The freedman’s town called Little Egypt dates back to the years immediately following the Civil War. A group of former slaves named Jeff (sometimes called John) Hill, Ephriham Floyd and their wives Hannah Hill and Amanda Floyd either bought from or were deeded land by an unnamed former slave holder just north of what would later become White Rock Lake. It was one of several freedman’s towns that grew up in Dallas County after the war ended. Some accounts refer to the name simply as Egypt, referencing the Bible narrative of how the children of Israel were held as slaves to the Egyptians until God led them out of bondage from Egypt. The area where the community was located is commonly known today as Little Egypt.
Although accommodations were sparse, with most houses being small structures, having no running water, electricity, gas or indoor plumbing/ sewer services, it gave rise to a church, Egypt Chapel Baptist Church, said to be organized on April 10, 1980 by Dr. A. R. Griggs. There was also a one room school house for grades one through six.(1) There were no paved streets and for many years, there was one telephone line coming into the community. It was a rural community initially since it was in the middle of farmland. It had orchards, farms and gardens.
Egypt is associated with the McCree Cemetery in that the cemetery is believed to date back to just after the Civil War. On June 25, 1896, J. E. Griffin sold one acre of land adjoining the east side of McCree Cemetery to three African-American individuals, Jeff Hill, George John and Monroe Parker for $25 for the purpose of creating a grave yard for the Egypt community. A month later, 1 5/8 acres was conveyed to B. J. Prigmore for the same purpose. (1)
Jeff Hill was born in 1839 in Kansas City, Missouri and was married to Hannah Griffin Hill, born in 1840, also in Kansas City, Missouri. The couple had about thirteen children born between the late 1850s and around 1889. In the 1870 census, Jeff’s occupation was listed as farmer. He is also said to have operated a community store in Egypt. Jeff died in 1925 at the age of 86 and is buried in McCree Cemetery. Hannah survived Jeff about another eighteen years until her death in 1943 at the age of 103.
Egypt was bounded by Northwest Highway to the south, farmland owned by others to the north, Easton Road to the east and Ferndale (previously called Foree Road) to the west. It comprised about thirty-five acres of land and at its peak accommodated some two hundred families. It existed for almost one hundred years.
Eventually, the Lake Highlands community grew up around and encircled Egypt. About 200 residents remained in the community in 1962 when the residents voted to sell out to developers. Each homeowner received a minimum of $6,500 and the developers paid the moving costs. The church and many residents moved to the Cedar Crest section of Oak Cliff. Egypt Chapel Baptist Church still exists and is located where it moved to in Oak Cliff. Below is a photo of the church as of 1962 in Egypt around the time the community was sold.
(1) Dallas Landmark Commission, Landmark Nomination Form – McCree Cemetery, established 1866. https://dallascityhall.com/departments/sustainabledevelopment/historicpreservation/HP%20Documents/Landmark%20Structures/McCree%20Cemetery%20Landmark%20Nomination.pdf
