Last week in Waxahachie a row of historical buildings dating to the mid 19th century burned. Thankfully, the fire happened at night and no one was hurt. Authorities stated the fire started in the second story of the 1879 Chisholm Grill. The Chisholm Grill is the last building in the picture to the reader's right. The fire spread to the law office next door, a barber shop and finally, an antique store. The Chisholm Grill suffered the greatest damage.
The 1879 Chisholm Grill is designated on the National Historical Register. The restaurant began as a General Store on the Chisholm Trail. Then, in the 1920's the store became a restaurant. Before the days of television, people would gather in the dining room and socialize with friends. My husband and I frequented this amazing restaurant. The food was delicious and the sense of history quaint. This restaurant as well as the three other buildings were beloved by the citizens of Waxahachie.
As the citizens of Waxahachie know, living in Waxahachie could be compared to living in a time capsule of 19th century Americana. Twenty percent of all the buildings in Waxahachie are listed on the Texas Historical Register. Certainly, the Waxahachie Historical Society has worked tirelessly to preserve most of the 19th century Waxahachie buildings and homes. Waxahachie is a town that respects its' past.
The owners of the Chisholm Grill plan on rebuilding. That, certainly, is to be applauded and I'm thankful. But, the fact still remains that a wonderful 19th Century building was pretty much destroyed by a terrible fire. The history of the building is altered forever. These old buildings serve as a reminder of the people that passed through them decades and even a century before. Preserving our historical buildings is important. The damage suffered by an entire row of historical buildings is a tragedy to me. The 1879 Chisholm Grill will be sorely missed by the citizens of Waxahachie.
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