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.

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.

The 1850 Census for Dallas and its neighboring counties revealed that most families had migrated from another state before settling in the area.

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.

Another story with a different outcome is told about a family arriving from Europe. They were frightened by the sight of the longhorns and returned to Europe.

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.

After the initial hardships of the journey and the first few years of settling in, life took on a normal routine for these Carrollton settlers.

• Branch Water
• Salted Pecans
• Buffalo Broth
• Steer Portage
• Buffalo Ham
• Bear Ribs
• Jack Rabbit with Onions
• Roast Mallard Duck
• Prairie Hen Fricassee
• Venison
• Wild Turkey
• Terrapin Roast with Wild Honey

• Cucumber Pickles
• Sweet Potatoes
• Coffee
• Tea
• Sweet Milk
• Pumpkin Pie
• Indian Pudding
• Devonshire Cream
• Dried Peaches
• Persimmons
• Red Haws
• Pig Plums

The City of Carrollton is a part of a greater area of land that was once home to Native Americans known as the Wichita.

This group was divided into several tribes - the most predominant being the Tawakonis, Wacos, Taovayas, and Wichita's proper. They migrated from what is now Kansas and established villages along the Trinity, Red, and Brazos rivers about the same time the French and Spanish were competing to establish a foothold in east Texas in the late 1600s.

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.

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. 

An excellent article on Texas Indians can be found at The Handbook of Texas Online.

On June 14, 1913, Carrollton voted to incorporate as a general law city. The vote was 52 for and 23 against.

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.

Junius Tribble (J.T.) Rhoton qualified and served as Mayor through 1915.

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.

Carrollton's first city charter was adopted in 1961, providing for a home-rule form of government under a manager and city council.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

With this focus on education, the Carrollton community was intent on providing educational facilities.

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.

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.

Although it was a public school, tuition was still charged, as there were no school property taxes at that time.