Introduction
Flower Mound is a mid-size town with portions in both Denton and Tarrant Counties in Texas. It is a suburb of Fort Worth and Dallas with 64,669 residents according to the 2010 Census. The name of the town comes from a large 12.5 acre Wichita Indian sacred ceremonial mound at the southern section of town.
History
If you haven’t been to a little place called Flower Mound, Texas, then it’s time that you should at least get to know about it, especially its history and evolution as one of the fastest-growing communities in the US. This little community has seen considerable economic growth in recent years. It welcomes the steady development in an ever-changing business environment, while stubbornly maintaining its family-oriented, small-town character and appeal. This combination makes it a perfect place to live and to do business in, as well as a great recreational hub.
Flower Mound is a suburb in northern Texas, situated in Denton and Tarrant counties. It is located northeast of Dallas and northwest of Fort Worth. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is a bustling metropolitan area on the shores of Grapevine Lake.
The origin and the myth of the name “Flower Mound”
Flower Mound is an old community with Native American habitation as far back as 4000 BC. It was first settled by Europeans in the early 1840s, but it was not a bustling town in its infancy. The name “Flower Mound” comes from a prominent mound erected by the American Indians as a sacred place. At that time the name was coined, the mound scaled 50 feet. It also encompasses 12.5 acres (or 5.1 hectares). The mound is located in the southernmost part of the town. During that time in the community’s development, the early settlers just used the mound and never plowed it (e.g., they never dug the mound up for cultivation), leading to the proliferation of a variety of flowers that grew there, especially during wet springs.
Fascinating Facts About Native Americans
- Did you know Native Americans had warrior women? Many Native American warrior women fought alongside men. The most famous of these was probably the Buffalo Calf Road Woman, a member of the Northern Cheyenne who fought at the Rosebud and the Battle of Little Bighorn. It was she who delivered the final, fatal blow to Custer. The Buffalo Calf Road Woman is just one of those amazing stories in that Native American women weren’t left behind the house while men fought on the battlefield.
- Did you know Native Americans spoke hundreds of languages? Many languages were spoken in North America before colonization. Over 300, up to 500, are spoken across the continent. However, many of these languages have disappeared due to the government’s assimilation policy. In the early 19th century, Native Americans were expelled from their communities, moved to reservations, and their children were placed in Indian boarding schools taught in English. Native American tribes were prohibited from teaching their languages until Congress passed the Indian Education Act in 1972. It was then Native American tribes were allowed to teach their native languages.
- Did you know Native Americans were associated with the discovery of popcorn? Many enjoy the burst yet light grains of maize while watching their favorite television shows. Native Americans first cultivated the variety of corn that produced popcorn thousands of years ago. Corn was produced 10,000 years ago by southern Mexico and Guatemala’s indigenous peoples. When European settlers arrived in North America, Native Americans cultivated corn for thousands of years. Not only that, but Native Americans also grew beans, squash, potatoes, and tomatoes. Meanwhile, 6,700-year-old popcorn remains have been found in Peru. So, the next time you pick up a handful of your favorite snacks, remember that thanks to Native Americans, we have this well-loved nibble now.
- Did you know there are about nearly 600 tribes recognized by the government today? Academic records usually mention Indian tribes such as Cherokee, Mohawk, and Sioux, but records show that the United States government recognizes 574 tribes. Of the 574 tribes recognized, 229 are in Alaska. California has the second-highest number of recognized tribes in the state at 109 and the state with the highest Native American population. The National Park Service has a Tribal Conservation Program to help these tribes protect their historic lands and significant cultural heritage. Each tribe has different religious practices, languages, and origin stories.
There is another legend surrounding the Flower Mound, this time involving the members of the Presbyterian Church. The church was established and attended by early settlers in the mid-19th (which is otherwise a historical fact). The people stacked up some material on top of the mound, originally planning to erect a church building there. A tornado stormed the area and swept across the mound that led to the materials tumbling down from it. After seeing this “act of God”, the church members changed their site plans to build their church. If they had not, the site might be present day Flower Mound Presbyterian Church. Instead, it is now located in nearby city of Lewisville.
