invite you on this journey through the

best kept secret in east Texas, Wills Point!

Celebrate our heritage, the past that set us on our course and the foundation for our future…

Discover today’s treasures of entertainment, shopping and dining that make us a heritage tourism destination…

Share our excitement as we engage in unique, fresh opportunities that will inspire you to share our vision…

WE WON’T BE A SECRET ANYMORE!

Left: The Rose Monument was donated to the

community by I.E. Rose, the younger brother

of B.W. Rose. The monument has tiers of

basins for plants, a center projection that

extends to a height of about 12-15 feet and

attached to the projection are four light posts.

Wills Point has a small town charm that

attracts thousands annually tothe historic brick streets!

Below: The Caboose, located on Hwy 80, is a

welcoming testament to the importance of our

heritage.

Did they realize as they laid each brick they were laying the foundation that our future would be built on?

Wills Point was built

around the Texas &

Pacific Railroad….

There have been 3

depots built to date. The

existing depot was built

in 1927 and now houses

the Depot Museum

NEW

BUSINESSES

DOWNTOWN..

.

..NEW LOCAL

RESTAURANTS

Working to GROW

Wills Point

RETAIL SHOPS, many in our historic

downtown business district…

The Greenhouse & Nana’s Corner

Our retail district includes dining and

shopping in one area with both nationally

recognized brands and family owned stores.

Country Junction Quilt Store

Fine Steaks, Quality Seafood and Great

Service in an Upscale Rustic Atmosphere

Fine Italian Dining in a Warm, Inviting

Ambianceon the bricks.

Verona’s Italian Cafe

Fine Dining…

Four Winds Steakhouse is

located off of I-20 near Wills

Point, TX. Located on a beautiful

1,100 acre East Texas

ranch, Four Winds Steakhouse

has built its reputation on

serving the finest steak with the

best service in the most serene

of locations.

Wills Point also has all the services

to provide for the needs of a business or a family…

• Vision Care

• Family Dental

• Chiropractic Services

• Realtors

• Legal Services

• Electrolysis & Massage Therapy

• Salons & Barber Shops

• Assisted Living & Rehab

• 24 Hour Fitness Center

• Insurance Services

• Electronics & TV Repair

• Auto sales & service

• Churches

Wills Point is

proud to be the

BLUEBIRD CAPITAL

OF TEXAS

The Texas Legislature

declared Wills Point the

Bluebird Capital of Texas on

February 7, 1995

following the National

Audubon Society’s

determination that the

community has hosted more

bluebirds that any other area

in Texas.

Standing, left to right around the governor

are Flora Wilson, former Senator David

Cain, the late mayor Bobby Springer, Karen

Springer, Buz Craft, Billy Mark

Kinney, former Representative Bob

Glaze, Brexton Collins, Theta Martin and

Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace W. Ozelle

Wilcoxson.

Governor George Bush signing the proclamation.

COME ON DOWN

TO THE BRICKS…

for exciting activities and events!

Brings thousands of visitors to

downtown Wills Point every

April during the nesting period

of the Eastern Bluebird.

This cruise takes a 4-city journey

along Historic Highway 80!

Historic Highway 80 Car Cruise

2014 date: March 29

FOR OVER 30 YEARS

Wills Point Riding Club

UPRA RODEO

3RD

Saturday in July

2013 Improvements include:

6,000 gallon 100LL AvgasConstruction of

Terminal Building

Wills Point High School

student cover art on

2012 Texas Kids

Aviation

Art Calendar

Costume Contests for Kids and Pets

Art’s & Crafts, Baby BOO and Stew” Cook-off!

Trick-or-Treat & Big Kids, TOO Swap.

Our PREMIER Halloween Event

“BOO” on the Bricks in October

Classics on the Bricks

Car Show

Christmas on the Bricks

Arts & Crafts

5K Reindeer Fun & Pet Run

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT &

Annual Christmas Parade

5k Reindeer Run

SMALL TOWN CHRISTMAS AT ITS VERY BEST!

