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Richardson is a city in Dallas and Collin counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the
2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, the city had a total population of 119,469. Richardson is an inner suburb of the city of Dallas. It is home to the University of Texas at Dallas and the Telecom Corridor, with a high concentration of telecommunications companies. More than 5,000 businesses have operations within Richardson's , including many of the world's largest telecommunications and networking companies, such as AT&T, Verizon, Cisco Systems, Samsung, ZTE, MetroPCS, Texas Instruments, Qorvo, and
Fujitsu is a Japanese multinational information and communications technology equipment and services corporation, established in 1935 and headquartered in Tokyo. Fujitsu is the world's sixth-largest IT services provider by annual revenue, and the la ...
.COR.net Press Release
Richardson's largest employment base is provided by the insurance industry, with
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) is a member-owned health insurance company in the United States. HCSC was formerly known as Hospital Service Corporation and changed its name to Health Care Service Corporation in 1975. The company was foun ...
's headquarters, a regional hub for the insurance company
GEICO The Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO ) is a private American auto insurance company with headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland. It is the second largest auto insurer in the United States, after State Farm. GEICO is a wholly owne ...
, regional offices for United Healthcare, and one of
State Farm Insurance State Farm Insurance is a large group of mutual insurance companies throughout the United States with corporate headquarters in Bloomington, Illinois. Overview State Farm is the largest property and casualty insurance provider, and the lar ...
's three national regional hubs located in the community.


History

Emigrants from Kentucky and Tennessee settled near present-day Richardson in the 1840s. Before the Civil War, a small settlement called Breckenridge, located near present-day Richland College, was established. In 1873, the Houston & Texas Central Railroad built a depot northwest of Breckenridge. After the H.&T.C. purchased acreage for a townsite from two local land-owners, the site was surveyed and laid out in blocks and lots, which the railroad began selling in 1874. The town was named after the secretary of the Houston & Texas Central Railroad, Alfred S. Richardson. In 1908, the Texas Electric Railway, an electric railway known as the Interurban, connected Richardson to Denison, Waco,
Corsicana Corsicana is a city in Navarro County, Texas, United States. It is located on Interstate 45, 56 miles northeast of Waco, Texas. The population was 23,770 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Navarro County, and an important Agri-busin ...
and Dallas. In 1910 the population was approximately 600. A red brick schoolhouse was built in 1914 and is now the administrative office for the Richardson Independent School District. In 1924 the Red Brick Road, the present-day
Greenville Avenue Greenville is the name of several places: Canada * Laxgalts'ap, British Columbia, formerly named Greenville *Greenville, Nova Scotia, in Yarmouth County *Greenville Station, Nova Scotia, in Cumberland County *Lower Greenville, Nova Scotia, in Cum ...
, was completed. The completion of the road brought increased traffic, population and property values. The town incorporated and elected a mayor in 1925. In 1940 the population was approximately 740. After World War II the city experienced major increases in population, which stood at approximately 1,300 by 1950. Throughout the 1950s the city continued to see growth including the opening of the Collins Radio Richardson office, Central Expressway, a police department, shopping centers, and many homes. Texas Instruments opened its offices in Dallas on the southern border of Richardson in 1956. This was followed by significant gains in land values, population, and economic status. In the 1960s Richardson experienced additional growth including several new parks, facilities, and the creation of the University of Texas at Dallas within the city limits. By 1972 the population was approximately 56,000. Residential growth continued through the 1970s and slowed in the 1980s. Commercial development increased throughout the 1980s. Richardson had a population of 74,840 according to the 1990 census. Population increases throughout the 1990s were primarily from development of the northeast part of the city. The city of
Buckingham Buckingham ( ) is a market town in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, which had a population of 12,890 at the 2011 Census. The town lies approximately west of Central Milton Keynes, sou ...
, after being completely surrounded by Richardson, was annexed into the city in 1996. Richardson had a population of 91,802 as of the 2000 census. By 2002 Richardson had four Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail stations and had built the Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations and the adjacent Galatyn Park urban center, which has a 2-acre public pedestrian plaza, a luxury hotel, and mixed-use development. Richardson was a "dry city" with no alcohol sales until November 2006, when the local option election passed to allow the sale of beer and wine in grocery and convenience stores. In the fall of 2008 Peter Perfect, a
Style Network Esquire Network was an American pay television network that was a 50/50 joint venture between NBCUniversal and the Hearst Corporation. The network carried programs aimed at a metrosexual audience centering on travel, cooking, sports and fashio ...
television show, came to Richardson. The business-makeover show remodeled SpiritWear, an apparel and embroidery store in the city's historic downtown area. The episode first aired on January 22, 2009. It was the first episode of the series to be filmed outside of California. In 2006, Richardson was ranked as the 15th best place to live in the United States by '' Money'' magazine. This ranked Richardson the 3rd best place to live in Texas. In 2007, the Morgan Quitno 14th Annual America's Safest and Most Dangerous Cities Awards pronounced Richardson the 69th safest city in America. In the same study Richardson ranked the 5th safest city in Texas. In 2008, Richardson was ranked as the 18th best place to live in the United States by '' Money'' magazine. This ranked Richardson the 4th best place to live in Texas. In 2009, Business Week's annual report on the "Best Places to Raise Kids," ranked Richardson in 2nd place in Texas. Richardson was the first North Texas city recognized as a best workplace for commuters by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Transportation in 2004. As of 2010 the city has continued to be recognized every year since 2004. In 2011 the Texas Recreation and Park Society awarded Richardson with the Texas Gold Medal for excellence in the field of recreation and park management. In 2014, Richardson was called the "5th happiest mid-sized city in America" by national real estate website and blog, Movoto.com, based on a number of metrics, such as low unemployment, low crime, and high income. In 2014 Richardson was named America's 17th Best City to Live in by 24/7 Wall St., based on crime, economy, education, housing, environment, leisure and infrastructure. D Magazine ranked Richardson Heights as one of the top 5 neighborhoods on the rise in 2014. Richardson ranked number 2 on SmartAsset's Boomtowns of 2015. In August 2016, Safeco Insurance listed Richardson as the 9th safest midsized city in the nation based on overall property crime rates. In November 2016, The Dallas Morning News ranked the Breckinridge Park neighborhood as the 6th best neighborhood in Dallas–Fort Worth. In 2016, Richardson ranked 2nd on SmartAsset's healthiest housing markets in American and 6th best college towns to live in. USA Today and 24/7 Wall St. ranked Richardson the 3rd best city to live in for 2016. KJKK ranked Richardson the 4th best place to live in Texas in 2016. Movoto ranked Richardson as the 3rd best Dallas suburb for young professionals in 2016. During August 2016, Richardson made Thrill-list's "The 7 Stages of Living in Dallas" and was named the 3rd overall best real-estate market in the United States by WalletHub.


