Addison, Texas

Addison is an incorporated town in Dallas County, Texas, United States. The 2020 census population was 16,661. Addison is immediately north of Dallas.

Addison and Flower Mound were the only two Texas municipalities labeled "towns" with a population greater than 10,000 at the 2010 census; since then the municipalities of Prosper and Trophy Club—also identifying as towns—have also exceeded 10,000 in population estimates.

History

Addison was originally part of Peter's Colony. The future town site was settled as early as 1846 when Preston Witt built a house near White Rock Creek. In 1849, the Witt family opened a gristmill. In 1880, settler Sidney Smith Noell purchased a large tract of land south of what is now Belt Line Road. In 1888, Noell, together with W.W. Julian and W. E. Horten, donated land to the St. Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railway, a predecessor of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway (known as the Cotton Belt), for a coaling station.

The first substantial industry in the community was a cotton gin, opening in 1902. In 1903, the Cotton Belt built a depot and a  branch line leading south to Dallas, named the site Noell Junction, and started passenger train service from the small depot to the city. In 1904, a post office opened; however, there was already a community named Noell in Leon County, Texas, so the new community changed its name to Addison, after Addison Robertson, a local resident who would later serve as the community's second postmaster from 1908 to 1916. Also in 1904, Julian platted the first six city blocks.

The population grew to 75 by 1914, at which time the community had three grocers and a bank, but the bank later failed and the population fell to 40 in 1926. After World War II, residents grew concerned that the nearby cities of Dallas, Carrollton, or Farmers Branch might annex the community, so they petitioned the county to allow an election for incorporation. The election was held on June 15, 1953, and by a vote of 19 in favor and 11 against, Addison was incorporated as a city.

In 1955, W.T. Overton, a 28-year-old businessman from Dallas, purchased a large farm north of the Cotton Belt depot, and in January 1956, he announced that the site would be redeveloped as an airport focused on business aircraft. After obtaining final approval from the city, Addison Airport had its formal groundbreaking ceremony on March 16, 1957, and its grand opening took place on October 18 of that year.

At the time, Addison residents relied almost entirely on private wells for water. Overton and his investors realized that a private well would not support their development plans, so they petitioned the city to drill a municipal well and build its first public water system. The project was approved by voters in April 1957 and construction began in August. The well was later supplemented by a large water main extended from Dallas.

In 1961, an investment group including Overton, John D. Murchison (son of oil magnate Clint Murchison Sr.), and Dallas-area developer Trammell Crow opened a industrial park in the triangular area formed by the Cotton Belt, Dooley Road, and the main Addison Airport runway.

In 1970, the city had 595 residents and eighty businesses. That decade, the local government heavily promoted industrial development. In 1976, residents voted to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages, which was prohibited in most of Dallas County and nearby Collin County; together with low taxes, this prompted many restaurants and hotels to open in the city. The town grew very quickly in the late 1970s and early 1980s. By 1986, there were 49 restaurants in town; in 1991, there were 118, and the population had grown to over 8,000. From 1989 through 1991, Addison hosted the Dallas Grand Prix.

In 1982 the name of the city was changed to the "Town of Addison".

The Addison Airport Toll Tunnel, a three-year, $26.8 million project to relieve traffic on Belt Line Road, was completed in February 1999, restoring the continuity of Keller Springs Road 42 years after it was severed by the construction of Addison Airport.

Geography

Addison is located within the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan statistical area. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land. Addison Airport covers roughly half of the town's area.

Addison is bordered by Dallas to the north, east, and south, Carrollton to the west, and Farmers Branch to the west and south.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,661 people, 8,342 households, and 3,217 families residing in the town.

Economy

Though Addison has just over 16,000 residents, daytime population is estimated at over 120,000 as of 2010. Addison contains 22 hotels (with a combined total of over 3,000 rooms) and over two million square feet of office space.

With nearly 200 restaurants, the town touts itself as having more restaurants per capita than any other city in the U.S.

Major corporate headquarters in Addison include Dresser, Daseke, Mary Kay Cosmetics, and Wingstop. Other major employers in Addison include Bank of America, Concentra and IWG. Addison is home to Hand Drawn Pressing, the world's first fully-automated vinyl record pressing plant.

Arts and culture

The WaterTower Theatre produces plays and musicals and hosts the annual Out of the Loop Festival. Addison Circle Park, built in the early 2000s, is a venue for several seasonal outdoor events, such as the " Addison Kaboom Town!," "Addison Oktoberfest," and the foodie fun event, "Taste Addison". The Addison Improv Comedy Club hosts shows.

Texas de Brazil and Fogo de Chão, two Brazilian Churrascaria franchises, originated in Addison.

Parks and recreation

Addison has of parkland. Addison's first town park opened in 1978.History of Addison
." Town of Addison. Retrieved on November 29, 2011. The Dallas Independent School District operates the Alfred J. Loos Athletic Complex in Addison.

The Addison Athletic Club is a 52,000-ft² residents-only facility that features indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a gymnasium, fitness equipment, and racquetball courts.Addison Athletic Club
" Retrieved on June 25, 2013.

Addison Circle Park was built in the early 2000s.

Vitruvian Park includes commercial and recreational sections.

There are approximately 27 works of public art throughout the city.

Government

Education

Public education is administered by the Dallas Independent School District. George H.W. Bush Elementary School is located within town boundaries.

Private, co-educational schools include Greenhill School, which enrolls over 1,200 students from preschool to high school, and Trinity Christian Academy, which enrolls over 1,400 from preschool to high school.

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

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External links

Town of Addison official website

Article "Addison" in the Handbook of Texas

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Towns in Dallas County, Texas
Towns in Texas
Populated places established in 1953
1953 establishments in Texas