Allen, Texas, Collin County. (original) (raw)

Collin County, Central Texas North

33� 5' 59" N, 96� 39' 47" W (33.099722, -96.663056)

FM 2478
7 Miles SW of McKinney the county seat
20 miles N of downtown Dallas
Part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area
ZIP Codes 75002, 75013
Area code(s) 214, 469, 972, and 945
Population: 104,627 (2020)
84,246 (2010) 43,554 (2000) 18,309 (1990)

History in a Pecan Shell

In 1870 by a purchasing agent for the Houston and Texas Central Railway selected the site for a new town and (wisely) named it not for himself, but for railroad promoter (and former State Attorney General) Ebenezer Allen. A post office was granted in 1876. In 1880 outlaw Sam Bass supposedly committed Texas' first train robbery at Allen. The population was an estimated 350 in 1884 and in 1908 the Texas Traction Company built an electric railway.

By 1915 the population was up to 550, declining to 400 in the 1940s. Train service was cancelled in the late 40s. From the late 60s to the present, Allen has experienced a population boom. From a population of just 1940 in 1970 it increased to 8,314 in just ten years. Ten years later it was up to 18,000 and in 2004 it has grown to over 43,000.

Photographer's Note:

Downtown Allen

Of the larger cities in Collin County, Allen has the fewest preserved buildings in it's old downtown. None of the buildings other than the following caught my eye. The historical buildings that are there are the depot and a couple of homes that had been converted to restaurants. Downtown is dominated by the First Baptist Church complex just to the east.

Perhaps in response to the lack of historical buildings, Allen has started construction of a historical village. Some of the structures that will be displayed there are in this set of photos. The park is just north of what remains of the old downtown. -

Mike Price, November 29, 2007

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