Geography

The cities of Dallas, Plano and Garland, Texas constitute almost all of the Richardson border apart from the municipality's extreme northeastern "panhandle." The
Lake Highlands Lake Highlands is a neighborhood constituting most of Northeast Dallas. The neighborhood is a collection of dozens of subdivisions served by Richardson ISD and Dallas ISD public schools, as well as an array of private schools. Geography Overview ...
area of northeast Dallas borders Richardson to the south,
North Dallas North Dallas is an area of numerous communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas (United States). The phrase "North Dallas" is also sometimes used to include any suburb or exurb north of Dallas proper within the metropolitan area. The majority of ...
to the southwest, Far North Dallas to the west, West Plano to the northwest, East Plano to the north, the city of
Murphy Murphy () ( ga, Ua Murchadha) is an Irish surname and the most common surname in the Republic of Ireland. Origins and variants The surname is a variant of two Irish surnames: "Ó Murchadha"/"Ó Murchadh" (descendant of "Murchadh"), and "Mac ...
to the northeast, Sachse to the east, and Garland to the southeast. Richardson is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.32%, is water. Approximately two-thirds of the city is in Dallas County, with the northern third of the city in
Collin County Collin County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Dallas- Fort Worth- Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and a small portion of the city of Dallas is in the county. At the 2020 United States census, the county's popula ...
. Of the contained within the borders of the city of Richardson, lie in Dallas County; the other are in Collin County.


Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Richardson has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.


Demographics

As of the
2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 119,469 people, 44,136 households, and 29,113 families residing in the city. As of the 2015 American Community Survey, there were 106,123 people, 40,020 households, and 27,327 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,213.9 people per square mile (1,241.1/km2). There were 36,530 housing units at an average density of 1,278.9 per square mile (493.8/km2). There were 40,020 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.15. In the city the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. In the 2015 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates males had a median income of $60,709 versus $50,404 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,551. About 5.7% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over. According to a 2015 estimate, the
median income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of ...
for a family in Richardson was $72,427 and a median home price of $198,900.


