Photographer: Stan A. Williams
Region: Prairies and Lakes
Founded in 1839 on the divide between the Red and Sulphur rivers, Paris
became the seat of Lamar County in 1844. It was settled by a diverse group of
frontier personalities. Sam Bell Maxey—a West Point graduate, attorney and
Confederate general—made his family home here. Retired outlaw Frank James
(brother of Jesse) clerked in a local dry goods store. The town was home to John
Chisum, who became one of the West's foremost cattle barons. Notorious frontier
outlaw queen, Belle Starr, tended a farm near town. Today, the town is a
commercial center for a fertile agricultural region and home to Paris Junior
College.
Nearby Cities: Leonard, Pine Springs, Cooper, Honey Grove, Bonham, Clarksville, more...