FERRIS SESQUICENTENNIAL: “The City that Bricked the World”

The first settlers from Tennessee began arriving on the prairie that would later become Ferris in 1851.

Another caravan of settlers from Mississippi arrived in 1870.

Then in 1874, with the construction of the Houston and Texas Central Railway and the building of a train station – a town was established.

That town was soon named “Ferris” in honor of Judge Justus Wesley Ferris of Waxahachie, the man who negotiated the railroad deal.

The inhabitants soon found the rich, black land dirt of the prairie to be outstanding for growing cotton – and cotton farming became the major crop in the county.

The area was even celebrated in “The 1913 National Ginner’s Report” as the banner cotton county – of the world. 

But it was the abundance of mineral clays in that dirt – and what could be made from that dirt – that put Ferris on the map forever.

Bricks. 

Lots of bricks.

In 1895, J.T. Hurst formed the Atlas Brick Company. The second plant was Ferris Press Brick Company, incorporated in April 1901.

In 1905, a third plant, the Globe Press Brick Company, was organized. Soon after, the Lone Star Brick Company was in operation.

In 1919, W.J. Green established the Green Press Brick Company.

The Diamond Press Brick Company, Cole Press Brick Company, and the Kooken Press Brick Company were also formed.

In 1923, the Ferris, Globe, Lone Star, Diamond, Cole and Kooken Brick Companies all merged to form a single company – the Ferris Brick Company.

And that company was churning out anywhere from 350,000 to 500,000 red and pink bricks – each day.

Ferris soon became known as “The Brick Capital of the Nation.” 

Then, “The City that Bricked the World.”

The brickyards boomed – until 1978.

Unfortunately, people quit wanting red or pink bricks anymore, and the last brickyard finally closed.

But there’s still a lot to brag about.

If you look around, you can find Ferris bricks literally all over the world. In buildings, houses, roads, sidewalks – structures of all types.

If you look really hard, you can even see them at the Statue of Liberty in New York City. 

Not bad for a little sleepy Texas town.