The community suburb, since the day it was established, had experienced steady growth in terms of population. Because of its healthy soil, the area was suitable to grow cotton, corn and wheat. Farmers also began raising and keeping cattle. In the first four decades into the 20th century, Flower Mound’s number of residents continued to grow. The development and the construction of the Grapevine Lake stimulated the town’s economy and attracted further residents.
Flower Mound was incorporated on February 25, 1961. This led to the improvement of the town’s facilities such as water supply and telephone lines.
By the early 1970s, Flower Mound’s population grew to over 1,500. Because of this, a planned community project was formed for the town. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) granted an $18 million loan to fund the project. The project was called “The Flower Mound New Town,” as a way of beckoning residents away from either Dallas or Fort Worth, both of which were by then becoming overpopulated and congested. Developers Edward S. Marcus and Raymond Nasher set up a number of neighborhood centers that would house thousands of residents, each equipped with schools, shopping and recreational areas as well as cable television services. Residents seemed less than keen on the proposal and were divided mainly on the “new town” proposal mainly due to the tax increases to help fuel the project. As a result, a number of controversial elections were held between 1971 and 1976. Other factors such as economic recession in the early to mid 1970s killed the project entirely.
Nevertheless, the number of residents in Flower Mound still went on growing substantially, largely because of the construction of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in 1974. The new airport, just four miles south of Flower Mound, proved to be a big boon for this little suburb. During the 1990s, Flower Mound was listed as one of the 100 fastest growing cities in the United States as its population grew from 15,257 to well over 50,000 in a decade. Although the town has grown tremendously, it endeavors to keep its small town atmosphere, rural characteristics and natural environment.
Government
City Council
- Mayor Melissa D. Northern – Office: (214) 402-7859
- Kendra Stephenson
- Al Filidoro
- Mark Wise
- Steve Lyda
- Tom Hayden
Flower Mound Fire Department
- Erick Metzger, Fire Chief – Office: (972) 874-6270
Flower Mound Police Department
- Kenneth Brooker, Chief of Police – Office: (972) 539-0525
Schools
- Lewisville Independent School District – (469) 713-5200
- Argyle Independent School District – (940) 464-7241
- Denton Independent School District – (940) 369-0000
- Flower Mound Elementary – (469) 713-5955
- Edward S. Marcus High School – (469) 713-5196
- Flower Mound High School – (469) 713-5192
- Northeast Texas Community College
Civic Organizations and Media
Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce
Civic Groups
- Kiwanis Club, Denton – (940) 387-6323
- Rotary Club of Denton-South – (940) 383-7676
- Cross Timbers Family YMCA – (972) 539-9622
- Community Activity Center – (972) 874-7275
- Big Brothers & Big Sisters – (972) 871-7161
Local Hospitals
- Cook Children’s Pediatrician – (972) 691-2388
- Flower Mound Emergency Center – (972) 420-4911
- Trinity Medical Center – (972) 691-5641
- Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Flower Mound – (469) 322-7000
- First Choice Emergency Room – (972) 899-6660
- Medical Center of Lewisville – (972) 420-1410
- Columbia Medical Center or Lewisville – (972) 370-3606
Local Libraries
- Flower Mound Public Library – (972) 874-6200
- Southlake Public Library – (817) 481-5718
Media
- Television
- Azteca America – KAZD-TV 55 – (877) 862-8396
- Time Warner Cable – (972) 742-5892
- Daystar TV Network – (817) 868-7776
- Trinity Broadcasting Network – (817) 442-8210
- KZZA TV Station – (972) 652-2990
- KNOR – (972) 652-2900
- KMPX TV Channel 29 – (817) 868-2900
- Radio Stations
- KTCY-FM Spanish Radio– (214) 787-1017
- KLTY Radio – (214) 441-9947
- Salem Radio Network – (972) 299-5759
- KSKY FM – (214) 561-9660
- Liberman Broadcasting Inc. – (972) 652-2900
- Newspapers
- Northeast Tarrant Morning News – (817) 410-9602
- DFW Newspaper – (817) 540-4666
- Alliance Regional Newspapers – (817) 431-2231
- Dallas Morning News – (972) 242-1059