From its meager beginnings as The Crossroads, Winnsboro has become a
bustling small town situated in the heart of the beautiful Piney Woods
of East Texas. Settled in 1854, when the railroad came in 1876,
Winnsboro became a major shipping center for goods going west to the
frontier. At one time, the area was one of the top producers of fruit
for Bama Pies; one local grower referred to his business as My Slice of
the Pie. From 1932 to 1934, Winnsboro was a destination stop for Bonnie
and Clyde when they traveled from central Texas to Louisiana. Because of
their friendship with a local resident, the couple promised never to rob
anyone in Winnsboro. Home to the Bowery, the town had as many as eight
saloons from 1893 to 1910, and people still talk about the shoot-out at
Massel's Saloon. With a thriving community arts center as well as
galleries and venues for live theater and music, Winnsboro has been
named a State of Texas Cultural Arts District.