In 1902 Wichita County built a one-room schoolhouse here on land donated by H.F. Knippenberg. The school, named for County Commissioner T.J. Cashion, opened with one teacher, Mrs. Lou (White) Dodson, and 12 students. The original school building was destroyed by fire in 1915 and replaced with a new structure in 1916. Cashion's student enrollment increased significantly as a result of large numbers of people moving to this area following the discovery of oil in nearby Burkburnett in 1918. The school was expanded in 1923 and in 1924 E.F. Gaston donated 3 adjoining acres to the school. A brick high school and gymnasium were built in front of the existing schoolhouse in 1926. The nearby Cooper and Bacon Switch schools merged with Cashion School in 1926-27 and in the 1930-31 school year Cashion reached its highest recorded student enrollment of 286. During this time Cashion School buildings also served the community as a site for social, recreational and political activities. By the mid-1930s nearby oil production dropped dramatically and the community as well as Cashion School declined. The high school closed in 1936 and the elementary school in 1943. The school buildings were auctioned in 1945 and moved off this site.

The first permanent settlement in this area began in the years before the Civil War. Principal among the pioneers were farmer Jefferson Peak, banker and rancher W.H. Gaston, and brothers-in-law Henry Boll and Jacob Nussbaumer, who were natives of Switzerland. The arrival of the railroads in the 1870s brought an influx of settlers to the area. As European immigrants and others attracted to the City of Dallas moved eastward to find housing, the community that developed here, two miles east of the Dallas County Courthouse, was incorporated in 1882. East Dallas accomplished much in its short life as an independent entity. It was the home of many leading citizens, such as prominent rancher and Baptist leader Christopher C. Slaughter. George Crutcher, mayor of East Dallas for four years, led the city to establish a safe water supply, build a good road system, and organize an independent school district. The combination schoolhouse and city hall, which was located at this site, was completed during his tenure. East Dallas was annexed by the City of Dallas in 1889. Its history, while short, remains an important part of the area's heritage.

Successor to county's first one-room jail of rough lumber built about 1891, this building was erected 1907 by Southern Structural Steel Company, San Antonio. Officials who let the contract were P.D. Coulson, County Judge; C.M. Barger, S.W. Gaston, T.J. Goss, M.C. Jones, Commissioners.

At least seven early sheriffs lived downstairs, acting as jail keepers. The prisoners averaged about four a month, jailed only for short terms for minor law violations. Coke County never has had a felon assessed the death penalty. The gallows on second floor were never used.

Organized July 1854 by The Rev. Richard O. Watkins, as Cumberland Presbyterian Church. First church building was erected in 1854-55. First pastor, The Rev. Dempsey W. Broughton, helped found Trinity University. Present sanctuary was built in 1877. Church took name "First Presbyterian" after national denominational merger in 1906. It became "Covenant" after absorbing Gastonia (1912) and Jiba (1963) congregations.

Presbyterians held services in this locality in the 1850's and organized this church in 1879, only a few years after Granbury was founded. Charter members included the Bowdens, Carmichaels, Doyles, Gastons, Greens, Kens, Lyles, Mrs. Eliza Nunn and Mrs. Hattie D. Peveler. The congregation built this sanctuary in 1895-96. Style is modified gothic, with 3-story belfry and steeple. A stained glass window was added in 1964.

An oil boom here in the early 1930s prompted the formal organization of the Gaston Independent School District in 1931 to cope with the community's rapidly expanding student population. The district chose Dallas architects Emory White and Howard DeFee to design both an elementary and a 2-story high school building. These brick structures were completed at this site, along with a football field, in 1932.

The district added a wooden gymnasium and brick auditorium in 1936, home economics cottage in 1938, brick cafeteria in 1939 and shop building in 1940. Linked by arcades, the structures exhibit classically articulated features and sophisticated cast-stone and window details. The rustic style landscaping, which includes walls made of native stone from the nearby Hardy farm, was completed by the Works Progress Administration in 1936-1940.

Students at this institution earned county, district and regional championships in football, basketball, and track, as well as awards in journalism, band, debate and other literary areas, including a Rhodes Scholarship, during the 1940s and 1950s. Gaston schools merged with the London school system in 1965 to form the West Rusk County Independent School District.

Greenwood Cemetery was part of a Republic of Texas grant, called the John Grigsby League, given for service in the Battle of San Jacinto. W.H. Gaston, pioneer Dallas banker, acquired title to the site in 1874, after the noted local legal battle, "The Grigsby Cases," and founded Trinity Cemetery. Greenwood Cemetery Association assumed operation in 1896. Many people prominent in the histories of the city, state and nation rest here, in addition to casualties and veterans of every American military involvement since the War between the States.

Successor to "Granbury Vidette" town's first newspaper, founded 1872 by Capt. W.L. Bond and later owned by an 1882 staff recruit, A.W. Crockett (1857-1953), a grandson of the Alamo hero. J.D. Ballard in 1884 started the "Granbury News", later owned by highly regarded Frank Gaston. State Senator A.B. Crawford and wife in 1937 bought from Crockett the last paper he owned, merging it in 1946 with the "Granbury News". In 1964 widowed Mrs. Crawford moved paper into this 1891 building and began to advocate historic preservation--a policy continued by later owners after she retired in 1970.

Founded in 1886, the State Fair of Texas now ranks as the most largely attended State Fair in the U.S. It was begun as a private, nonprofit corporation for civic purposes by Capt. W.H. Gaston and other pioneer business and civic leaders of Dallas.

Since 1904 the fair grounds have been owned by the city, which maintains them as a public park except during the annual two-week fair.

The fair suspended operations for two years in order to permit the Central Exposition of the Texas Centennial Celebration to be held here in 1936. In 1937 the Pan American Exposition used the grounds.

Over the years great names have appeared here, including wild west showman Buffalo Bill, Harry Houdini the magician, silver-tongued orator William Jennings Bryan, and Comanche War Chief Quanah Parker.

Federal, state, and city governments have erected a series of permanent buildings on the fair grounds, including the Hall of State, five other museums, music hall, livestock coliseum, and "Cotton Bowl."

Originally 80 acres in size, the grounds have been successively enlarged to include the present 250 acres. Over 100,000,000 persons have entered its gates during annual expositions.

In Memory of the Immortal 32 Gonzales men and boys who, on March 1, 1836 fought their way into the beleaguered Alamo to die with Colonel William B. Travis for the Liberty of Texas. They were the last and only reinforcements to arrive in answer to the final call of Colonel William B. Travis.

Names and ages of the Immortal Thirty-Two: Captain Albert Martin, 30; Isaac G. Baker, 32; John Cane, 34; George W. Cottle, 38; David P. Cummings, 27; Squire Damon, 28; Jacob C. Darst, 48; John Davis, 25; William Dearduff; Charles Despallier, 24; William Fishbaugh; John Flanders, 36; Dolphin Ward Floyd, 29; Galva Fuqua, 16; John E. Garvin, 27; John E. Gaston, 17; James George, 34; Thomas Jackson; Jonathan L. Lindley, 31; Jessie McCoy; Isaac Millsaps; George Neggan, 28; Wm. E. Summers, 24; George W. Tumlinson, 27; Robert White, 30; Claiborne Wright, 26.

Other Gonzales men who fell at the Alamo: Daniel Bourne, 26; George Brown, 35; Jerry C. Day, 20; Almaron Dickerson, 26; Andrew Duvalt, 32; John Harris, 23; Wm. J. Lightfoot, 25; Marcus L. Sewell, 31; Amos Pollard, 33. Survivors of the Alamo Massacre, Mrs. Almaron Dickerson and baby daughter, of Gonzales.