Oldham Avenue Historic District
a.k.a. See Also:Strickland--Sawyer House
Oldham Ave. between N. Jackson and Bethel Sts., Waxahachie, TXThe Oldham Avenue Historic District is comprised exclusively of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century dwellings. The neighborhood presents a good cross-section of the type of residences that were built during Waxahachie's most prosperous period. Like the West End, the Oldham Avenue area attracted many of the town's most prominent citizens, including developer E. H. Griffin, attorney W. H. Fears, cotton broker C. D. Pickett, and businessman J. F. Strickland. The district includes 20 structures, and all but two properties contribute to the historic character and ambiance of the district.
The Oldham Avenue Historic District was part of Waxahachie's East End, an area that extended along East Marvin Street, but also stretched several blocks south to include Oldham Avenue. The East End and West End were areas. of substantial speculation and development around the turn of the century. Competition between the two neighborhoods was intense for many years. In 1891 a poem entitled "East and West End" written by a member of a local literary society, outlined differences between the rival developments. Separately owned and operated streetcar lines provided service to both the East and West Ends, although both systems were eventually incorporated into a single, city-wide, street-car company.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.