McKinney Historic District Trolley Tours
315 S. Chestnut St., McKinney
972/562-8790
chestnutsquare.org
Hours: 11am on the second and fourth Saturday of each month. Reservations are required.
Admission: $10 for adults and $7 for children
Parking: Free at Chestnut Square
Even if you’ve lived in the Collin County area for years, here’s a great excuse to brush up on your local history and experience something new with the kids: the McKinney trolley tours, which make it easier than ever to play tourist in your own county seat. A trolley-style tour bus (with AC and heat, of course) departs from the Chestnut Square Historic Village a couple Saturdays each month for an hour-and-a-half trip through the city’s historic district, one of the largest in the state.
Your kids will vie for a window seat as if they’re in a plane, and the trolley, reminiscent of a San Francisco cable car with its wood paneling and arched windows, has plenty to go around. Taking a stroller? The area in the back of the bus has room to spread out.
Join in the collective oohs and aahs as the bus rounds each corner past the downtown square, the 1876 courthouse and dozens of Victorian-style houses worthy of the district’s annual home tour. One docent passes around posters of historic photos and important settlers while the other regales passengers with fun facts about how the homes were built and who lived there, plus stories about the infamous Jesse James’ ties to the city.
If the weather’s not too chilly after the trolley tour, take a stroll through the grounds of the Chestnut Square Historic Village and say hello to its furry residents: two dwarf goats and the gray tabby cat named Chester. You’ll find a children’s book in Chester’s honor in the gift shop.
Published February 2014
