1879 Chisholm Grill

In the 1870's the Chisholm Trail was one of the wonders of the western world. Cattle herds as large as ten thousand were driven down dirt trail running from Texas to Oklahoma almost identical to where I-35 now runs. Many of the cowboys stopped in Waxahachie for food and supplies. The general store (along several saloons) was small frame structures standing in the general vicinity where the 1879 Chisholm Grill now stands. In 1890 our building was built to replace the general store and saloons as part of a row of two-story Victorian commercial buildings. After 1881 the cattle drives diminished considerably due to a cattle disease called "Texas Fever." In the 1880's cotton became "King of the Country." Ellis County with her rich black earth became the largest cotton producing area in the world. Waxahachie also evolved as an important trade center when several railroads crisscrossed here giving the cotton farmers access to the entire country. Great fortunes were made. In the roaring 1920's our building was transformed into a restaurant and has remained a restaurant ever since. During the 30's and 40's, before television, people would gather from all over the country in our dining room to find out what was happening in town and around the country. The lovely old building was included in the National Historic Registry in 1975. In February 2008, the 1879 Chisholm Grill came under the new ownership of Mr. and Mrs. Bill McMillion and family. Bill McMillion, a born and bred Texan, had a desire to help his daughter, Valerie, fulfill a lifelong dream of having her own restaurant. After several months of searching, the 1879 Chisholm Grill beckoned Valerie and her husband, Joe Orr, to bring new life to the cozy old-fashioned restaurant. Their home style cooking will please your palate, satisfy your appetite, and warm your heart.