History in a Pecan Shell
USGenWeb >> TXGenWeb >> Dallas County >> History in a Pecan Shell - Addison, Texas
Part of the Peter’s Colony in the 1840s, the center of town developed around a grist mill built around 1849.
A right-of-way was given to the St. Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railroad in 1888 and the railroads coal station became known as Noell Junction. This new stop drew off population as well as businesses from the community of Frankford.
Noell Junction received a St. Louis Southwestern Railway depot in 1902. The company ran a spur to Dallas the following year – and installed a single coach train to transport commuters to Dallas. This abbreviated train discontinued service about the time the U.S. entered WWI.
In 1904 a post office opened but to avoid misdirecting mail to an already existing Noell, Texas, postal authorities asked for another name to be submitted. Mr. Addison Robertson, the postmaster modestly submitted his name – and the rest, as they say, is history.
The town was soon platted and people started buying lots. The population was a mere 75 people in 1914, but rather than an initial spurt of growth, Addison experienced a decline to just 40 residents by the mid 1920s.
After WWII the still tiny town of Addison was threatened with annexation by Dallas. To avoid absorption and maintain their independence the city incorporated in 1953. The population was only 600 in the mid 1950s and the Addison Airport was built in 1956.
From less than 600 people in 1970, it jumped to 5,550 by the next census. Most of Dallas was still “Dry” in 1976. Addison voted “Wet” to attract hotel and restaurant business. That act and a property-tax rate only a fraction of Dallas. The population in 1990 was nearing 9,000 and ten years later it was over 14,000.
Addison has a mayor-city council government with a separate police and fire department, although water comes from neighboring Dallas.
