Audie Murphy Day in Farmersville, Texas began in 1999 as a solemn remembrance of Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier of World War II, who came home to a hero’s welcome in downtown Farmersville in 1945. Before Farmersville was a MainStreetCity, a handful of citizens gathered at the Audie Murphy Memorial in downtown at noon on June 20 (Audie Murphy’s birthday) to read the plaque and offer remembrances of this great man. Today, the event draws thousands and honors our local veterans as well as our “hometown hero” Audie Murphy.
The development of this event mirrors the development of the Main Street Program in Farmersville. When the city entered into the Main Street Program in 2000, the Committee began talking about community events, and realized that it already had the seeds of an event that celebrated local history. With a new Chairperson at the helm each year, the AMD Committee has produced six yearly events. The strength of the event lies in our community’s spirit- the same spirit that makes Main Street a successful program.
The physical location of the event follows our Main Street progress. Begun downtown, the celebration soon took advantage of the newly built gazebo (a Main Street project). The last two years the restored Onion Shed (another Main Street project) has been the hub of activity, providing shade for more than 180 Vets and their families.
This event has changed each year so that it remains fresh and interesting. Popular activities over the years have included the parade, complete with local Vets riding in historic vehicles, local dignitaries, historic tractors and fire engines, and boy scouts. A brief program giving biographical information about Audie Murphy, a roll call of local veterans, and a military jet flyover have been popular activities. In 2004, the event was celebrated on Sunday afternoon, with a theme of Religious Freedom. Citizens were encouraged to come to the Onion Shed after church to join in a community-wide covered dish luncheon. This may have been a record for the largest covered dish luncheon yet, and there was plenty of food for all!
In 2005, Audie Murphy Day was the biggest yet, with the addition of The Wall that Heals, ½ scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. The Wall was available for viewing in CityPark for four days during June 17-20, drawing thousands of visitors from a wide area.
