Barbara Cummins
Fifty-two members of the Robson Ranch Women’s Club traveled to McKinney to take a tour of historical homes in the Chestnut Square Historic Village. Chestnut Square is a preserved village with houses dating from 1854 to 1930.
The 1854 Faires House is the oldest house in McKinney. Mr. Faires was a blacksmith who came to Texas from Tennessee. When the home was moved to its present location, two Civil War bullets were discovered lodged in the foundation.
The 1863 “Two Bit” Taylor Inn was a small home for a family of nine, yet the Taylor’s oldest daughter had her own separate quarters where she conducted her sewing business. And always looking for a way to make money, salesmen were charged 25 cents for a bed for the night, clean clothes, dinner, and breakfast.
The 1870 Dulaney Cottage was home to Dr. and Lucy Dulaney, a Civil War surgeon who practiced medicine in McKinney and Tennessee, his home state. He died of pneumonia on a visit to his family in Tennessee.
John Field built the Dulaney House in 1916 for his widowed sister Lucy. This stately, Prairie-style home was built after they moved the cottage to the lot next door. Mr. Field planned to move into the home with his sister, but he died a month before it was complete.
After the tour, the group went shopping and dining in the more than 100 shops and restaurants in McKinney Square. Upon their return to Robson Ranch, they took a quick tour of the neighborhood Christmas lights, and the bus dropped the attendees off at the grill for some socializing.
More day trips are planned for 2022. If you are interested in joining the Women’s Club, please visit the website rrwomensclub.org for a list of luncheons, meetings, and events.