|
History in
a Pecan Shell
Settlement began as early as 1842 with William and Mary Larner credited
as being first. The community is thought to be named after Carrollton,
Illinois, the hometown of many early residents that transmigrated
here.
The first Baptist church in Dallas County was established here in
1846 by Illinoisan David Myers. A plat was filed for the town in
1878 and post office was granted that same year. Railroad magnate
and robber-baron Jay Gould bought an unfinished railroad and extended
it to Denton by 1880 selling
it to the MKT the following year. The population was a mere 150
in the mid 1880s but Carrolton was a railroad crossroads (The Katy
and Cotton Belt) by 1888.
Industries
in Carrollton included a gravel industry, brick manufacture and
metal furniture. From a population of only 1,610 in 1950, it grew
to 4,242 by the 1960 census. Twenty years later it was over 40,000.
In 1983, it reached 52,000.
Carrollton is included in a group of four Dallas cities referred
to as “The Metrocrest.” Addison, Coppell, and Farmers Branch are
the other three. The 1990 population reached 82,169, and for the
2000 census it was reported as 109,576.
|