Race and ethnicity

In 2015, the racial makeup of the city was 67.0% White, 15.7% Asian, 8.7% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 4.3% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latinos of any race were 17.9% of the population. By the 2020 census, the racial and ethnic composition was the following: 50.46% non-Hispanic white, 10.56% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 17.09% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.45% some other race, 3.95% multiracial, and 17.18% Hispanic or Latino of any race. By 1990 10% of the Richardson population was not born in the United States, which increased to 18.1% in 2000. According to the 2015 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates, this figure was 24.3%. As of 2015, of those not born in the United States, almost 50% had arrived in the United States after 2000. Dallas County has an estimated 275,000 Arab Americans, with many of them settling in Richardson. Many of them have come from Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Yemen, Morocco, etc. The DFW Chinatown is located in Richardson, in part because of the large Asian population.Light, Nanette.
Three decades later, Dallas Chinese Community Center still heart of Asian culture

Archive
. '' The Dallas Morning News''. February 21, 2014. Retrieved on September 22, 2014.
Esther Wu, a former editor of the ''
Dallas Morning News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885 by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ''Galvesto ...
'', stated that Chinese immigration began in Richardson in 1975. Since then the Chinese community has expanded to the north.Brenner, Leslie.
Best in DFW: Chinese restaurants

Archive
. '' The Dallas Morning News''. March 9, 2011. Updated February 10, 2013. Retrieved on September 22, 2014.
In the mid-1980s the majority of ethnic Chinese K–12 students in the DFW area resided in Richardson.Kripke, Pamela Gwyn.
Why 30,000 Chinese People Call Plano Home

Archive
. '' D Magazine''. June 2012. Retrieved on September 27, 2014.
As of 2012 North Texas has over 60 Chinese cultural organizations and most of them are headquartered in Richardson and Plano. The Dallas Chinese Community Center (DCCC; ) is in the D-FW Chinatown. It includes English as a second language (ESL) classes and 20,000 books written in Simplified Chinese; the center imported some books from People's Republic of Mainland China. As of 2011 the Chinese restaurants catering to ethnic Chinese in DFW are mainly in Richardson and Plano. The University of Texas at Dallas in Richardson, as of 2012, has almost 1,000 Chinese students. The university has a program to recruit students of Chinese origin. Richardson's Asian Indian immigrant community has been primarily driven by the international telecommunications industry that is so prevalent in the community. The Indian Association of North Texas headquarters are in Richardson.Brettell, Caroline B. '"Big D" Incorporating New Immigrants in a Sunbelt Suburban Metropolis' (Chapter 3). In: Singer, Audrey, Susan Wiley Hardwick, and Caroline Brettell. ''Twenty-First Century Gateways: Immigrant Incorporation in Suburban America'' (James A. Johnson metro series). Brookings Institution Press, 2009. , 9780815779285. Start p
53
CITED:
56
Indo-Pak grocery store is located in an Indian-oriented strip shopping center east of Central Expressway.Brettell, Caroline B. '"Big D" Incorporating New Immigrants in a Sunbelt Suburban Metropolis' (Chapter 3). In: Singer, Audrey, Susan Wiley Hardwick, and Caroline Brettell. ''Twenty-First Century Gateways: Immigrant Incorporation in Suburban America'' (James A. Johnson metro series). Brookings Institution Press, 2009. , 9780815779285. Start p
53
CITED: p
64
Of the suburbs in the DFW area, Richardson had one of the earliest Indian settlements. Richardson is home to a large community of Vietnamese Americans and even has a significant amount of Vietnamese-catering retail stores, malls, markets, and plazas, especially near
U.S. 75 U.S. Route 75 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that extends in the central United States. The highway's northern terminus is in Noyes, Minnesota, at the Canadian border, where it once continued as Manitoba Highway 75 on the other side ...
, such as the Hong Kong Market, the Cali Saigon Shopping Mall, etc.


Economy

Despite declining economies in other parts of the United States, from 2005 to 2009 Richardson had substantial increases in its economy. The city's total assessed property value went up from $8.3 billion in 2005 to $14 billion in 2017. Sales tax collection went up from $21 million in 2005 to an estimated $32.9 million in 2017. Since 2008, both
Standard & Poor's S&P Global Ratings (previously Standard & Poor's and informally known as S&P) is an American credit rating agency (CRA) and a division of S&P Global that publishes financial research and analysis on stocks, bonds, and commodities. S&P is con ...
and Moody's have upgraded Richardson's credit rating to "AAA" from the previous rating of "AA+". At the time, Richardson was one of only four cities in the state of Texas and one of 88 cities in the nation with an "AAA" rating from Standard & Poor's. In 2015, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) determined Richardson's daytime population to be 156,065 based on American Community Survey information. The economy remains rooted in the telecommunication industry. However, Richardson's property tax base is deep and extends beyond its telecommunication roots to include other sectors including insurance, health care, technology and finance. The tax base is diverse with the 10 leading taxpayers accounting for 16.17% of total assessed value. On March 1, 2014, the Richardson Fire Department officially received its Class 1 ISO rating. The Insurance Services Office (ISO) is "a leading supplier of statistical, underwriting and actuarial information for the property/casualty insurance industry", and its rating is used to measure the quality and effectiveness of fire protection in a community. At the time, Richardson was one of only 56 municipalities in the country to achieve this highest rating, which tends to reduce property/casualty insurance premiums.


