City of Carrollton, TX
Home MenuCity of Carrollton History
Visit Carrollton and discover how one early North Texas settlement developed into a vibrant urban City.
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The first settler arrived in Carrollton during the 1840s, with individuals purchasing land from the Peters Colony. These early homes were often modest, with an average cabin measuring just 12 by 14 feet, a space that might house two parents and up to seven children. Settlers during this period commonly married young and maintained large families, a practice driven by the need for assistance with household work and the high infant mortality rates of the time. These pioneers were hardy individuals who showed incredible courage in uprooting their lives for a better future for themselves and their families. These people showed fierce determination, withstanding many hardships along their journey into this untamed frontier. |
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| The City's Name | |
| Most local historians believe Carrollton received its name from the hometown of early settlers, who came from Carrollton, Illinois. The name was officially established on May 16, 1878, when the first U.S. Post Office opened in Carrollton. |
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| Early Settler Occupations | |
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These several hundred industrious families shared a dream of prosperity. Many different people arrived to settle the land, building homes and churches. Farming was the primary occupation, though other professions, such as teachers, lawyers, preachers, and doctors, also came to the area. Many of these other professionals supplemented their income by farming and raising cattle. |
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| Settler Origins | |
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The 1850 Census for Dallas and its neighboring counties revealed that most families had migrated from another state before settling in the area. |
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| Two Families - Two Outcomes | |
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One story told is about an early settler who came to scout the area before bringing his family to this area. He was so impressed with what he saw that he scooped up a handful of dirt to take back to his family to show them how rich the soil was for farming. |
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| Initial Settlement | |
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During this time of settlement, newcomers were camping and building cabins in an area around present-day Perry Park. The rise of the land to the south provided a good lookout advantage, and the springs provided plenty of clear, fresh water. |
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| A list of menu items from a 1903 reunion of one of the first families is as follows: | |
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| Native Americans | |
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The City of Carrollton is a part of a greater area of land that was once home to Native Americans known as the Wichita. |
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| The Wichita Tribe | |
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The Wichita people established villages and hunted in the area before European settlement, but their primary ancestral homelands are now considered to be in present-day Oklahoma. The Wichita called themselves Kitikiti’sh, meaning “raccoon eyes” because of the designs of tattoos around the men’s eyes. Both men and women practiced elaborate tattooing on their bodies and faces. The Wichita people were known for their hospitality and general friendliness toward outsiders. While traditionally warriors, they typically avoided conflict unless they were provoked. They maintained peaceful relations and engaged in trade with French settlers, but were frequently in conflict with the Spanish. The Wichita tribes practiced a balanced division of labor between men and women, with women also holding leadership roles. They were expert agriculturalists, growing a variety of crops including corn, maize, beans, squash, and pumpkins, which they supplemented with hunting. Their horses were highly valued, and they were recognized as excellent riders. |
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| The Comanche Tribe | |
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The Nermernuh people, whom the Spanish would rename the Comanches, were a nomadic people throughout their history. They would gain control of the Red River area in their migrations and trade with the Wichita people despite their tense relations. With settlers encroaching on their lands, they were forced to relocate to a reservation in ‘Indian Territory’ (Oklahoma) near present-day Anadarko. |
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| More Information | |
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An excellent article on Texas Indians can be found at The Handbook of Texas Online. |
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On June 14, 1913, Carrollton voted to incorporate as a general law city. The vote was 52 for and 23 against. |
| First Mayor |
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The first city officers were elected on July 19, 1913, with William Forrest Vinson elected as Carrollton's first Mayor. For reasons now unknown, Vinson declined the office. |
| Public Safety Firsts |
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By the mid-1920s. Carrollton held its first bond election and organized a volunteer fire department. Over the following two decades, the city also established its first official police force. |
| The First City Hall and Fire Station |
| The site of Carrollton's original city hall and fire station, situated on the southeast corner of Belt Line Road (formerly College Avenue) and Denton Drive, was established on land donated to the city by J.R. McFarland in 1933. |
| First City Charter |
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Carrollton's first city charter was adopted in 1961, providing for a home-rule form of government under a manager and city council. |
| Governor John Connally attended Carrollton's 50th anniversary ceremony in 1963 and dedicated a new library and recreation center. |
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The first composite listing of business, industrial, and professional services available in Carrollton is found in the Texas State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1882. The town, with an estimated population of 500, was an export center for cotton and grain. Its infrastructure included one steam gristmill, four cotton gins, two churches, and two schools. |
| Grain |
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Trinity Mills, a busy hub by 1853, was a flourishing grain mill that drew people from great distances. The mill, which produced flour and meal from ground corn and wheat, was typically a scene of activity, surrounded by wagons, carts, buggies, horses, and a crowd of people. The exact location of this two-story rock gristmill is not known, but it is reported to have been on the south bank of White Rock Creek, east of present-day Farmers Branch-Carrollton. |
