This small Texas town is known for something really big. Graham is home to not only the largest courthouse square in the state, but in all of America. Take a tour:
Settled in 1871, this small North Texas town has a population of less than 9,000. Despite barely being a blip on the map, its historic town square is larger than any other in the nation.
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In Graham’s earliest years, the only buildings were a gristmill, cotton gin, kiln, two hotels, a handful of stores, and the Young County Courthouse. When oil was discovered nearby in 1917, the economy really took off and allowed for rapid infrastructural expansion.
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Although Main Street looks nothing like it did a century ago, the small town spirit has yet to diminish. In fact, the same newspaper that debuted in 1876 is still being printed today.
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The first courthouse was built in the same year the newspaper came out, however it has since been replaced twice. One door from the second rendition, however, remains standing and functions just like it used to.
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Another notable feature of Graham is how long it maintained a dry status, having just started selling wine and beer as of 2017. The town also has one of the last remaining drive-in movie theaters in Texas.
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Oh, and not to mention it has its very own time capsule. Talk about preserving history!
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Have you ever been to Graham? What other towns in Texas have amazing courthouse squares? Let us know your favorites! Here are some of ours.
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