WELCOME TO
ENNIS, TEXAS
Pack your bags for a true Texas must-see! Just 25 minutes south of downtown Dallas on IH-45, Ennis, A Texas Main Street City, is a perfect place to spend a day, a week, or a lifetime!
Take in the Bluebonnet Spirit as you sip, shop, and stroll along the brick streets of the historic downtown district. Get your motor revving at the Texas Motorplex or kick up some dust at Big O Speedway. Enjoy the nostalgia of watching your favorite stars on the big screen at Galaxy Drive-in or take in a live theatrical production at Ennis Public Theatre or Theatre Rocks. Embrace nature at Lake Bardwell or any of our lovely parks. Check our calendar of events for family friendly fun like the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails & Festival, the National Polka Festival, Ennis Freedom Fest, Ennis Autumn Daze and other events that you won’t find anywhere but Ennis!
Be sure to stop by the Ennis Welcome Center so we can fill you in on all of our attractions and upcoming events. We take great pride in opening our heart, soul, and hospitality to our visitors. Come experience Ennis...the bluebonnet spirit of Texas.
HISTORY OF ENNIS, TEXAS
In 1871, the Houston and Texas Central Railroad (H&TC) purchased 647 acres of land in Ellis County at a price of $5.00 per acre, establishing the line's northern terminus. On June 8, 1872 this site was established as the City of Ennis. The namesake of the town was Cornelius Ennis, an early official of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. Ennis served as Mayor of Houston (1856-1857), was an incorporator and director of the Great Northern Railroad, and served as director of the H&TC Railroad.
The railroad was the key to the development of Ennis as an agricultural, commercial, and later, an industrial center. In 1920, a total of 152,601 bales of cotton were ginned in Ellis County, the most in any county in America. By 1930, Ennis was known as the place "Where Railroads and Cotton Fields Meet"
For over 150 years, Ennis has successfully repositioned its strategic business focus from railroad, to agriculture, to modern industry. Ennis continues to embrace the rapidly changing business environment and enthusiastically looks forward to a very dynamic future. For more information on the future of Ennis development, visit www.ennistx.com
