Junior College provides postsecondary education. It hosts the Texas Institute of Jewelry Technology, a well-respected school of gemology, horology, and jewelry. The Industrial Technology Division offers programs in air conditioning technology, refrigeration technology, agricultural technology, drafting and computer-aided design, electronics, electromechanical technology, and welding technology. Texas A&M University-Commerce, a major university of over 12,000 students, is located in the neighboring city of Commerce, 40 miles southwest of Paris. The Paris Public Library serves Paris, as does the Lamar County Genealogical Society Library. Infrastructure Transportation Paris has long been a railroad center. The Texas and Pacific reached town in 1876; the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway (later merged into the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway) and the Frisco in 1887; the Texas Midland Railroad (later Southern Pacific) in 1894; and the Paris and Mount Pleasant (Pa-Ma Line) in 1910. Paris Union Station, built 1912, served Frisco, Santa Fe, and Texas Midland passenger trains until 1956. Today, the station is used by the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce and serves as the research library for the Lamar County Genealogical Society. Major highways U.S. Highway 82 U.S. Highway 271 State Highway 19/State Highway 24 State Highway Loop 286 According to the Texas Transportation Commission, Paris is the second-largest city in Texas without a four-lane divided highway connecting to an interstate highway within the state. However, those traveling north of the city can go into the Midwest on a four-lane thoroughfare via US 271 across the Red River into Oklahoma, and then the Indian Nation Turnpike from Hugo to Interstate 40 at Henryetta, which in turn continues as a free four-lane highway via US 75 to Tulsa. Paris is served by two taxicab companies. Cox Field provides general aviation services. Notable people Duane Allen, member of the Oak Ridge Boys Tia Ballard, actress for Funimation Entertainment Charles Baxter, physician, attended President Kennedy after he was fatally shot Raymond Berry, professional football Hall of Famer Tyler Bryant, blues rock guitarist John Chisum, cattle baron Gary B.B. Coleman, soul blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer Marsha Farney, Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from Williamson County; reared in Paris, graduated from Paris Junior College, and taught school in Paris in 1990s Bobby Jack Floyd, National Football League (NFL) fullback Charles R. Floyd, three-term Democratic state senator; pioneer of the Texas farm-to-market road system and an original founder of Paris Junior College