Melissa, Texas. (original) (raw)

History in a Pecan Shell

Melissa settlement began in the 1840s although the town didn't really take off until the Houston and Texas Central Railway arrived in the early 1870s. The towns namesake is not certain since there were two railroad executives with daughters named Melissa. The town's railroad connection drew off population from Highland, Texas, a small community about 2.5 miles north of Melissa.

A post office was granted in the first half of 1873 and by 1884 the town had a population estimated at 100.

Melissa was on the line of the first Texas Interurban line (the Texas Electric Railway) which ran from Denison to Dallas beginning in 1908. The population increased to 400 by 1914. Melissa's connection to the electric railway insured that the town was "wired" and the townspeople also benefited from paved roads and a telephone exchange - all of this infrastructure installed prior to 1920.

Melissa had all essential businesses plus a fully-enrolled school. As a shipping point, Melissa sent out 3,000 bales of cotton each year from two cotton gins. Disaster appeared in 1921 in the form of a tornado. In April of that year thirteen people were killed and both businesses and residences were destroyed. To make matters worse, a fire raged through town eight years later consuming many of the replacement buildings. Growth was curtailed by the Great Depression, mechanized farming and Defense industry jobs available in Dallas during WWII.

From 500 people in the mid 1920s, Melissa declined to less than 300 by 1949. It increased to 375 by the mid 1960s and to just over 600 in 1980. The 2000 Census shows a substantial increase to over 1,300.

Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their Melissa history, stories, landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact us.

"...the truck broke down one day and he just left it there."
Photo Courtesy Justin Parson

"The Cadillac was out in the woods in the middle of nowhere... the landowner said it's been there since she was a little girl."
Photo Courtesy Justin Parson

Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact us.