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The town of Richardson can trace its beginning to an earlier community in this area named Breckenridge. Founded in the 1840s by settlers from Kentucky, Tennessee, and other southern states, Breckenridge was located south of present Richardson. In 1873 the Houston and Texas Central Railroad was built through Dallas County, bypassing the town of Breckenridge. The citizens moved north to the rail line and named their new town in honor of railroad contractor E. H. Richardson. Land for a townsite was donated by William J. Wheeler and Bernard Reilly. The new town grew quickly. With its main street facing the railroad tracks, it soon boasted homes, businesses, churches, and schools. By the 1890s Richardson was an important shipping point for area grain and cotton. The town was incorporated in 1925 and Thomas F. McKamy was elected Mayor. The 1930 U. S. Census showed a population of 629. Following World War II, the town's economic base changed from agriculture to electronics and manufacturing. Experiencing rapid growth after the 1950s, Richardson's population had passed 75,000 by 1990. |