Corporate headquarters

Metro by T-Mobile, Fossil Group, Lennox International, Vent-A-Hood, Wingstop Restaurants, id Software, VCE, BlueCross BlueShield of Texas,
RealPage RealPage is an American multinational corporation that provides property management software for the multifamily, commercial, single-family and vacation rental housing industries. Dana Jones is Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer. In ...
,
Fujitsu Network Communications is a Japanese multinational information and communications technology equipment and services corporation, established in 1935 and headquartered in Tokyo. Fujitsu is the world's sixth-largest IT services provider by annual revenue, and the la ...
(U.S. Headquarters) and Samsung Mobile have their corporate headquarters in Richardson.


Major employers

According to the Richardson Economic Development Partnership's listing on Major Employers (last updated May 2018), the top employers in the city were:


Arts and culture

The
Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts The Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations is a performance hall which opened in September 2002 in Richardson, Texas. The center is named for local philanthropist, Charles W. Eisemann, in recognition of a US ...
is located in Richardson. It serves as the primary venue for the
Richardson Symphony Orchestra The Richardson Symphony Orchestra (RSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Richardson, Texas. The orchestra is resident at the Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts. History The orchestra was founded in 1961. Maestro Clay ...
and the
Plano Symphony Orchestra The Plano Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Plano, Texas. The orchestra is resident at the Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts The Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Pres ...
.


Government

The city is located in North Central Texas and was originally incorporated in 1925, with the first Charter being adopted in 1956 and the latest revision made in November 2015. The community is a home rule city and has operated under the council–manager form of government since 1956. Richardson voters simultaneously elect six Council members and a mayor to represent them every two years. The Council members representing the four districts (1 to 4) must live in each district respectively; however, the mayor and the remaining two districts (5 and 6) can live in any part of the city. All Council members and the mayor are elected at large, with four Council members representing each of the city's four districts. The City Council is elected for two-year terms on a nonpartisan basis. The Charter requires that the City Council appoint a city manager to act as the chief administrative and executive officer. The city manager is not appointed for a fixed time and may be removed at the will and pleasure of the majority of the City Council. One of the responsibilities of the city manager is to appoint and remove department heads and conduct the general affairs of the municipal government in accordance with the policies of the City Council. The City provides to its citizens a full range of services including police and fire protection, emergency ambulance service, water and sewer service, solid waste disposal, park and recreational activities, cultural events, and a library. In addition, the City provides planning for future land use, traffic control, building inspection, and community services and operates two 18-hole golf courses. The City also operates the Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations, which is a multi-venue performing arts and presentation center. The City of Richardson is a voluntary member of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) association, the purpose of which is to coordinate individual and collective local governments and facilitate regional solutions, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and enable joint decisions.


Politics


Education


Colleges and universities

The University of Texas at Dallas, also referred to as UT Dallas or UTD, is a public research university in the University of Texas System. Despite its name the UT Dallas main campus, consisting of approximately , is within the Richardson city limits at 800 West Campbell Road. The campus is sited with Campbell Road on the south, Floyd Road on the east, Waterview on the west, and Synergy Park Boulevard on the north. The university owns an additional in Richardson, adjacent to the campus, between Synergy Park Boulevard and the President George Bush Turnpike. The UTD Student Services building, completed in 2010, is the first academic structure in Texas to be rated a
LEED Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating systems for the design, construction ...
facility by the United States Green Building Council. During 2016, construction was completed on the Student Services Building addition. New projects include an Alumni Center, a Brain Performance Institute and an engineering building as well as additional housing options. These enhancements are part of a campus renovation that has included hundreds of millions of dollars of investment in new and upgraded buildings since 2009. For the fall 2016 semester, UT Dallas had a total of 26,793 enrolled students. Dallas College (formerly Dallas County Community College District or DCCCD) serves areas in Dallas County.Texas Education Code: Sec. 130.176. DALLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. The service area of the Dallas County Community College District includes the territory within: and Sec. 130.175. COLLIN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. The service area of the Collin County Community College District includes the territory within:
Richland College of Dallas College is in Dallas on the Richardson border. It is the largest school in the DCCCD, featuring nearly 20,000 students. In 2005, Richland became the first community college to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Residents within
Collin County Collin County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Dallas- Fort Worth- Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and a small portion of the city of Dallas is in the county. At the 2020 United States census, the county's popula ...
are in the zone of Collin College.


