10/07/2026
Today begins the first of a series of weekly posts from the official records of the City of Gainesville. The series will begin with a copy of House Bill 186 from the State of Texas Legislature dated February 17, 1873 authorizing the town of Gainesville. From there, the series will move to the original City Council Minutes starting with the very first meeting of the Board of Aldermen (as the City Council was known then) on April 7, 1873. The following weekly posts over the course of a year will be from Book 1 and includes the time period from April 8, 1873 to May 8, 1883. The selections will highlight important, serious, and even comical (in today’s world) actions taken by City fathers in building and developing the City of Gainesville we know today.
No attempt was made to copy every meeting or action taken by the Council (an impossible task). Translations (in italic print) of some of the early writings were at times an exercise in futility. Some of the handwritten Minutes were in such precise script they were difficult to read when a person is used to reading computer generated documents. In others, the handwriting was so far at the opposite extreme to be almost illegible. Some were written with soft lead pencil and have faded over time.
The translations have attempted to repeat word for word with misspellings and punctuation kept as they were during that time period. Photos of the original documents have been included to allow the viewer to see for themselves the original wording. However, some personal identifying information and offensive wording have been redacted in a few documents.
A special “Thank You” goes out to City Manager Barry Sullivan for facilitating access to the historical records of the City Council. A huge “Thank You” to City Secretary Diana Loch and Executive Secretary Jayda Joseph for their assistance in climbing up on a ladder to access the books (dust and all) on the top shelf. Without them this project could not have happened.
State of Texas
HB No. 186
Act Creating the Town of Gainesville
February 17, 1873
Translation
of the
First Section:
_______An Act________________
___To incorporate the town of Gainesville in Cooke county________
Section 1___________Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas That the citizens of the town of Gainesville, Cooke county Texas be and they are herby declared to be a body politic and corporate to be known by the name and style of the town of Gainesville and by that name may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded in all of the Courts of this State, may have and use a corporate seal and may purchase, hold, and dispose of property of all kinds real, personal, and mixed in said town___________________________
