Community and connection are the mantra of this East Texas town.
By Haley Pacheco
When you think of the quintessential small town, you think of idyllic simplicity– a place where locals greet each other by name, picket fences line tidy streets, where time almost moves slower.
It’s a world where everyone knows everyone else’s business, whether they want to or not. Yet beyond these charming clichés lies a place full of stories and characters waiting to be discovered– the reality of small-town life.
Only about two hours east of Dallas, Winnsboro, Texas, is a place where community is everything. After looking for a spring break destination with friends, we found something cheap and charming on Airbnb, an escape from school– in a city we’d never heard of.
Originally founded in 1854 as an English settlement, Winnsboro later became an important local shipping center in 1876. It is now home to 3,455 residents according to the most recent census in 2020. In 2009, the Texas Commission on the Arts pilot program designated the town a cultural art district. It has supported over 275 artists in a variety of mediums, including intricate murals and exhibits around town.
At the heart of Winnsboro, Main Street serves as the commercial hub, with its eclectic array of boutique and antique shops, cozy restaurants, and coffee shops. And just across the street hosts the weekly farmers market, a testament to the town’s dedication to community and shopping locally.
It was the spirit of community and the promise of a simpler, more connected life that attracted George Winget and his wife, Darlene, to make the move to Winnsboro in 2016. Embracing the local ethos, they started W W Farms, offering fresh produce at the market during the harvest season and arts and crafts in the winter.
“It is absolutely the best place to live. Everyone is so friendly,” George said. “You have no enemies here.”
This is their seventh year at the market and he said they continue not because of the profits but the true wealth: creating lasting friendships.
“I’m happier broke than I am with money in my pocket,” He said. “We do it more for the camaraderie and meeting people.”
Like the Wingets, Carrie Bell and her husband Jeremy moved out of Fort Worth to Winnsboro six years ago to start their business, Earthscapes Farm. They have a stand at the market with handcrafted goat milk soap made from their goats, as well as beard oil and lip balms.
Carrie said the farmers market has been great for growing their business but also for deepening their community. She said the market “is like that third place for people.”
“It’s a gathering place. People come here not just to shop but to see friends,” she said.
Friends also gather in coffee shops, like Backstage Coffee Lounge. With its theatrical theme, this shop combines the local arts scene with a place for friends and neighbors to meet.
Laughter and conversation fill the air, creating a lively social hub. A group of women, fully immersed in each other’s company, shared stories and laughter, embodying the camaraderie of Winnsboro. This scene is a snapshot of daily life in town, where coffee shops like this one serve as a place that fosters connection.
Amidst the vibrant local businesses, restaurants of Winnsboro hold their own, offering not just your regular Southern home cooking like chicken fried steak or a good old-fashioned burger, but with a gathering spot full of history and charm. There are whispers that The Barrel House Bar & Grill is haunted by a ghost, that our waiter said was “particularly fascinated by the male customers.” He said it’s responsible for cups falling and lights flickering but offers an unexpected thrill for visitors during their meal.
The interconnectedness of the town’s businesses is shown through goat milk soaps and handmade crafts adorning the shelves of antique stores and boutiques all over town. Every business, while unique in its offerings, shared a common thread– a commitment to uplifting and promoting one another.
The Edison Exchange was one such store and a newer addition to the town, with its windows filled with promotions of art shows and town events. It is an antique and estate jewelry store in downtown Winnsboro that has anything from watches, pearls and other jewelry.
The store also has a booth at Canton Trade Days, a flea market in Canton, Texas, where one of their employees is decked in jewelry, dressed like royalty. But literally. Her name is Queen Pat.
“It started as a joke,” said founder and owner Dustin Ellis. “We spray painted an old chair gold, upholstered it and made a spoon scepter.”
Ellis said it became such a gimmick that people come out to the booth, fill a bag of jewelry to be knighted by the queen and take a picture.
“It got to the point where people would come just for her,” he said.
Queen Pat, also known as Pat White, said the community has welcomed them with open arms and they hope to stay in this spot for the next 30 years.
“It’s been so fun,” White said. “We just love our little community.”
Rachel Cash said that even though she grew up there, it’s her forever home.
“It’s very much a retirement community here,” Cash said. “People may grow up here but they come back to stay. And others, come from all over.”
And by “all over,” she’s not exaggerating. 25 years ago Tanya Newton came all the way from her home in Tasmania.
“My husband is the only one who calls me by my real name. For everyone else, it’s Tas,” said Newton.
After backpacking through Australia, Asia and then Europe, Newton found herself in North Texas. Winnsboro was never the destination, merely a waypoint before her planned hitchhiking adventure to Arlington.
“I knew a girl in Winnsboro and I was supposed to stay here a couple of weeks,” Newton said. “She had a brother.”
“I married him and never left.”
IF YOU GO:
The market is open from April through October from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays at 111 E. Carnegie St.
The antique shop is open from Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street.
Visit W W Farms at the farmers market, their Facebook or call at (903) 975–3591 for more information about the farm.
Shop Earthscapes Farms at the farmers market or online on their website: https://earthscapessoapco.com/shop.
The coffee shop is open Tuesday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
It’s open from Tuesday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The store is open from Wednesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The cafe is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday but is closed on Wednesdays and Sundays.
