The Stories Collin County Forgot to Notice
Every time I drive through Princeton, I pass the same brown sign.
You probably know the kind. White lettering. An arrow pointing toward something that’s apparently very important. A quick reminder from the State of Texas that history of some sort happened here. Usually, I glance at it and keep driving. Life has a funny way of convincing us that whatever is at the end of the arrow can wait until another day.
A few weeks ago, another day finally arrived.
The sign pointed toward the Princeton POW camp, so I decided to follow it. After a few turns, I arrived at a familiar site: J.M. Caldwell Sr. Community Park. As most people in Princeton know, baseball diamonds and soccer pitches stretch across the property.
When I arrived, parents sat in folding chairs watching youth baseball and soccer games while coaches barked instructions from dugouts. It looked like the type of scene that plays out every weekend in communities across Texas.
Then I remembered why I was there. I started my quest to find the prisoner-of-war camp. The problem was that there wasn’t much to find.
After wandering around the complex for a few minutes, I finally found the historical marker. It wasn’t standing prominently at the entrance or positioned where every visitor would naturally see it. Instead, it sat underneath a pavilion, tucked away from the baseball fields that draw hundreds of people to the park every weekend.
As I stood there reading about German prisoners of war who once lived on that property, the contrast was impossible to ignore. Life was happening all around the marker, yet not a single person except for me seemed to notice that it existed.
Whether they had seen it before, were focused on the game or simply didn’t notice it, life continued around this small piece of history without a second glance.
That’s not meant as a criticism. It’s human nature. Most of us don’t spend our weekends thinking about what happened on a patch of land 80 years ago. But standing there, watching hundreds of people enjoy a beautiful afternoon while a World War II story sat quietly beneath a pavilion, I couldn’t help but wonder how many important stories throughout Collin County are hiding in plain sight.
The answer is probably more than we’d like to admit.
This isn’t because the stories aren’t important. It’s because Collin County has become one of the fastest-growing regions in America. New neighborhoods appear overnight, roads that once connected small farming communities now carry thousands of commuters and entire sections of the county are almost unrecognizable compared to a decade ago.
That’s why historical markers matter. They serve as reminders that the places we consider ordinary today weren’t always ordinary.
The Princeton POW Camp may be the best example of this phenomenon anywhere in Collin County. Long before baseball tournaments and community events filled the property, the site served as a migrant labor camp built in 1940 to house workers who traveled to Princeton to harvest cotton and onions. During 1945, the facility briefly became a prisoner-of-war camp for German soldiers captured during World War II. Today, one of the most visible remnants of that era is an old, rusted 30,000-gallon water tower that still stands nearby. Beyond that, there is little to suggest the role the site once played in both local agriculture and global conflict.
Eighty years ago, German prisoners spent their days on that property. Today, children play baseball and soccer while parents cheer from the stands. They represent different chapters of the same story. The challenge is ensuring earlier chapters aren’t forgotten because newer ones have become more visible.
It’s a conversation that extends far beyond Princeton.
That concern has already caught the attention of Princeton leaders, who have discussed ways to better preserve and document local history before significant sites and artifacts are lost to growth.
Drive a few miles to the southwest to Wylie and you’ll find another example of history hiding in plain sight. Every day, thousands of drivers cross railroad tracks running through the heart of town. Most don’t think much about them.
Yet the railroad is the whole reason Wylie exists.
Like many communities throughout North Texas and the United States, Wylie grew because of the railroad. The arrival of the tracks brought transportation, commerce and opportunity – the holy trinity of growth. Businesses and families followed the tracks, forming a town that more than a century later is one of the largest in the entire county. And although most of Wylie’s original landscape has changed, the tracks remain. The trains that interrupt traffic today are descendants of the very thing that made the community possible in the first place.
That’s what makes historical markers so fascinating. They force us to look at familiar places differently. The railroad tracks aren’t just railroad tracks anymore. They’re a reminder that cities don’t simply appear out of thin air. They are built, often by people whose names have long since disappeared from public memory.
