Prior to 1956, Colleyville used to not be called Colleyville. In fact, the town was technically named "Bransford" and included several small community-villages (Spring Garden, Pleasant Run, Pleasant Glade, Red Rock, Glen Hope). The small community-village vibe is still around in Colleyville; yet, there's evident wealth, prosperity and growth in what is one of the most delightful DFW towns.
Somewhere between Texas becoming a state and the American Civil War, the first settlers were arriving in Colleyville. The two most-notable were Jonathan Riley and Samuel Cecil Holiday Witten. Both men were the largest landowners in the Pre-Colleyville area and era. Witten's land was roughly between what is now Glade Rd (north), Cheek-Sparger (south), Hwy-26 (west) and TX-121 (east). Other notable settlers to the area are familiar names: Samuel Sparger, William Dunn, William Cheek, Felix Bransford, Joseph White, James McCain and Dr. Lilburn Colley -- the namesake of Colleyville. The early settlers to Colleyville were simple, humble folks who were displaced from the East for one reason or another. They established present-day Colleyville as a farm, ranch, rail and Christian community centered around the family land.
The turn of the 20th Century brought many grateful events as well as some challenging ones for Pre-Colleyville.
The vibrations of WW1 were not unnoticed in the small community. Several citizens had husbands and sons participated in the "Great War", a microcosm of any town in America at the time. But many exciting events and milestones were quite literally happening to Pre-Colleyville. The area was strategically placed along the Cotton Belt Railway (which proved pivotal the the growth of the area in the early years) and a supply route that ran between Grapevine and Fort Worth -- the future Hwy-26. This allowed merchants and tradespeople to root their stores and shops along the highway. A few of those buildings still exist today. Major industries in Pre-Colleyville were cotton, dairy, the gravel pit and horse breeding/racing.
Colleyville finally incorporated in 1956 out of necessity. Hurst was eyeing the community for annexation; thus, prompting Colleyville to incorporate or be swallowed whole. Residents at the time appreciated Colleyville's low-key, citizen-centered way of life too much to let it spoil. Everyone worked tirelessly for decades to preserve all aspects that made (and still make) Colleyville a special place to live. Today, in the 21st Century, Colleyville still celebrates its meaningful past while quietly becoming one of the best places in DFW to conduct business and raise a family. Although Colleyville was never established or designed to be a bastion for growth and prosperity, this "best kept secret" is all but shared. With outstanding schools, proximity, beautiful property and "citizen first" mentality, Colleyville is rapidly becoming one of the most popular towns in Texas to call home.
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