The Waxahachie Chautauqua Auditorium, an unusual octagonal 2500-seat open-air auditorium, was built in 1902 to accommodate the throngs of people attending the annual Chautauqua Assemblies. In the mid-1970s, the decaying and almost demolished auditorium was resurrected and restored through the efforts of local citizens and remains today a monument to the Chautauqua history of Waxahachie. It has been awarded a Texas Historical Marker and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the only known original Chautauqua building surviving in Texas.
Currently, the Auditorium is used for community events as well as rental for private functions. Regular activities include the annual Chautauqua Festival produced by the Chautauqua Preservation Society (last Saturday in September)and activities of the Waxahachie Community Theater and Old-Fashioned Singers.