The same idea becomes even more apparent when visiting Sugar Hill near Farmersville.
Unlike Princeton or Wylie, there isn’t much left to see. There are no baseball fields. There’s no bustling downtown with shops and restaurants. There’s no active railroad spurring commerce and transportation. In fact, if not for the historical marker sitting near the road, most people would have no reason to believe anything significant ever stood there.
Long before Farmersville became one of the most important communities in eastern Collin County, Sugar Hill was the area’s center of commerce. Established around 1849 near the intersection of two major roads, the community grew around a store owned by Captain John Yeary.
Its location made it a natural gathering place for settlers moving into the region, and by 1857 Sugar Hill had become a thriving frontier community. If not for a tragic incident one Christmas Eve, perhaps Sugar Hill would still be on the map.
On Dec. 24, 1854, a fight broke out at a local saloon. By the time the dust settled, Yeary was dead and another one of his sons was also killed while pursuing the men responsible. Two other innocent bystanders also lost their lives.
In the aftermath, many of Sugar Hill’s merchants wanted to distance themselves from the town’s blood-stained reputation. Rather than rebuild in the same place, they moved away and established a new settlement: Farmersville.
Today, Farmersville – not Sugar Hill – has an established downtown, historic buildings and a population measured in the thousands. Yet the community’s origins can be traced back to a town that no longer exists. Now all that’s left is a historical marker.
The Princeton POW Camp, Wylie’s railroad marker and Sugar Hill tell different stories, but they point toward the same reality: history rarely disappears all at once. It fades quietly as generations pass, landscapes change and memories give way to new chapters. That’s especially true in a place like Collin County, where growth has transformed communities at a remarkable pace. While progress isn’t the enemy of history, it can make it easier to overlook.
Maybe that’s the real purpose of a historical marker. It’s not to teach a history lesson or test somebody’s knowledge of local trivia – it’s simply a reminder to look a little closer. Because sometimes a baseball field is more than a baseball field. Sometimes a railroad track is more than a railroad track. Sometimes an empty patch of land is all that’s left of a town.
As America approaches its 250th anniversary, perhaps there’s no better time to follow the arrow on the brown sign or pull over to that historical marker and discover the stories that have been hiding in plain sight all along.
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]]>More than 300 community members gathered Thursday, June 25, to celebrate the official grand opening of Jericho Village, a milestone years in the making that city leaders and organizers say will provide not only affordable housing for the resident but also hope and long-term support.
Located at 511 W. Brown St., Jericho Village is Wylie’s first income-based urban housing village. The 38-unit development is a project of Plano-based Agape Resource & Assistance Center, founded by CEO Janet Collinsworth to help women and families transition from homelessness, domestic violence and human trafficking. The community offers studio to three-bedroom apartments, including ADA-accessible units, along with on-site education, counseling and other wraparound services that promote long-term stability.
The celebration featured food trucks, face painting, a Wylie Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony and remarks from civic and community leaders marking the project’s significance.
Serving as master of ceremonies, Hope for the Cities Executive Director Jon Bailey praised the perseverance of Agape founder and CEO Janet Collinsworth, noting that many people in attendance had watched the vision evolve from an idea into reality.
“It has been such a privilege to have walked alongside her, to have prayed with her, to encourage, to be challenged and to be inspired,” Bailey said. “So many of you today are inspired by who she is and what she has been able to accomplish.”
Wylie Mayor Matthew Porter recalled one of his first meetings after taking office, when he was introduced to the Jericho Village concept.
Porter said the name of Agape immediately resonated with him because of a family heirloom bearing the same Greek word, which represents unconditional love.
“That is exactly what we are called to do as a community,” Porter said. “To take care of everyone, not just one specific type of person, not just one group of people that vote for you. You’re supposed to care for everyone within that community.”
He said Jericho Village represents more than affordable apartments because residents will receive services designed to help them build lasting stability.
