregations have held combined summer evening worship services, as well as vacation bible schools and youth group events. The church has played an active role in the community it serves. The Men’s Fellowship Bible Class, also interdenominational, has been a vital part of Eastland. Members have developed many service projects, including construction of a park in an African American community during the era of segregation and the collection and delivery of items for Thanksgiving and Christmas drives. The church has focused on outreach through missions and local service, as members established a food pantry for senior citizens, a jail ministry and children’s mission fund to distribute supplies to needy students. The church has also opened its doors to local organizations and activities, including blood drives. After more than 100 years of service, First Christian Church of Eastland continues to be a spiritual, education and community leader for the area.

McDonald County, 540 sq. miles of Ozark grandeur in Missouri's extreme southwest, was called Seneca when it was formed in 1847. Fully organized in 1849, it was named for Rev. War soldier Alexander McDonald.

Pineville, the county seat, was laid out by Nathan Richardson, 1847, and first called Maryville. The judicial seat, first located at Rutledge (Elk Springs), was moved there in 1857 after a bitter dispute. Pineville at the headquarters of lovely Elk River, was a lively trading post for reservation Indians from what is now Okla., and settlers in 1860. A Jesse James movie was made there in 1938.

The county's first settlers were Valentine Miller and family, 1827. Pioneers were from Ky. and Tenn. The 1840's brought the "Pine War" between settlers and U.S. Marshals over cutting trees on public land. In the 1850's, bands of "Slickers" briefly tried to stop land sales. In War Between the States, this pro-Southern county on Ark. and Okla. borders, saw heavy troop movement, sharp skirmishes, guerrilla raids. Over the border, in Ark., is historic Pea Ridge Battlefield, site of decisive Union victory, Mar. 7-8, 1962.

Resort county in the Ozark Playgrounds Region, McDonald lies in a dairy, livestock, poultry, fruit, timber area. Processing plants are at Noel and Anderson, largest town in the county, founded 1887. Near there is site of Splitlog, once a boom town where Mathias Splitlog, wealthy Wyandotte Indian, and others went broke mining fool's gold. There Splitlog began the county's first railroad. The Kansas City & Southern was built through the county in the 1890's.

At Southwest City, settled in 1840's, is the Missouri-Arkansas-Oklahoma tri-state boundary marker bearing the dates of when each state was admitted into the Union: Mo., 1821; Ark., 1836; Okla., 1907. Noel, named for Bridge Noel, founded 1891, gives cancellation on Christmas mail. Other towns in the county include Rocky Comfort, Tiff City, Goodman, Powell, Jane, and Lanagan.

In the county are hamsome Jacob's, Bluff Dwellers, Shira, and Ozark Wonder Caves. Ancient Bluff Dweller sites, Indian mounds and trails are in the area a part of 1825 Osage Indian land cession. Only Confederate Indian General, Stan Watie, a Cherokee, is buried in Okla., near Southwest City, Mo.