When it was built in 1875, the Collin County Courthouse was widely considered the tallest building in the state north of San Antonio. And that was even before the city remodeled the courthouse in 1927, a renovation that added a third floor and effectively doubled the square footage. The revamped space served as the courthouse until 1979 when its employees moved to a brand new building, and it stood empty until a 2005 rehab project, which turned it into the McKinney Performing Arts Center.

In March of 2006, the McKinney Performing Arts Center made its grand debut as a mixed-use community space best known for hosting theater productions. From plays put on by local production companies to professional off-Broadway shows, there's a little bit of everything at the McKinney Performing Arts Center. It also plays host to concerts and even standup comics. Since the center is nestled right in the historic district, there's plenty to see after you take in a show.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr Laurel L. Russwurm