| Cotton |
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Cotton reigned supreme in the Carrollton area at the start of the 1900s, evidenced by approximately 13 operating cotton gins. Initially built for a small number of settlers, these gins quickly expanded operations to ship cotton and cottonseed across the country. The profitability of this industry is highlighted by the 1924 cotton crop, which yielded 300 bales from the Carrollton area alone. |
| Brick |
| Around 1904, a new industry emerged in Carrollton - manufacturing brick. The Carrollton Pressed Brick Company was located northeast of the Carrollton Town Square, adjacent to the Cotton Belt and Frisco railroads. The best-known structures made from brick produced at this plant are the Belle Allen home on Clint Street, the chimney and fireplace in the Wade H. Perry home, the Gravley Hardware store on the Carrollton Square, the Vandergriff building on the southwest corner of the Carrollton Square, and possibly some stores on the north side of the square. It is also reported that the old high school in Grapevine was made from Carrollton brick. Brick from this plant is easily identified. They have the name CARROLLTON embedded on it and are highly prized by collectors. |
| First Telephone and Use of Commercial Electricity |
| In 1890 the first telephone went into operation in Carrollton, and the first commercial electricity became available in 1913 when a private power plant opened. |
| Railroads |
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A new era was beginning for Carrollton with the arrival of railroads and a post office in the late 1800s. Carrollton quickly emerged from an agricultural community to a hub of bustling business and professional activity. The Dallas-Wichita Railroad arrived in Carrollton in 1879. |
| Railroad Service |
| By 1908, there were three railroads using Carrollton as a way station. The Cottonbelt and the Katy Railroads provided passenger service and maintained a depot while the Frisco Railroad only provided freight service.
Prior to the 1940s, all significant commerce was by rail. The tracks of all three intersected just north of what is now the Carrollton Town Square. Having three railroads intersect was unique for this part of the country and contributed to Carrollton's early prosperity. With the coming of the railroads, Carrollton developed into a sizable shipping center, particularly for cattle. A depot was established in Carrollton, and daily mail was then available by rail. |
| Arrival of the Electric Train and Locomotives |
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In 1922 the Texas Interurban Railway, an electric train, began passenger service in Carrollton for transport between Dallas and Denton. The first locomotive to the area was in 1923. |
| Since the ability to read and write was not necessary for farming at that time, a large number of farmers were illiterate, but they wanted a good education for their children. With this focus on education, the Carrollton community was intent on providing educational facilities. |
| First School |
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The first school was started in 1856 in the Union Baptist Church, where Perry Cemetery is located today. Various private schools were established with the cooperative efforts of several families who furnished a meeting place and paid for a teacher's salary and schoolroom equipment. |
| Learning in a Log Cabin |
| Around 1871 school was held in a dirt floor log cabin with Mrs. Lou Skinner as the teacher for about 25 pupils who came on horseback or on foot. The cabin was located on what is now Denton Drive near the area of Jeanette Way. In 1873, the cabin school, with teacher John Larkin, was eventually moved to the present-day intersection of Josey Lane and Country Club Road. |
| Carrollton Academy |
| Although there had been schools in Carrollton prior to 1890, the first building that was officially dedicated as a schoolhouse was erected circa 1890. Located near the present-day intersection of Josey Lane and Country Club Drive, it was called Carrollton Academy. |
| Two-Story Schoolhouse |
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On September 1, 1902, a new two-story frame schoolhouse admitted its first students. It was located on the northeast corner of College Avenue (now Belt Line Road) and Erie Street at the foot of the hill and offered first through tenth grades. |
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The Historic Downtown Carrollton Square is an active retail area with shopping, dining, entertainment, and more. It has a rich history that dates back to the early 1900s. |
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The Beginnings of the Town Square |
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In 1900 George Myers and his brother J.S. filed a plat for property on what would become the east and south sides of the Carrollton Town Square. Then in 1901, they filed a plat for property to the west, and the town square began to take shape. By 1913 the town square was the center of a thriving community. The Carrollton Mercantile Company, besides being a dry goods and general store, offered hearses for funerals - your choice of black or gray, with matching horses owned by Arch Fyke. |
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The Importance of Water |
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With the convenience of being located near the railroads, Carrollton Town Square developed where it did because of its abundant water supply. A creek ran through the middle of the square. Eventually a pump was installed, and water was piped to stores and a few homes. |
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Ice Delivery |
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Due to the efficient water supply in the area, Carrollton's first ice wagon delivery business began in 1904 or 1905. There was one delivery of ice each week except when the weather grew hotter - then two deliveries a week were made. Ice tea was usually a Sunday treat along with homemade ice cream. |
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Keeping Food Fresh Before Refrigeration |
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Before ice was available, a family built shelving or boxes made of wood or brick for submerging in a spring or creek so the milk and butter would stay cool and fresh. |
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The Gazebo |
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The gazebo in the middle of current-day Carrollton Town Square was built in 1921. Concerts by the town band, speeches by political candidates, and Saturday dances provided entertainment on the square. |
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That's Entertainment |
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The first theater in Carrollton was an outdoor, makeshift screen stretched across the side of the George F. Myers Grocery Store. |
