In the 1870's, The Chisholm Trail was in its heyday, with cattle herds driven north on this famous trail from South Texas through Oklahoma to the stockyards and railroads of Kansas, to be shipped back East.  From its beginnings in 1863 until it died out in 1886, as many as five million head of cattle, many Texas longhorns, were driven along this trail that roughly parallels present-day Interstate 35 E, just east of Waxahachie.  Many cowboys working cattle on this dusty dirt trail stopped in Waxahachie for food, supplies, and a brief respite from the harrowing work of punching cattle and protecting the herd as it moved north.  After 1881, the cattle drives diminished considerably due to the cattle disease "Texas fever" with Kansas cattle yards trying to stop the drives to control the fever.  The death nail was a devastating January, 1886 blizzard that killed all the cattle in Kansas.   

A row of small wood-frame structures housed The General Store and several saloons in the vicinity of where the 1879 Chisholm Grill now stands.  In 1890, our building replaced the General Store and saloons as part of a row of two-story Victorian commercial buildings. . In the 1880's cotton became "King of the County". Ellis County, with her rich black earth, became the largest cotton-producing area in the world.  Waxahachie also evolved as an important trade center when several railroads crisscrossed here, giving cotton farmers access to the entire country.  Great fortunes were made.

In the roaring 1920's, our building was transformed into a restaurant and has remained a restaurant ever since.  During the 30's and 40's, before television, people would gather in our dining room from all over the county to find out what was happening in town and elsewhere. Our lovely old building was included in the National Historic Registry in 1975.

 In February, 2008, The 1879 Chisholm Grill came under new ownership of Mr. and Mrs. Bill McMillon and family.  Bill McMillon, a born and bred Texan, had a desire to help his daughter, Valerie, fulfill her lifelong dream of having her own restaurant.  After several months of searching, the 1879 Chisholm Grill beckoned Valerie and husband, Joe Orr, to bring new life to this cozy old fashioned restaurant. Their home-style cooking will please your palate, satisfy your appetite, and warm your heart.  The Chisholm menu features a wide variety of dishes, including several mouth-watering steaks and homemade bread, which is baked in-house daily.   

Entering the front door, the hassles of the fast-paced world are left behind in the nostalgic atmosphere of a bygone era. The continued success of the Chisholm Grill depends on satisfying its customers. We give thanks for all who enter for enriching our lives with your enjoyment and fulfilling our dream of success. It is our wish that you return soon and bring a friend or two.