  1890  Main Street   Van Alstyne, a
history McKinney and Sherman had given land for the Houston and
Texas Central Railway. Mantua, being between the two saw no need to pay the
railroad as they would “come through here anyway.” Unfortunately, the railroad
bypassed them when on February 21, 1872 the railroad purchased a little over 35
acres from William L. McKinney, a minor and orphan. William had received his
large estate from his father, William B. McKinney who had died in the Civil
War. His father James McKinney was the original owner of the land that the
State of Texas granted him. That same year, businesses began moving from Mantua to the newly found
town. On May 3, the town was named Van Alstyne in order of Maria Van Alstyne,
widow of railroad employee and stockholder, William A. McKinney. Van Alstyne is
said to be the only town in Grayson County that was named after a woman. Currently
the earliest known deed of sale of a city lot in Van Alstyne was dated April
16, 1873. Dr. Leslie buys the lot on the northwest corner of Main and Marshall
Streets.  Van Alstyne History Van Alstyne Historical Society Van Alstyne History Towns Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |