Look up Greenville’ s historic churches provide some of the city’ s best architectural stops.
How Greenville got its lights At City Hall, 2821 Washington St., the story turns to one of the necessities of modern life: electricity.
A few blocks away, at 2305 King St., another marker connects directly to Greenville’ s newspaper history.
Outside the Herald-Banner, a historical marker commemorates the Greenville Herald, established in April 1869 by J. C. Bayne. The marker, erected in 1969 during the newspaper’ s centennial year, identifies the Herald as the oldest business institution in Hunt County and traces the paper’ s evolution, including its eventual merger with the Banner.
The newspaper became a daily in 1890 under owner E. W. Harris. The W. P. Poole family later owned the paper for decades before the Herald and Banner were merged in 1956.
Today, the marker sits outside the Herald-Banner on King Street, marking a newspaper history that stretches back more than 150 years.
Look up Greenville’ s historic churches provide some of the city’ s best architectural stops.
Central Christian Church at 2611 Wesley St. is hard to miss. The congregation was organized in 1879 as First Christian Church, but the present sanctuary dates to 1898-99. Its Gothic Revival design includes towers, art-glass windows and distinctive brickwork.
The building is recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and is
listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Kavanaugh Methodist Church at 2516 Park St. offers another architectural stop. Its marker highlights the brickwork, raised temple-front design and roughly 50 art-glass windows.
First Baptist Church at 2703 Wesley St. adds another piece of the city’ s religious history. Its congregation has met in Greenville since 1858 and went on to establish eight other local churches.
For anyone interested in old buildings, the churches are worth slowing down for. The markers provide the history, while the buildings themselves show how much of that history is still standing.
How Greenville got its lights At City Hall, 2821 Washington St., the story turns to one of the necessities of modern life: electricity.
The Greenville Electric Light Plant marker recalls the city’ s early municipal power system, which opened March 4, 1891, on Town Branch.
The plant used a steam engine to operate two dynamos, providing electricity for 40 street arc lights and about 1,000 home lights. Daytime operation began in 1909, and diesel equipment was added later. The same address also carries the official marker for Greenville itself. It
GREENVILLE HISTORY HUNT
16 stops to put on your list
1. Greenville ' s First Railroad 3102 Lee St.— MKT“ Katy” Depot The Missouri, Kansas & Texas train arrived Oct. 1, 1880, opening Hunt County ' s first railroad service.
2. Greenville Herald-Banner 2305 King St. The marker commemorates the Greenville Herald, founded in 1869 and identified as Hunt County ' s oldest business institution.
3. Old Greenville Post Office 2920 Lee St.— Landmark on Lee Built in 1910, the former post office once housed the recruiting office where Audie Murphy enlisted.
4. Hunt County Courthouse Stonewall Street at Lee Street Built in 1929, the current courthouse is the seventh to serve Hunt County. A marker at the southwest corner commemorates the founding of the county.
5. Central Christian Church 2611 Wesley St. The 1899 Gothic Revival church features distinctive towers, brickwork and art-glass windows. It is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
6. First Baptist Church 2703 Wesley St. The congregation has met in Greenville since 1858 and went on to establish eight other local churches.
7. City of Greenville / Electric Light Plant 2821 Washington St.— Municipal Building and Auditorium Markers here tell the story of Greenville ' s founding and its early municipal electric plant, which began operating in 1891.
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