Anna is a city in the U.S. state of

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

. Located in Collin County, its population was 16,896 at the 2020 U.S. census.

History

Following the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, the Houston and Texas Central Railway resumed laying track north from Corsicana and passed through the area in 1872. By the time Anna was platted in 1883, it had a population of 20, two stores, a steam gristmill, and a Baptist church. A post office also opened in that year. In 1885, the

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...

built a depot. By 1890 the town had a population of nearly 200. Anna was incorporated in 1913, with John L. Greer as first mayor. Local historian Chester A. Howell (1921-2019) compiled a brief history of Anna for inclusion in a book, ''A Town Named Anna'', that was given to those who attended the Anna school homecoming on October 19, 1985. A one-page list of errata to correct some minor errors was added in 1989. In 2018, the Anna Area Historical Preservation Society published, ''"The Spark That Ignited The Town Of Anna"'' (), a collection of stories and pictures of early Anna, Texas. The Houston and Texas Central Railway extended its track in a north–south route several miles east of Mantua in 1872. Mantua soon declined in favor of the new railroad towns of Van Alstyne ( Grayson County) and Anna which developed here in early 1880s.

Namesake

The town was named in honor of Miss Anna Quinlan, daughter of George A. Quinlan, superintendent of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad.

First Christian Church of Anna

Liberty Christian Church, one of the earliest Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) churches in Texas, was founded in northern Collin County by pioneer settlers Collin McKinney and J. B. Wilmeth in 1846. In 1854, a Christian seminary was established by members of the Liberty congregation about two miles northwest of Anna in the (then) newly established community of Mantua. According to local tradition Mantua's Christian congregation split between the two new communities. Former Mantua church members and early Anna resident Rebecca Sherley helped organize the First Christian Church of Anna in 1882. The Rev. Alf Douglas served as first Pastor. Services were held in the Sherley home until it burned in 1886. About 1890 the sanctuary was built here at the site of the former Sherley home. Major additions to the rear of the sanctuary were completed in 1949.

A. Sherley and Brother Hardware Store

Lewis and Pauline Sherley moved to north Texas from Kentucky about 1853. Their grandsons, brothers Andrew and William Sherley, opened a hardware store in 1894. William Sherley died in 1894 and, his son, Fred bought out his father's share of the store. It remained in the family after the store closed in 1979. Over time they were undertakers as well as purveyors of furniture, farming implements and machinery, wagons, cotton, grain and groceries. Wagon-weighing scales in front of the building were removed when the road was widened. The structure is a fine example of an early Texas commercial building, retaining the original canopy and painted signs. Minimal Victorian-era detailing includes corbelled brickwork in the parapet and paneled kickplates on storefront display windows.

Tornado

On May 9, 2006, a storm producing two tornadoes swept across Anna, with the first tornado (F0) passing east of the high school, barely missing the incorporated city limits. The second tornado (F3) touched down in neighboring

Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...

and Whitewright, destroying many homes and killing three. During the disaster, several volunteers from Collin County Amateur Radio Services worked with the National Weather Service in a Skywarn net. The Anna police and fire departments along with the American Red Cross opened Anna High School up as a shelter to the "walking wounded" and anyone who needed a place to stay due to the road blockages and damage in that area. The tornadoes could be seen from Anna, Van Alstyne, and Melissa, and power was knocked out to several homes in the area.

Geography

Anna is located in northern Collin County at . U.S. Route 75 freeway passes through the west side of the city and leads southwest to the center of

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

and north to Denison. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Anna has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.46%, is water. According to the City of Anna website, the city has a total area of approximately in its city limits and approximately in its planning area.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system describes the weather as humid subtropical, ''Cfa''.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,896 people, 4,450 households, and 3,792 families residing in the city.

Economy

According to the city's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top 10 employers in the city are:

Education

The vast majority of the area is in the Anna Independent School District. A small section extends into the Blue Ridge Independent School District. Anna High School is the comprehensive high school of the Anna district. Collin College covers all of Collin County in its service area.

Notable people

* Ralph Fults (1911–1993), outlaw and associate of the Barrow gang * Curley Johnson (1935-2016), American football player * Kewpie Morgan (1892–1956), American silent film comedian

Notes

References

External links

City of Anna official website
* {{authority control Cities in Collin County, Texas Cities in Texas Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex Populated places established in 1867