The Bowery (Market Street)

The history of Market Street in Winnsboro, Texas—famously known during its rowdier years as "The Bowery"—is a chronicle of frontier grit, economic tension, and legendary violence. Originally an alleyway where farmers purchased agricultural products, the street transformed in the late 19th century into a concentrated hub of saloons and sporting houses, earning its nickname from the infamous Bowery district of San Francisco.

The Golden Era of Saloons (1893–1910)

During the late 1880s and 1890s, Winnsboro experienced a population boom driven by the lumber industry. Sawmill workers, described as "happy-go-lucky Irish" hands, would descend upon the town on weekends after receiving their weekly wages, seeking excitement and a place to spend their money.

By the turn of the century, the Bowery was a bustling "mecca" for a boisterous crowd. The street was lined with several prominent establishments:

• Harris Saloon: Known for offering free food with regular-priced drinks on certain days.

• Massel Saloon (200 Market St.): A gaming parlor that offered free cigars to patrons.

• McElroy Saloon (210 Market St.): A dark, dingy spot lit by coal oil lamps that offered "happy hour" with half-price drinks.

• Other notable bars: The Wright, Corlex, and Milan saloons.

Life inside these saloons was sensory and gritty. Patrons dealt with the strong odor of cigar smoke and stale beer, while spittoons lined the bar rails. Bartenders typically kept the peace with a double-barrel shotgun and a club resembling a baseball bat.

Law, Order, and the "Soiled Doves"

The Bowery was not merely a place for drinking; it was a complex social ecosystem. While lewd women, often called "soiled doves," were present to fleece sawmill hands, the city eventually enacted strict ordinances to control the environment.

"Any adult male person who shall on the public streets or in public assembly in the city act as an escort to a lewd woman shall be guilty of a misdemeanor with a fine not to exceed $50." — Winnsboro 1901 Ordinance.

Those who ran afoul of the law might find themselves in the "calaboose," a 12x12 windowless building that was freezing in the winter and sweltering in the summer. Before this structure was built, prisoners were sometimes simply fastened to a long chain secured around a tree.

Legendary Tales of the Bowery

The Escape of Bud Taylor

On a Saturday afternoon at the Massel Saloon, a "hot head" named Bud Taylor lost his money gambling and blamed the two Pyne brothers. Bud shot both brothers and fled on a long-legged "Kentucky stretch horse". He famously evaded a posse by swimming across the swollen Red River while holding onto his horse's tail, waving to his pursuers as he disappeared into the distance.

The 1907 Wofford-Milam Shootout

The most infamous event in the Bowery’s history occurred on February 3, 1907. A deep-seated feud between the Wofford brothers (City Marshal John and Constable Amos) and the Milams (saloon owner Dick and his son Bud) reached a bloody climax at the intersection of Elm and Market.

After a tense confrontation, a gun battle erupted in the muddy street. When the smoke cleared, all four men were dead or mortally wounded. John Wofford was 33; his brother Amos was 35; Dick Milam was 45; and Bud Milam was only 24. Local folklore suggests a hidden rifleman in a second-story window may have actually fired the shots that killed the Woffords.

The Transition to Market Street

The violence of the 1907 shootout served as a breaking point for law-abiding citizens. In 1909, a young "law and order" lawyer named Will Suiter ran for mayor on a platform to clean up the town. Despite threats from "thugs" to throw him into the Railroad Pool, Suiter won the election.

In 1910, a local option election officially closed the saloons and prohibited the sale of alcohol in that part of Wood County. As the top-grade timber was depleted and the sawmill camps moved south, the "unruly element" left town.

The alley street was officially renamed Market Street, and the farmers market moved to Franklin Street to accommodate more space. Many former saloons were repurposed:

• The Harris Saloon became a service station and auto business for nearly 40 years.

• The Massel Saloon transitioned through various uses, including a restaurant, hardware store, and feed store, before becoming the Trails Country Center for the Arts.

• The McElroy Saloon served as the Sam Taylor Grocery for approximately 50 years.

Today, Market Street has moved past its "sin city" reputation, though it retains the excitement of its history through preserved buildings and local lore