Lancaster Historic Neighborhood District in Dallas County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Transportation
Settled 1852
Photographed by Mansfieldphoto.com, March 22, 2026
1. Transportation Marker
The earliest Lancastrians traveled afoot, by horseback or road in a wagon. Roads were cleared of trees and graded as smooth as possible with farm tools with gravel and bridges when county funds were available. Rain halted travel.
Beginning in 1848, stages stopped at Pleasant Run and in 1858 at Moffett Hotel. Stages were operated by the "The Southern Stage Line" but their general unreliability caused the postal service not to renew its contract. In July, 1858 the Fisher and Sawyer, took the route running from Clarksville to Austin with good service although many thought ten cents a mile was excessive.
Local transportation was mainly farm wagons with a few surreys and one horse buggies about 1860. Arrival of the Houston & Texas Railroad in 1872 to Hutchins opened a new world. The Missouri & Texas Railroad reached Lancaster in 1888. In 1905 a "Dummy" to the HT&C was constructed and operated until 1934.
The Lancaster - Dallas road was improved probably with rock and gravel in 1892 and in 1900 the Lancaster Pike was constructed by straightening the old Dallas Road. In 1902 Dr. George Parks bought the first automobile
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1858.
Location. 32° 35.547′ N, 96° 45.376′ W. Marker is in Lancaster, Texas, in Dallas County. It is in the the Lancaster Historic Neighborhood District. It is at the intersection of Historic Town Square and E Main Street, on the right when traveling south on Historic Town Square. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 113 Historic Town Square, Lancaster TX 75146, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region and in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Photographed by Mansfieldphoto.com, March 22, 2026
2. Transportation Marker
The marker is the third marker from the left.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: High Education (a few steps from this marker); Recreation (a few steps from this marker); Houses (a few steps from this marker); Memories (a few steps from this marker); Disasters (within shouting distance of this marker); The Town of Lancaster (within shouting distance of this marker); M.M. Miller and Pleasant Run (within shouting distance of this marker); Indians (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lancaster.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 24, 2026, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 25, 2026, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