Located just 10 miles north of

Wills Point on FM 47, Lake

Tawakoni offers 376 acres with

more than five miles of shoreline

and a variety of

activities, including

swimming, fishing, boating, mount

ain biking, geocaching, hiking and

birding.

Home of the

FIGHTING

TIGERS!

The PRIDE of Tigerland…

WPHS Marching Band

UIL State Marching Award Winners!

Award winning tennis program.

Above: Tennis complex that

includes a new tennis facility

built in 2010

WPHS Baseball/Softball Park

@ Lester Park

MORE

BUSINESSES

LOCATED IN THE

WILLS POINT

BUSINESS

PARK…

Pam Pearson, AdministratorP. O. Box 217

Wills Point, TX 75169Office 903-873-3381

Cell 214-803-5621Email

EDC Board of Directors:

President Paul Sharp

Vice President Tom Mitchell

Secretary/Treas. Dyde Manning

Board Members:

Rick Johns

Mark Turner, Mayor

The City of Wills Point

• Wills Point is located on historic Hwy. 80 approximately 38 miles east of Dallas from 635 (LBJ Freeway) and 45 miles N.W. of Tyler via I-20

• Wills Point Population - 2010: 3524Population of Van Zandt County outside any city proper:37,482. Wills Point businesses serve more than 10,000 residents.

City Hall

2013 Wills Point Chamber of Commerce

Executive BoardChairman Bobbi Byford, TVECVice Chairman Greg Ellis, Fairway ShoesTreasurer John Frazier, Attorney

Board of DirectorsDoug Bass Bass ProductionsStan Brown City Barber ShopDean Ouimet Lone Star GrillMary Russell CrestwoodBecky Thompson Edward Jones InvestmentsKipp Wingo Van Zandt Animal Care CenterTina Rosamond Murrey MotorsSherry Scott-Moore Century 21Royce Pollard My Credit Union

Chamber StaffJennifer Ross President

Chamber Volunteer Gene Epperson

Contact the Chamber:Mail: PO Box 178

Wills Point, Texas 75169Phone: (903)873-3111Email: contact@willspointchamber.comWeb: www.willspointchamber.com

The Majestic TheaterIn 1926, the theatre building was built to show the silent movies that were all therage. Probably the most memorable thing during the silent picture days was the orchestrathat won fame in our area providing musical accompaniment to the films. The orchestraplayed until talking pictures took over the screen in 1928. The first talking picture shownher was “The Girl From Woolworths” starring Alice White. It was the longestcontinuously operated movie house in Texas.

Rose Dry Goods StoreRose Dry Goods was established in 1873. It was originally in the Cedar GroveCommunity before it was relocated to the present site when the railroad camethrough Wills Point. B. W. Rose, the founder of the business, was a Jewishimmigrant who came to America from his native Germany when he was 16 yearsold. The original building was a wood structure, but was bricked using bricks madesouth of Wills Point. There is no true record of the date of the building, but it is wellover 100 years old. B. W. Rose died in 1922.

Wills CabinIn 1848, a man named William Wills, the namesake of our city, came toTexas from Tennessee three years after it was annexed into the UnitedStates. He settled on what was then titled “Government Vacant Land”owned by the state and obtainable by settlers living on a tract for 3successive years. He was the first settler to come here and built hishome, a wood cabin, at the point of timber between the Sabine and Trinityrivers.

Bruce & Human DrugIt is the oldest family owned drug store in the state of Texas. Established by the lateB. W. Bruce, it still remains in the hands of his family. It has been located on thiscorner since 1879.

The Green HouseThe building was built and commissioned to the board of trustees of the First NationalBank by the Howell family in 1895. The building is outlined by railroad tracks that thewalls are built on top of. This was to deter any would be burglars from tunnelingunder the walls and into the bank. After the bank moved to another location, thebuilding served as a city office, and then the post office. Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Mayberrybought the building in 1955, where they continued to operate the Greenhouse for over40 years. The business is still family owned today.

Cotton GinsAt one time, there were eight cotton gins locally, and 26 county wide. TheFloyd Weeks Gin was the last working gin in Van Zandt County. The earlyginners, cotton buyers and warehousemen played a vital role in WillsPoint’s history, especially its economy.