“It means it’s not a Band-Aid solution of just a roof over the head for today with no thoughts for tomorrow,” Porter said. “Instead, those services provide a new opportunity for generational uplifting.”
A congressional recognition from Keith Self was presented during the ceremony, commending Collinsworth, along with those of Agape Resources, and the many community partners who helped bring the vision to life.
“Jericho Village stands as a powerful example of what can be accomplished when compassion is spirited action,” the inscription read. “The opportunities created through this community will strengthen families, foster independence and provide hope to those who need it.”
Taking the podium, Collinsworth thanked the hundreds of volunteers, donors, churches, board members and community partners who supported the project, but first directed the crowd’s attention elsewhere.
“Without God, we would not be here,” she said. “It was a calling for each and every one of us to serve our neighbors and to love our neighbors as ourselves.”
Collinsworth reminded attendees that they are part of the change, referring to Ghandi’s “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
“We collectively — all of us, each one of us here — we’re in the hope business,” she said. “We do that by standing in the gap for our friends and our neighbors that struggle each and every day just to have a roof.”
Agape Chief of Staff Christin Mixon reflected on watching the property transform from “a flat piece of ground” into a community made possible by volunteers, churches, businesses and civic organizations.
“What you see around you today is the result of prayer, generosity and partnerships,” Mixon said. “But today is not the finish line. In a lot of ways, today is the starting line. The opening of Jericho Village represents the beginning of a new chapter and a larger vision.”
Collinsworth emphasized that the housing itself is only one part of the organization’s mission.
“The secret to transforming lives is not a roof,” she said …“The secret sauce is really the wraparound services. It’s the love, it’s the prayer and hope. We are in the hope business.”
The same educational, counseling and empowerment services already offered through Agape will now be available on-site to Jericho Village residents, she said.
“It’s not just a roof, and it’s not just a key that we hand you to get into your door,” Collinsworth said. “We are your family. We are your village.”
Perhaps the day’s most emotional moment came when Collinsworth invited Jericho Village’s first resident, Keoni Hudson, to speak.
Hudson’s story reflects the vision behind Jericho Village. After escaping a domestic violence situation, she moved from Agape’s transitional housing into the village with her two children. Organizers said other women will follow the same path, creating space for new families entering Agape’s program while former residents continue building independent lives.
“I love Jericho,” Hudson said. “It’s more than just the roof. It’s the community. It’s the help that you get. It’s the services that you receive. It’s everything.”
She said paying an income-based rent has allowed her to support her children, pay for childcare and return to school without relying on government assistance.
“I’m able to enroll myself back in school,” Hudson said. “This has helped my family in so many ways.”
Asked why communities need places like Jericho Village, Hudson fought back tears.
“Nobody understands how hard it is for people to just be able to afford the basic things of life,” she said. “Just to be able to have someone that looks out for you and leaves you something left over so you can provide clothes and shoes for your kids — every community needs this. This is such a blessing.”
After the program, guests toured the apartments, playground, community center and garden, getting a firsthand look at what organizers hope will serve as a model for supportive housing across North Texas.
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]]>Serving the community for more than five years, City Missions continues to provide essentials to individuals experiencing homelessness and is working toward developing a resource center.
City Missions currently serves Collin County and the surrounding area through its mobile outreach unit. During Saturday Outreach opportunities, volunteers distribute necessities such as socks and hygiene items directly to individuals in need and build relationships in the process.
“Our outreach team visits general areas where we have built trusted relationships with friends experiencing homelessness, while remaining flexible as needs and locations change,” Cherie Privett, founder and executive director, said.
Part of City Missions’ values is maintaining dignity and connecting individuals with resources to guide them toward stability. Resources include medical care, identification cards, showers through Street Side Showers, recovery programs and housing solutions. The organization also has a mobile closet open twice a month near downtown Plano. A current need is men’s clothing.
