Settlers from Kentucky found Whitewright to be a land rich for

 cultivation and cattle, a wilderness of grasses, flowers and forest.

Churches and schools were established very early and the

construction of the M.K.T. Railroad from Denison to Greenville

hastened the growth of Whitewright.

The town was incorporated

in 1887 and was named for New York capitalist William

Whitewright jr., who had an interest in the M.K.T. Railroad.

Although the Baptist, Presbyterian and Methodists built churches

in the area in the 1850s, the Christian Church was the first church

in Whitewright. It was used as a community church and Rev.

J.W. Connelly preached the first sermon.

In 1879, the town's first baby, Jesse Rayborn, was delivered by

the town's first doctor, D.M. Ray. Grayson College was founded

in 1886 by Mr. Piner and Mr. Anderson on the north edge of

town. By the late 1800s, Whitewright had a population of 2,000

and was the first political subdivision in North Texas to eliminate

saloons by a vote of the people.

Whitewright was thriving as a business center by 1894 with

hotels, doctors, lawyers, dentists, restaurants, grocery stores,

drugstores and banks. The 2 cotton gins in town bought 150,000

bales of cotton that year. Whitewright also boasted a flour mill, 2

lumber yards and a newspaper.

A fire destroyed much of the north side of town in 1884, and

another fire in 1911 burned through 26 homes and the entire 100

block of W Grand Street except the First National Bank. The

bank building still stands and was used as Whitewrights first public

library, until it built its current location in 1978.

Today, the city of Whitewright is growing and will continue grow

and prosper. Our historic downtown is undergoing a renovation

too and we would love to have you a part of it. We hope you

come visit us soon and become a part of our new history.