Ovilla

One of the oldest communities in Ellis County, Ovilla began as a fortified settlement built in 1844 on upper Red Oak Creek. Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church was founded in 1847 and the town's first schoolhouse was erected in 1849. By the turn of the century, Ovilla had a post office, banks, several stores, and a cotton gin. A marketing center for area farmers, Ovilla was bypassed by railroads and major highways. The town suffered destructive fires in 1918 and in 1926. Proximity to urban areas has stimulated new growth in recent years.

Ovilla is a historical marker in Ovilla, Ellis County, dedicated in 1978. It is one of 116 historical markers documented in Ellis County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 300 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 32.5263, -96.8862 near Ovilla. The nearest cataloged historic site is First Baptist Church of Ovilla (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Ovilla Cemetery, Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and Shiloh Cemetery.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5139007135. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.