Primary and secondary schools


Public schools

The city is served by the Richardson Independent School District (RISD) within the Dallas County portion of the city and the Plano Independent School District (PISD) within the
Collin County Collin County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Dallas- Fort Worth- Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and a small portion of the city of Dallas is in the county. At the 2020 United States census, the county's popula ...
portion of the city. Despite that name, however, most of the Richardson Independent School District lies outside of the municipal boundaries of Richardson: 60 percent of RISD is in Dallas, with 35 percent in Richardson and 5 percent in Garland). The RISD and PISD have many Blue Ribbon Schools. The
Blue Ribbon Schools Program The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...
is a United States government program created to honor schools. The Blue Ribbon award is considered to be the highest honor that an American school can achieve. Zoned RISD high schools in Richardson include Richardson High School,
Lloyd V. Berkner High School Lloyd V. Berkner High School is a high school in Richardson, in the U.S. state of Texas, with a 2008 enrollment of 2,755 and a student/teacher ratio of 16.7. It is one of four high schools in the Richardson Independent School District. History ...
, and J.J. Pearce High School. The Christa McAuliffe Learning Center is also in Richardson. Lake Highlands High School is part of the Richardson Independent School District but is located in
Lake Highlands Lake Highlands is a neighborhood constituting most of Northeast Dallas. The neighborhood is a collection of dozens of subdivisions served by Richardson ISD and Dallas ISD public schools, as well as an array of private schools. Geography Overview ...
, an area in Dallas just south of Richardson. Sections of Richardson in the Plano Independent School District are served by several schools. Aldridge, Haggar, Miller, Schell, and Stinson elementary schools are within Richardson and serve Collin County portions of Richardson.Plano Senior HS Feeder Schools
." '' Plano Independent School District''. Retrieved on February 8, 2009.
A section of Collin County Richardson is zoned to Mendenhall Elementary School in Plano.Plano East Senior HS Feeder Schools
." '' Plano Independent School District''. Retrieved on February 8, 2009.
Otto, Frankford and Wilson middle schools in Plano and Murphy Middle School in
Murphy Murphy () ( ga, Ua Murchadha) is an Irish surname and the most common surname in the Republic of Ireland. Origins and variants The surname is a variant of two Irish surnames: "Ó Murchadha"/"Ó Murchadh" (descendant of "Murchadh"), and "Mac ...
serve separate sections of Collin County Richardson. Vines High School and T.H. Williams High School, 9–10 schools in Plano, serve separate sections of Collin County Richardson, along with McMillen High School in Murphy. Plano Senior High School and Plano East Senior High School also serve separate sections of Collin County Richardson.


Private schools

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas operates two K–8 schools, St. Joseph School and St. Paul the Apostle School in Richardson. Other private schools include
Canyon Creek Christian Academy Canyon Creek Christian Academy (CCCA) was a private early education-12th grade Christian private school in Richardson, Texas. The school served families in various communities, including Richardson, Garland, and Plano. It opened in 1974. In the ...
(K–12), North Dallas Adventist Academy (K–12), IANT Quranic Academy (K–12), The Alexander School (8–12), Dallas North Montessori School (ages 3–9), and
Salam Academy Salam Academy is an Islamic PreK–high school in Richardson, Texas. It was established as a part-time school in 2003 and added a full-time school in fall 2008. As of 2014 it had 315 students, 90% being South Asian, 5% being Arab, and 5% being non ...
(K–12).


Charter schools

Four charter schools operate within the City of Richardson. These include the Evolution Academy Charter School (9–12), Premier High School of Richardson (6–12), Vista Academy of Richardson (K–12), and the Winfree Academy Charter School (Richardson) (9–12).