“About 80% of the Friends we serve are men, yet most of the clothing donations we receive are for women,” Privett said.
Individuals, local churches, faith-based organizations and businesses support City Missions’ efforts.
Recently, two Wylie schools also helped their community through donations to City Missions. Students at Harrison Intermediate collected hygiene products and other items during last semester. The Burnett Junior High PTA selected City Missions to receive a grant that was presented in May.
“City Missions was co-founded by my husband, Kevin Privett, who also works for Wylie ISD,” Privett said. “It has been meaningful to see local schools come alongside this mission in such a tangible way.”
New donors and existing partnerships are important to City Missions as needs change with each season.
Privett said one of the best ways to get involved is by supporting the organization’s future resource center.
“We are still actively working toward funding a resource center with plans for it to be located in Plano,” Privett said. “This space would allow us to expand what we’re already doing and create a consistent place where individuals can come for support, resources and community.”
For ways to donate and volunteer, visit citymissions.org. Donations of clothing for adults and travel-size toiletries may be dropped off at A1 Affordable Garage Door Services in Plano from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
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By Allison LaBrot | [email protected]
]]>The Sachse City Council welcomed a new member to its ranks after canvassing the results of the June 13 runoff election during a special meeting Wednesday, June 24.
The council swore in Tim Legh-Page, who took the oath of office from City Secretary Leah Granger. His wife and three children joined him for the ceremony. Legh-Page defeated Gurvinder Singh in the runoff election, receiving 1,217 votes, or 53.75%, compared with Singh’s 1,047 votes, or 46.25%.
The council had canvassed the election results the previous day and officially declared the outcome.
Legh-Page won the Place 4 seat previously held by former Councilmember Chance Lindsey, who did not seek reelection. Prior to the June 24 meeting, council held a brief reception in the City Hall Council Chambers to recognize Lindsey’s service.
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]]>The June 22 meeting began with a public hearing on the proposed budget and tax rate for the 2026-27 school year. Deputy Superintendent Darrell Dodds presented the proposed General Fund, Student Nutrition Services Fund and Debt Service Fund budgets, noting the tax rate was not scheduled for approval that night.
The proposed tax rate for 2026-27 is expected to remain unchanged at $0.786900. Dodds said certified property values are expected to arrive in July and will be presented to trustees in September.
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By Andrew Norsworthy | [email protected]
]]>As a kid, I was fairly certain I’d never get any couth. I wasn’t sure what couth was, but it seemed to be important to my grandparents. If you made a social error, you’d be asked, “Ain’t you got any couth?”
If you grew up between the 1940s and 1970s, it was a different world than today. Life moved at a slower pace, neighbors knew one another, kids went outside, and grandparents ruled their homes with authority. They didn’t hold family meetings or explain anything.
Looking back, it’s remarkable how nearly every grandparent seemed to follow the same unwritten rulebook, whether they lived on a farm, in a small town, or in the middle of a city or small town, including my grandparents’ home in Ashdown, Arkansas.
One of the greatest mysteries was the parlor. Today, we call it the living room. It seemed that only folks who possessed couth were allowed in there.
It was the nicest room in the house, filled with polished furniture, family photographs, lace curtains, and treasured keepsakes. Yet only a select few went in there. The family gathered in the kitchen or den. The parlor was reserved for company, weddings, funerals, or when the preacher stopped by.
If kids went in there, they did so only by invitation, and they certainly weren’t allowed to sit on the sofa. Or as my grandparents called it, the divan. The divan was covered in clear plastic that squeaked every time someone sat on it. During the summer, it clung to bare legs. Comfort wasn’t the goal. Keeping the furniture looking new was.
The same thinking applied throughout the house. The bathroom displayed embroidered towels no one dared use. Decorative bars of soap sat untouched beside the sink. Somehow every child knew those belonged to guests who rarely appeared. Family members used the faded, threadbare towels hanging behind the door.
The kitchen had its own set of rules.
