Mesquite, TX History Lesson!
You’d be tempted to think Mesquite has always been the Rodeo Capital of Texas. The wide-open roads, tranquil atmosphere, and friendly neighbors hide the long and industrious history of the metropolis. The Lone Star city was founded in the late 1800s after the Texas and Pacific Railroad bought the land. There were lots of mesquite shrubs around the area, and it was only a matter of time before they came to be associated with the fledgling city.
Texas and Pacific Railway constructed a depot and put it up for sale, soon after buying the land. Reasons are not clear why the company sold the depot, but that's probably what drew people to the area in the first place. While businessmen flocked to Mesquite to buy the depots, the first Texas and Pacific train steamed through the area on its way to Dallas. That was a sign of good things to come.
Major William Bradfield came from North Carolina to become the first station master and postmaster for when Mesquite was just a town in 1873. He came on the first train going to Dallas and went down in history as the first migrant into Mesquite. There, he met the families of Zachariah Motley, David Florence, John Lawrence, and Braxton Jobson.
It took awhile for Mesquite to incorporate, and when it did in 1887, it became the second town outside of Dallas in Dallas County to gain the status and charm, it has today! Early pioneers placed a lot of emphasis on education leading to numerous schools sprouting on family farms. Dr. Counsel David Oates, coming from Alabama, started the Oates school in 1870. The location of the school is now Interstate 30 and Galloway Avenue. Another school, the Bennett School, was elected near New Market and Belt Line roads, serving the community until 1894. Only nine students graduated from its first class in 1890. The Murphy School is another notable school that occupied the area that's now Motley Drive and Town East Boulevard. J.H Florence donated the land for the school.
Apart from schools, Mesquite's early history was also hugely influenced by agriculture. As a matter of fact, the city held on to its agricultural roots until the 1950s. After giving up its agrarian roots in favor of new industries, the population of Mesquite increased 6-fold between 1950 and 2010. Today, the city is home to more than 120,000 residents. In the early years, cotton was the major export from Mesquite. Villains of the Wild Wild West, including Sam Bass occasionally rooted the trains passing through the city, but they didn’t have much impact.
Texas and Pacific Railway constructed a depot and put it up for sale, soon after buying the land. Reasons are not clear why the company sold the depot, but that's probably what drew people to the area in the first place. While businessmen flocked to Mesquite to buy the depots, the first Texas and Pacific train steamed through the area on its way to Dallas. That was a sign of good things to come.
Major William Bradfield came from North Carolina to become the first station master and postmaster for when Mesquite was just a town in 1873. He came on the first train going to Dallas and went down in history as the first migrant into Mesquite. There, he met the families of Zachariah Motley, David Florence, John Lawrence, and Braxton Jobson.
It took awhile for Mesquite to incorporate, and when it did in 1887, it became the second town outside of Dallas in Dallas County to gain the status and charm, it has today! Early pioneers placed a lot of emphasis on education leading to numerous schools sprouting on family farms. Dr. Counsel David Oates, coming from Alabama, started the Oates school in 1870. The location of the school is now Interstate 30 and Galloway Avenue. Another school, the Bennett School, was elected near New Market and Belt Line roads, serving the community until 1894. Only nine students graduated from its first class in 1890. The Murphy School is another notable school that occupied the area that's now Motley Drive and Town East Boulevard. J.H Florence donated the land for the school.
Apart from schools, Mesquite's early history was also hugely influenced by agriculture. As a matter of fact, the city held on to its agricultural roots until the 1950s. After giving up its agrarian roots in favor of new industries, the population of Mesquite increased 6-fold between 1950 and 2010. Today, the city is home to more than 120,000 residents. In the early years, cotton was the major export from Mesquite. Villains of the Wild Wild West, including Sam Bass occasionally rooted the trains passing through the city, but they didn’t have much impact.