Highland Village is an affluent suburban city located in Denton County, Texas. It is a suburb of Dallas, which is near the south side of the western branch of Lewisville Lake. In this article, we will know more about the history of Highland Village, one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Denton County, Texas.
History
Highland Village is one of Denton County’s lake cities, and it began as a small rural town. The first settlers of the area that is now Highland Village arrived during the 1850s. The migrants were brought to the site by a wagon train route that was known as the Old Wagon Trail. During that time, the area had fertile, flat land that was perfect for farming. Aside from that, it also has hilly, wooded areas that were suitable for fishing and hunting.
During the 1930s, the farms and ranches were dispersed across Highland Village, and farmers grew crops such as sugar cane, cotton, and corn. Most of the farming families here sold raw milk to a dairy processing plant located in Denton. In 1929, the Rural Electric Association brought electricity to Highland Village, and since then, the community started to grow and develop with technology. However, probably the most significant turning point of Highland Village’s development was the creation of Lewisville Lake.
Built in 1957, the Lewisville Lake dam and the lake filled in just a span of two weeks. Since then, new business opportunities and new residents started to arrive in the small farming community. Most of these new residents came from Dallas areas such as Highland Park. They came into Highland Village to build their vacation and weekend homes on the lake. The thing that drew the Dallasites to Highland Village is that they could remain intact to the Dallas lifestyle and have the luxury to live a more enjoyable and relaxed nature. Since then, the residents started to love the area until they realized that they want to make their vacation homes in Highland Village permanent.
In 1963, Highland Village was officially incorporated as a city. Residents thought that the new city needed a name; that is why the community leaders came up with the word “Highland Village.” “Highland” was a nod to the several former “Highland” Park residents who made the community their new home. On the other hand, “Village” is a term they like to use because the neighborhood is like a close-knit community.
Robert Duvall was elected to be the first-ever mayor of Highland Village. Sometimes the villagers often referred to him as the “founding father of Highland Village.” He has been defined as a challenger of the status quo, a community leader, a business entrepreneur, as well as a true Texas cowboy. This is because the Duvall family was one of the people who owned ranch land in Highland Village. According to popular belief, the hills and trees in the area became famous hideouts for the infamous Sam Bass during the early days of Denton County’s history. A part of that original ranch land owned by the Duvall family is now known as the Doubletree Ranch Park. The park has been considered an integral part of Highland Village’s history because it used to be the place for community and social gatherings.
Highland Village continued to develop along Lake Lewisville, and as the years passed, the area rapidly grew. In 1970, the site had 516 residents, and in just ten years, the population grew to 3,246. In 1990, it double to a whopping 7,027 residents. Today, Highland Village is home to fire stations, police, schools, countless businesses, shopping areas, as well as a thriving population. Highland Village continues to evolve and move towards a bright future. In 2013, the Highland Village celebrated its 50th anniversary as a city.
