Sherman, Texas
Rich Past – Exciting Present – Solid Future

The City of Sherman was created by an act of the 1846 Texas Legislature and was named after General Sidney Sherman, a hero of the Texas Revolution. The original townsite proved lacking in water and fuel, so in 1848, the town was moved to its current site, with all subsequent anniversary celebrations marked from that point.

At its new location, Sherman overcame adversity as it grew from a frontier town into a modern city. In its earliest days, Sherman was a stop on the famous Butterfield Stage line. Gradually, the frontier economy gave way to a farm economy, with cotton as the staple crop. Cotton gave rise to Sherman’s first industries of milling and cottonseed oil processing. One of these early industrial sites is still in use, although the owners and products have changed through the years. As it grew, Sherman developed educationally and culturally, gaining the nickname of “the Athens of Texas” from its many schools and cultural events.

Sherman suffered a major setback when, in 1896, a huge tornado ripped into the southern and western sections of town, killing and wounding over 100 citizens. Sherman was able to surmount this challenge, as it was the 1930 burning of the courthouse by a racially motivated mob. World War II brought economic prosperity to the area, with the establishment of a pilot training base called Perrin Field. Unfortunately, this base closed in the 1960’s, resulting in a reversal of economic fortunes. Through the good and the bad, Sherman continued to grow.

Today, Sherman is home to many amenities and well-known institutions. Austin College is the oldest institution of higher learning in Texas, and Sherman boasts its own symphony orchestra, this being most unusual for a city its size. Sherman Community Theater productions and Red River Historical Museum add to the cultural base. The beautifully-restored Kidd-Key Auditorium is a magnificent performing arts venue for all to enjoy.

Located approximately 65 miles north of Dallas, at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 75 and U.S. Highway 82, Sherman has become a leader in the region known as Texoma. This region contains several counties on both sides of the Texas-Oklahoma border directly north of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Sherman reflects its leadership as an industrial center and as a retail hub. Manufacturing is a dominant segment of the local economy. As of September 2001, 19.8 percent of the local work force was engaged in manufacturing. This represented the highest percentage among all Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas and was substantially higher than the state average of 11.1 percent. Several national firms have plants in Sherman, including Texas Instruments, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson and Raytheon. Traditionally, Sherman’s retail outlets have drawn customers from throughout North Central Texas and Southern Oklahoma. On a per capita basis, Sherman’s taxable sales have ranked among the highest in Texas.

As the gateway to Lake Texoma, Sherman enjoys its share of tourism. Located on the Red River, Lake Texoma was constructed by the Corp of Engineers and covers 89,000 acres, with over 600 miles of shoreline. Surrounded by beautiful rolling hills and easily accessible from major population areas, Lake Texoma is renowned throughout the Southwest United States for its world-class striped bass fishing and its deepwater sailing opportunities. The Red River Historical Museum is also a tourism draw, with visitors coming from many states and even some foreign countries.

Sherman faces a solid future based on our location, our superior infrastructure, and our proven track record of attracting major employers. Sherman reached its population of 35,011, per the 2000 census, in waves. Since 1960, Sherman has averaged an annual growth rate of .3 percent. However, the growth has been anything but smooth. As Perrin Field or a major industrial plant came into being, Sherman would experience a spurt of growth. Soon, however, much of that gain would be reversed through an economic downturn. Estimates prepared by the Office of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts call for Sherman’s growth to remain under .5 percent annually. The City of Sherman, however, believes these estimates are low. Sherman’s location dictates that it must grow, being directly in the path of the rapid northward expansion of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Furthermore, Sherman’s infrastructure is outstanding. The transportation system is anchored by the crossroads of U.S. Highway 75 and U.S. Highway 82, and is bolstered by the excellent airport facilities at the North Texas Regional Airport (formerly Perrin Field) and Sherman Municipal Airport. Additionally, Lake Texoma guarantees a bountiful source of water. Finally, the sales tax for economic development, administered by the Sherman Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO), provides the necessary incentives to attract large, high-quality employers. Sherman eagerly awaits a future that will be worthy of its proud heritage.