Public libraries

The Richardson Public Library is located at 900 Civic Center Drive at the southwest corner of U.S. Route 75 (North Central Expressway) and Arapaho Road. The roots of the Richardson Public Library date back to 1947 when a branch of the Dallas County Library was established in a section of the Cash Dry Goods store on East Main Street in downtown Richardson. The fledgling library collection numbered about 400 volumes and was managed by Jessie Durham the store's proprietor. The City Council established the library as a city department in 1958 and in 1959 the library moved into a newly constructed building at 310 Tyler Street. This new library was just under in size and was built at a cost of $100,000.Library History
Richardson was experiencing rapid growth in the 1960s and 1970s, and the library facility soon became inadequate for community needs. The current facility was constructed at a cost of $2 million and opened December 1, 1970. The new , four-story building opened with the use of two floors and a small portion of a third. The basement was finished in 1980 for the reference collection and services. In 1995 the library underwent another expansion which finished the upper floor and renovated the three previously opened floors. Another renovation occurred in 2006 when the Youth Services department was expanded. In 2008 the library set a new record for the number of items circulated in a fiscal year when the 1 millionth item was checked out in the fall of 2008. The building has undergone building renovations and technological improvements in recent years that have enhanced the library experience for patrons. Since 2014, the digital library has expanded to include movies, music and magazines as well as books and audiobooks. In 2015, the Richardson Library established a "makerspace" that initially included a 3-D printer, designated computers with creative applications and software, and kits for the early exploration of electronics. The Texas Municipal League recognized the library with its "Achievement of Excellence in Libraries" award every year from 2004 to 2017.


Transportation

Richardson and the region benefit from the location of two major highways in the city. The President George Bush Turnpike, running east–west along the northern border of the city, provides a convenient connection to the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, as well as links to IH 35E, IH 30, IH20, SH 114, and SH 183 west of the city as well as a second link to IH30 east of the city. Richardson also benefits from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Light Rail line which parallels
U.S. 75 U.S. Route 75 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that extends in the central United States. The highway's northern terminus is in Noyes, Minnesota, at the Canadian border, where it once continued as Manitoba Highway 75 on the other side ...
and has four stations in the city. In October 2016, DART approved the future construction of the Silver Line commuter rail with the adoption of its 20-Year Financial Plan. Service on the Cotton Belt is projected to commence in 2023. The Cotton Belt line will run from DFW Airport to the eastern side of Plano, with Richardson stations located at The University of Texas at Dallas and CityLine. The Cotton Belt rail line will also connect to Trinity Metro's TEXRail line, which is being developed to connect downtown
Fort Worth Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
to the DFW Airport. In order to take full advantage of these transportation assets for development and redevelopment purposes, the City has implemented three Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts. TIF District #1 was established in November 2006, encompassing both sides of the U.S. 75 corridor from Campbell Road south to Spring Valley Road, and then extending west from U.S. 75 along Spring Valley Road to Coit Road. TIF District #2, established in November 2011, is bounded by President George Bush Turnpike on the north, Wyndham Lane on the east, Renner Road on the south, and the DART Light Rail line on the west. TIF District #3, established in November 2011, is bounded by President George Bush Turnpike on the north, the DART Light Rail line on the east, Renner Road on the South and has its western boundary between Alma Road and U.S. 75. Dallas County participates financially in TIF District #1 and Collin County participates financially in TIF District #2 and TIF District #3.


Central Trail

The southern Central Trail extension, opened in June 2014 and the northern extension opened in 2015. The new hike and bike trail segments mean that the central spine to Richardson's trail network will run from city limit to city limit, eventually connecting to trails throughout the region.


Bike Lanes

In July 2015, Richardson was named a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. Richardson has a long-range plan to provide bicycle facilities and to designate preferred bicycle routes on lower-volume, lower-speed roadways. There are now more than 15 miles of bike lanes in Richardson.


Major highways

* Interstate 635 – ( Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway) * U.S. Highway 75 – ( North Central Expressway) * State Highway 190 – ( President George Bush Turnpike) (''toll'')


Light rail

*
DART Dart or DART may refer to: * Dart, the equipment in the game of darts Arts, entertainment and media * Dart (comics), an Image Comics superhero * Dart, a character from ''G.I. Joe'' * Dart, a ''Thomas & Friends'' railway engine character * Dar ...
: and Orange Line ** Spring Valley ** Arapaho Center ** Galatyn Park ** Bush Turnpike


Notable people


Arts

* Pegah Anvarian, fashion designer * Steve Benson, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist * Tracy Hutson, stylist, '' Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'' * Joyce Yu-Jean Lee, artist *
Faris McReynolds Faris McReynolds (born 1977, Dallas, Texas) is a Los Angeles-based artist and musician. His paintings have been shown in solo exhibitions around the world and have been featured in ''Details'', ''Art Papers'', '' Flash Art Magazine'', ''Tema Cele ...
, artist