You didn’t open the refrigerator just to decide what looked good. You knew before you opened the door. If you stood there too long, someone would yell at you that they weren’t paying to, “cool the whole neighborhood.”
Whatever was served at supper was what you ate. And whatever landed on your plate had better be gone before you left the table. Most grandparents had lived through years when wasting food simply wasn’t an option. Leftovers became tomorrow’s lunch.
Mealtime came with expectations. No elbows on the table. No hats. Chew with your mouth closed. Ask someone to pass the biscuits instead of reaching across the table. When you finished, you politely asked to be excused.
Adults were “Mr.,” “Mrs.,” or “Miss.” Answers began with “Yes, sir” and “No, ma’am.” Interrupting grown-ups wasn’t acceptable. Children waited patiently until the conversation ended, no matter how important they thought their own news might be.
Running through the house was discouraged. Beds weren’t for jumping. Muddy shoes stayed outside. And whatever you did, don’t slam the screen door. Grandparents could hear it from anywhere on the property.
Then there were the lights. Every room you left was expected to be dark. Water wasn’t left running. Waste wasn’t tolerated because every utility bill mattered.
Television had rules, too. Most homes had one set, and Grandpa usually occupied the best chair. Whatever he watched became the evening’s entertainment for everyone. Saturday night was Lawrence Welk, Porter Wagoner, and Hee Haw.
Some possessions seemed almost too valuable to use. The good china. The crystal glasses. The silverware. The fancy tablecloth. I wondered why anyone owned things that stayed tucked away in cabinets most of the year.
The answer became clearer with age.
Many of those grandparents had endured difficult times. They learned to take care of what they owned because replacing it wasn’t easy. They believed good manners reflected good character. They understood that discipline prepared children for life.
At the time, those rules sometimes felt unnecessary. Today, they feel surprisingly wise.
Many of us have caught ourselves repeating the very words we once heard growing up. Turn off the lights. Close the refrigerator. Take your shoes off. Don’t put your feet on the furniture. Finish your supper.
I have become my grandparents.
Years later, I finally understood that the rules were never really about plastic-covered furniture, guest towels, or staying out of the parlor. They were about respecting other people, appreciating what you had, avoiding waste, and taking pride in your home.
Maybe if I keep trying, I’ll eventually get some couth.
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By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com
]]>By David Wolman
Sachse’s girls basketball team had to work hard to earn every point at the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Girls Showcase in Bryan.
Ultimately, the Lady Mustangs’ determination paved the way for a perfect 3-0 showing by Sachse.
The three games that the Lady Mustangs played were decided by a total of 17 points, but they won all three – earning a 46-42 win over Round Rock Stony Point, a 40-36 victory over Deer Park and a 42-33 triumph over Mansfield.
“I just liked the competitiveness that I saw out of the squad,” said Sachse head coach Donna McCullough. “They wanted to stop the other teams from scoring, and we were finding ways to score. It is hard in the summer because we don’t practice for that fast of a pace, but they played well.”
Incoming junior guard Trinity Thompson scored at least 20 points in two of the three games that Sachse played.
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By David Wolman
Sachse defensive lineman Trason Haley had options to play college football for several Power 5 schools, both in and out of Texas, but the opportunity to play close to home for an up-and-coming North Texas Mean Green team proved to be too good to pass up.
Haley announced his decision to play for North Texas on his personal X (formerly Twitter account) on Wednesday, July 1.
The 6-foot-3, 305-pound interior defensive lineman listed 13 offers, but chose North Texas over Texas Tech, Purdue, Kansas and Mississippi State, among other schools.
Haley is a 3-star recruit and is ranked the No. 67 defensive lineman in the nation by 247Sports.
Following a breakout sophomore season in which he recorded 40 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and five sacks, Haley was named to the District 9-6A first team during his junior season after finishing with 51 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five sacks and two forced fumbles.
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Known since its start in the 1970s as general aviation airport TKI, the facility will now be known to passengers as DTX, said Ken Carley, aviation director.
