About Garland
Welcome to Garland
Garland offers world-class shopping, exciting recreational and arts activities, and thrilling events and attractions—all in one welcoming community. Bordering Dallas on the northeast, Garland is the second largest city in Dallas County and the tenth largest in Texas.
Visitors can enjoy a day of shopping at Firewheel Town Center, an open-air mall that offers a variety of retail and specialty stores, or get out on the greens for a round of golf at Firewheel Golf Park, a 63-hole, championship-style golf complex. Outdoor enthusiasts will want to check out Bass Pro Shops, located on the shore of Lake Ray Hubbard, and water lovers can enjoy a day of fun in the sun at Hawaiian Falls Waterpark during the summer months. Finally, end a perfect day in Garland with a live performance at the Patty Granville Arts Center.
Additional Information on Garland
Garland History
Before Texas attained statehood in 1846, Garland was part of the vast Peters colony, a venture by W.S. Peters for the settlement of families around the present Dallas area. Settlers began arriving around 1850, and a community was established in 1874 on the northwest bank of Duck Creek. The settlement took the same name.
The pioneers found the black soil ideal for cotton and made it their primary agricultural product. By 1867, two cotton gins had been built to accommodate the farming community, and in 1878 a post office was established.
In 1886, the Santa Fe Railroad built a rail line and a depot that bypassed Duck Creek by almost a mile. A village called Embree was established near the depot after prominent physician Dr. K.H. Embree. Many of the townspeople from Duck Creek moved to the new area and the post office went with them. That same year, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad (MK&T) came through, but declined to join the Santa Fe Railroad in a union station. Instead, MK&T built its own station a little further north and also called it Duck Creek.
A battle ensued between Embree and the new Duck Creek, each seeking to lure residents of the original Duck Creek to their community. In 1887, the post office was moved between the two towns and a bill was submitted to Congress that forced both railroads to deliver to the new post office. The location was named Garland in honor of Attorney General A.H. Garland, dissolving Duck Creek, Embree, as well as the old Duck Creek. The City of Garland was incorporated in 1891.
Bankhead Highway
The Bankhead Highway, America's second east-to-west transcontinental highway, ran through Garland from Washington D.C. to San Diego. Garland residents took advantage of the highway's potential for economic impact and built auto repair shops, restaurants and service stations along the highway, which was called Main Street. Although the Bankhead Highway was officially designated as Texas Highway 1 in 1917, it also retained the official Bankhead name until 1926 when it became part of U.S. Highway 67. The Bankhead Highway is remembered for its significant place in Garland's history, and received an official Texas Historical Marker in May 2010 naming it a Texas Historic Highway. The marker is located in downtown Garland on Main Street between Fifth and Sixth streets.