Actors

* Jensen Ackles, actor *
Nicole Bilderback Nicole Bilderback (born June 10, 1975) is a Korean-born American actress, known for her recurring guest roles on the television programs '' Dark Angel'' and ''Dawson's Creek'', and the films ''Bring It On'' and '' Bad Girls From Valley High'' ( ...
, actress * Catherine Crier, television personality * Bill Engvall, actor and comedian *
Deborah Foreman Deborah Lynn Foreman (born October 12, 1962) is an American photographer and actress. She is perhaps best known for her starring role in the 1983 film ''Valley Girl'' opposite Nicolas Cage. She is also regarded as a scream queen and known for ...
, actress * Caleb Landry Jones, actor/musician *
Jaren Lewison Jaren Lewison (born December 9, 2000) is an American actor who is best known for portraying Ben Gross in the television series ''Never Have I Ever''. Early life and education Jaren Miles Lewison grew up in Dallas, Texas, in a Jewish family. H ...
, actor * Jake McDorman, actor * Kin Shriner, actor * Nick Stahl, actor * Barry Watson, actor, '' 7th Heaven''


Businesspeople

* Ghassan Elashi co-founder of
InfoCom Corporation InfoCom Corporation was an American web hosting service company founded by five brothers in 1992. It was initially based in Dallas, Texas, and before moving to Richardson, Texas. The company was raided on 5 September 2001 and its bank account fro ...
* Bette Nesmith Graham, Inventor of Liquid Paper and mother of Michael Nesmith


Entertainers

* Ryan Cabrera, entertainer * Jeff Dunham, ventriloquist and stand-up comedian * Jay Johnson, ventriloquist * Gordon Keith, radio personality * Wil Shriner, humorist * Ashlee Simpson, entertainer *
Jessica Simpson Jessica Ann Simpson (born July 10, 1980) is an American singer, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist. After performing in church choirs as a child, Simpson signed with Columbia Records in 1997, aged seventeen. Her debut studio album, '' Swe ...
, entertainer


Filmmakers

* Jeremy Coon, film producer * David Gordon Green, filmmaker *
Mike Judge Michael Craig Judge (born October 17, 1962) is an American actor, animator, writer, producer, director and musician. He is the creator of the animated television series ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' (1993–1997, 2011, 2022–present), and the co-cre ...
, animator, actor, voice artist, filmmaker, screenwriter and musician. Creator of the TV shows King of the Hill and
Beavis and Butt-Head ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' is an American adult animated series created by Mike Judge. The series follows Beavis and Butt-Head, both voiced by Judge, a pair of teenage slackers characterized by their apathy, lack of intelligence, lowbrow humor, ...


Music

* John Gary, RCA recording artist- vocalist *
Bubba Hernandez Bubba Hernandez and Alex Meixner were nominated in the Best Polka album category in the 50th Annual Grammy Awards for their self-titled debut album, ''Polka Freak Out''. He is a former member of the Denton, Texas-based band, Brave Combo. Durin ...
, Grammy Award winning Bassist *
Todd P Todd Patrick (aka Todd P) is an organizer of independently produced concerts, based in New York City. Patrick was born in 1975 in Indiana, and grew up in Richardson, Texas. Patrick is known within the independent music community for selecting and a ...
, New York City-based indie rock concert promoter * Frank Ticheli, composer


Politicians

*
Angie Chen Button Angie Chen Button (; born February 9, 1954) is a Certified Public Accountant and a retired marketing manager of Texas Instruments from Garland, Texas, Garland, Texas, who is a Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the Texas Hous ...
, state representative from District 112 in Dallas County *
Tony Goolsby James Anthony Goolsby, known as Tony Goolsby (November 9, 1933 - September 4, 2020), was a businessman in Dallas, Texas, who, from 1993 to 2009, was a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 102 in northeastern Dall ...
, politician *
Patti Ruff Patti Ruff (born 1972) is a former Democratic member of the Iowa House of Representatives, representing the 56th district. Before serving in the legislature, Ruff worked for Bunge North American, helping farmers sell and transport grain down t ...
, Iowa politician * Charles E. Turner, former Mayor of Dallas