“TKI is still our FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] three-letter code,” Carley said. “The IATA [International Air Transport Association] assigned DTX as the code after Avelo applied.”
Houston-based Avelo, which already serves Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), said it will begin service to McKinney with Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft flying nonstop to Las Vegas (LAS) and four cities in Florida: Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Fort Myers (RSW), Orlando (MCO) and Tampa (TPA).
In announcing its schedule, budget carrier Avelo [rhymes with yellow] said certain introductory one-way tickets purchased before the end of Friday, July 31, would be priced at $99 and each passenger would be allowed one free checked bag.
The discount fare applies only to specific travel dates and fees will be charged for additional checked luggage, the airline said.
Avelo’s flights from DFW and Houston’s two airports, Hobby (HOU) and George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), connect to more than 30 other destinations through its hub in New Haven, Connecticut (HVN).
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By David Wolman
Springtime has always equated to success for the Sachse baseball, softball, tennis and track and field teams.
This year was no different.
The Sachse News will take a look back at the 2026 spring season that was for the Mustangs.
Baseball
Sachse has built a winning culture under Chris Burrow, and the Mustangs continued their winning ways under Burrow in 2026.
Although Sachse came up just short of winning its fourth straight district title, the Mustangs finished with a 23-12 record for their eighth consecutive season with a winning record, were second in District 9-6A and advanced past the bi-district round of the playoffs for the second time over the last three seasons.
The Mustangs earned at least one win over every district opponent, including a 7-1 win against 9-6A champion Rowlett – a victory that set up a winner-take-all game for the district title a few days later. However, the Eagles’ pitching staff limited the Mustangs to one run and Rowlett won 3-1 and captured the district crown.
Sachse regrouped and put together an impressive offensive display in a two-game sweep of a 24-win Rockwall-Heath team in bi-district. The Mustangs scored 21 runs and won by scores of 14-4 and 7-5. Alum Greyson Darden powered Sachse with seven hits and six RBIs.
In the area round, Sachse’s pitching kept the Mustangs within striking distance, but they received just one run of offensive support against Waxahachie. Cade Burkey gave Sachse a chance in a 1-0 loss in Game 2. He worked around five hits and one run and struck out three.
Colt Upchurch was tabbed the district’s Offensive Player of the Year after he collected 25 hits, 25 runs, 13 RBIs and five walks during 9-6A competition. Upchurch set single-season team records in stolen bases (26) and hits (46). He is now the Mustangs’ career leader in stolen bases (57).
Catcher William Martin captured Defensive Player of the Year.
Softball
Sachse ushered in the Brianna Lydia era.
Lydia, who was hired as head coach after Pete Vamvakas took the same job at Anna, helped lead the Lady Mustangs back to the playoffs.
Sachse worked through some early-season struggles and a 2-11 start before finding its groove in District 9-6A play, highlighted by a 1-0 win over district champion Wylie.
Incoming junior pitcher/shortstop Maya McClarity helped fuel the Lady Mustangs’ 11-5 district record.
Named the district’s Most Valuable Player, McClarity finished with 14 home runs, 72 RBIs, 46 runs scored, 52 hits, eight walks, nine stolen bases and struck out three times in 96 plate appearances. She also led the efforts of the Lady Mustangs’ pitching staff, striking out 96 while allowing 51 earned runs in 89 innings.
In the playoffs, Sachse struggled against Rockwall-Heath, dropping Game 1, 12-0, and Game 2, 10-0.
The Lady Mustangs were held to three hits – two singles by Kendyl Cruz and a double by Jaycie Watson.
Tennis
Although Wylie won first place in each division at the district tournament, Sachse was able to get a regional qualifier out of it.
Incoming senior Emory Kelly persevered in a playback match against a North Garland opponent that lasted three hours, earning a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win to finish second in girls singles.
Kelly concluded her season at the Region II-6A Tournament.
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