The laidback Texas town of Sherman spent most of its nearly 180 years as a well-kept secret, known for its historic location on the Shawnee Trail -- where drovers once herded longhorn cattle to market in Kansas City -- and the Butterfield Overland Mail route, which sent people and parcels westward.
Just 60 miles north of Dallas, Sherman was a pitstop on the way to popular Lake Texoma, or a stop for the Hot Summer Nights free music concert series, which the town has hosted for 35 years.
Today, Sherman’s population is rapidly approaching 50,000 and growing daily as two new semiconductor facilities opening this year are transforming the scenic ranch and farmland into the newest Texas high-tech hub, with more than $45 billion worth of projects online and in the planning stages.
In May, Texas Instruments (TI) announced that the first of four semiconductor facilities planned for a $40 billion Sherman campus was near completion, and GlobalWafers America held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new semiconductor plant in Sherman.
“We’ve completed construction on the first factory, the team has now moved in, and we’re installing equipment as we prepare to begin production, really kicking off the next era of semiconductor manufacturing in Texas,” said TI Sherman Factory Manager, Mike Haggerty, who said the plant will be able to manufacture more than 100 million semiconductors daily for cell phones, cars, airplanes, pacemakers, and other devices.
Nearby, GlobalWafers not only opened its own semiconductor plant but also announced a new phase of investments in Sherman that would double the total to $7.5 billion.
“What was once an open field in Sherman is now the future of high-tech manufacturing,” reported KTEN.
Land, Water, Location and Other Factors Fueling Sherman’s Economic Engine
Sherman’s started economic star turn is a story of how the right combination of available land, abundant water, strategic location, reliable power grid, and business-friendly environment combined to encourage outside investment.
“Sherman provides some unique advantages such as a competitive business environment, access to a highly trained technical workforce, and an existing supplier base," said TI senior vice president of technology and manufacturing Kyle Flessner.
Nate Strauch in Living Well magazine also points out that Sherman strategically acquired water rights to nearby Lake Texoma and invested $30 million to expand its water treatment facility to meet future business growth.
In 2014, a state-of-the-art, 758-megawatt natural gas power plant opened in Sherman, and three years later, Apple supplier Finisar opened a plant in Sherman for iPhone chips.
“That really puts us on the map,” said then-Sherman city manager Robby Hefton. “Al of sudden, the conversation switched from ‘Where’s Sherman?’ to ‘How soon can we come take a look?’ And as the jobs came, the rooftops quickly followed.”
2022 was a banner year when both TI and GlobalWafers announced their Sherman semiconductor plant plans.
"It's already done a lot for Sherman," said Sherman Economic Development Commission president Kent Sharp. "I mean, the economy has been really explosive in Sherman for the last three years."
Sherman was Established Under a Pecan Tree
Sherman, named for Texas Revolution hero Gen. Sidney Sherman, was established as the Grayson County seat in 1846. A post office opened the following year and in 1848 the town was shifted some three miles to today’s present location to take advantage of water.
“In 1848, the City of Sherman was transplanted to its present location, determined by the spreading branches of the mammoth pecan tree that stood on the southeast section of what is now the public square. Even from the beginning, the “pecan tree” played a big part in the development of Sherman,” says the town’s history. “As Sherman grew, life centered around the pecan tree on the square. Court sessions were held in its shade; it served as the community center, church, post office and general meeting place.”
Sherman was officially incorporated as a town in 1858, the same year the Butterfield Overland stage arrived from St. Louis—rolling into Sherman on Sept. 20, 1858, after a five-day journey, before reaching San Francisco on Oct. 9.
The Civil War era saw some rough-and-tumble times with the likes of the James brothers roaming the streets. By the 1870s, the area had recovered enough to earn the moniker “Athens of Texas” because of the number of educational facilities opening. Between 1870 and 1877, Civil War hero, Captain L.H. LeTellier, opened the all-male Sherman Private School; the Sherman Male and Female Academy opened; the St. Joseph's Academy (St. Mary's School today) opened; Austin College relocated to Sherman from Huntsville; and Mary Nash College was founded.
Sherman’s first economic peak, perhaps, came in the 1880s and 1890s, when Grayson County had the largest population in Texas, the area had the largest bank in the state, and Dun & Bradstreet listed Sherman as the “financial center of Texas.”
For most of the 20th century, however, growth and life in Sherman was slow, but today, the area is attracting news residents from far and wide.
Weekend Getaway to Sherman
A weekend trip to Sherman might include some fun in the sun at nearby Lake Texoma, or enjoying the historical aspects of the Sherman Cultural District. Here are things to check out on your visit to Sherman:
- Lake Texoma: More than 6 million lake enthusiasts flock to Lake Texoma every year. Eisenhower State Park is located on the Texas side of the lake situated on the Oklahoma border. Fishing, swimming, hiking, biking, camping, and more are available. Lake Texoma is one of the largest reservoirs in the U.S. with a dozen marinas, 26 resorts and hundreds of campgrounds.
- Hot Summer Nights Music Concerts: The Sherman Hot Summer Nights music concert series is free and family friendly, held on Thursday’s during the summer at 7 p.m. Acts slated to appear this summer include Everclear, Stone Temple Pilots, Lisa Loeb, and Steven Adler of Guns N’ Roses.
- Sherman Jazz Museum: This museum was founded in 2010 and is dedicated to the education, preservation, and enjoyment of jazz. Limited viewing hours: Thursday’s 1 to 5 p.m. so plan ahead.
- Sherman Museum: This museum has been open since 1976 and is housed in a historic Carnegie Library built in 1914. The museum expanded in the 1980s, moving into the historic Church of Christ building next door – be sure to check out its 48 original stained-glass windows. The museum currently has more than 50,000 objects in its collection.
- Butterfield Trail: History buffs can check out the marker at the corner of Lamar and Travis streets, where the stagecoach stopped in the 19th century.
- Sherman Farmers Market: This popular downtown (corner of Houston and Crockett) farmers market runs April to October on Saturdays 9 to noon with fresh fruits, vegetables, grass fed beef, flowers, eggs, local honey, soaps, and gourmet artisan food specialties.
- Shop the Arts: The Sherman Cultural District has 20+ places to shop, such as Pickles & Pottery.
- Eat and Drink Like a Local: Sherman has some great food and beverage options ranging from MG’s Burgers (1715 N. Woods St.) to The Library Grill (5147 N. Travis St.) steakhouse to Mt. Everest Grill & Bar (2119 Texoma Pkwy) with Indian and Nepalese food. For 20 more restaurants see this list.
Sherman is no longer just a stop on the way to Lake Texoma but is becoming a destination on its own. With a booming semiconductor industry fueling growth, the future is looking bright for both new and longtime residents.