Sports

*
Jeff Agoos Jeffrey Alan Agoos (born May 2, 1968) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a defender. He is one of the all-time appearance leaders for the United States national team. Agoos served as the Sporting Director for the N ...
, soccer player * Lance Armstrong (born 1971), former cyclist * Keenan Evans (born 1996), basketball player in the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) and the Euroleague *
Nolan Fontana Nolan David Fontana (born June 6, 1991) is an American former professional baseball infielder. He has played for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). Before he began his professional career, he attended the University of Florid ...
, baseball player * Chris Jacke, NFL kicker *
Eddie Jackson Eddie Jackson is the name of: *Eddie Jackson (chef) (born 1980), American NFL safety and Food Network host * Eddie Jackson (safety) (born 1993), American football player for the Chicago Bears * Edward Jackson (footballer) (1925–1996), Australian ...
, NFL defensive back * Justin Leonard, professional golfer *
Shawn Michaels Michael Shawn Hickenbottom (born July 22, 1965), better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE as Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative. Widely regarded as one of ...
, WWE wrestler *
Lee Nguyen Lee may refer to: Name Given name * Lee (given name), a given name in English Surname * Chinese surnames romanized as Li or Lee: ** Li (surname 李) or Lee (Hanzi ), a common Chinese surname ** Li (surname 利) or Lee (Hanzi ), a Chinese s ...
, soccer player * Carla Overbeck, founding member, Women's United Soccer Association * Matt Stover, NFL kicker * Everson Walls, NFL defensive back * Chris Wilson, American football coach *
Justin Che Justin Isiah Che (born November 18, 2003) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Bundesliga club 1899 Hoffenheim, on loan from FC Dallas. Club career FC Dallas Che joined the FC Dallas academy in 2009. During 20 ...
, soccer player


Writers

* Rogers Cadenhead, author *
Deborah Crombie Deborah Crombie (''née'' Darden) is an American author of the Duncan Kincaid / Gemma James mystery series set in the United Kingdom. Crombie was raised in Richardson, Texas, and has lived in the United Kingdom. She now lives in McKinney, Texa ...
, mystery writer
*
Gjekë Marinaj Gjekë Marinaj is an Albanian–American poet, writer, translator and literary critic who is also known as the founder of a form of arts criticism known as Protonism Theory. Currently living in the United States, he was the first president of t ...
, Albanian-American poet * Anne Rice, author * John Maddox Roberts, science fiction author *
Brian Torrey Scott Brian Torrey Scott (July 28, 1976 – November 29, 2013) was an American writer. He wrote for Rosetta Stone in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Scott previously taught Adventures and Ridiculousness at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Engli ...
, writer


Others

*
T. J. Cloutier Thomas James "T. J." Cloutier (born October 13, 1939) is a professional poker player from Richardson, Texas. He was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2006. Cloutier was also briefly a professional football player in the Canadian Football ...
, professional poker player *
Jeremy Wade Delle Richardson High School (RHS) is a magnet high school in Richardson, Texas, United States with approximately 2,770 students and a student/teacher ratio of approximately 15:1 in the 20182019 school year. It is the oldest high school in the Richardso ...
, student and subject of Pearl Jam's "
Jeremy Jeremy may refer to: * Jeremy (given name), a given name * Jérémy, a French given name * ''Jeremy'' (film), a 1973 film * "Jeremy" (song), a song by Pearl Jam * Jeremy (snail), a left-coiled garden snail that died in 2017 * ''Jeremy'', a 19 ...
" * Vernon Howell, a.k.a. David Koresh) * Marina Oswald Porter, wife of Lee Harvey Oswald at the time of the Kennedy Assassination


Bibliography

* Braithwaite, Barbara (editor). ''A History Of Richardson''. Richardson, Texas: Richardson Centennial Corporation, 1973. * Gillespie, Gwyn. ''Historic Richardson: An Illustrated History''. San Antonio, Texas: Historical Publishing Network, 2002. * Harris, Janet (editor). ''And The Telling Takes Us Back: An Oral History of Richardson''. Richardson, Texas: University of Texas at Dallas Center for Continuing Education, c1984-85. (Note: Part 1 consists of 21 interviews with representatives of families who settled in and helped in the development of the city. It covers the time period of early settlement to 1940. Part 2 begins with 1940 and continues to 1985.)


See also

*
Dallas Repertory Company Theater Repertory Company Theatre is a local theatre company in Richardson, Texas, boasting some of the most talented singers, actors, and dancers in the Metroplex. Artistic Director, Debra Carter. Founded in 1986, RCT has been voted "best theatre in Richar ...


Notes


References


External links


City of Richardson official website

Richardson Economic Development Partnership

Historic images from the Richardson Public Library, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
{{authority control Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex Cities in Collin County, Texas Cities in Dallas County, Texas Cities in Texas