DeSoto is a young-feeling suburb with old bones. Its story begins with Kentucky pioneers who came west in the 1850s, bought Peters Colony land, and farmed the prairie south of Dallas — leaving behind a homestead, a family cemetery, and the founding families whose names still mark the place. The city is light on in-town markers, so this short driving loop reaches just over the line to a neighbor for one stop, then circles back to the curated heart of Old Town DeSoto and the founders' creekside ground. The route runs from a preserved 1850s farm to the modern downtown, tracing how a scattering of farm families became a city — and pausing where the precise spots have faded from the map, asking you to imagine the rest.
TEXAS ROAM PRESENTS
DeSoto: Pioneers to Present
A founding family's farm, an early cemetery, and the roots of Old Town DeSoto
A self-guided driving tour · Pioneers & Settlement
4 stops · ~45 min · 7.9 mi · Driving tour
Driving tourPioneers & Settlement4 stops7.9 mi~45 minTexasRoam+
About this tour
Where it starts
The tour begins in DeSoto. Open Texas Roam to follow the full route stop by stop, with directions and audio narration as you go.
📍 General area · Starts in DeSoto
© OpenStreetMap contributorsTour FAQ
How long is the DeSoto: Pioneers to Present?
It is a self-guided driving tour: 4 stops, about 7.9 miles, ~45 min. Go at your own pace; the app keeps your place.
Where does it start?
In DeSoto, Texas. The exact starting point, the full stop list and turn-by-turn directions are in the TexasRoam app.
How do I take this tour?
Download TexasRoam for iPhone or iPad from the App Store. The tour is included with TexasRoam+. It is not available on the web map.
Take the “DeSoto: Pioneers to Present” tour
Texas Roam guides you turn by turn through DeSoto with maps, audio narration and check-ins as you go — plus all 4 stops on this tour and every guided tour, hiking trail and historical marker across Texas. Get it on the App Store.
Guided tours & hiking trails are available only in the TexasRoam app for iPhone & iPad — not on the web map. Free to download; unlock with TexasRoam+.