Why is this historical marker called Flower Mound Plaque when there are no flowers here? The town of Flower Mound Texas derived its name from a 12.5-acre mound. It stands 50 feet above the surrounding countryside. The Flower Mound Plaque marks a spot tied to a unique natural landmark.
This area was part of the great American Black Land Prairie. It ran from Canada to the Rio Grande. It stretched from the Rockies to the Mississippi. Only 1000 acres remain of the original 20 million acres. This is known as the Tall Grass Prairie.
Early pioneer settlers used the mound as a hay meadow. They never plowed it. Wild flowers were conspicuously abundant in wet springs. Wildflowers and native prairie grasses flourish throughout the year. The non-profit Mound Foundation has identified more than 175 species of wild flowers.
Flower Mound is an incorporated town in Denton and Tarrant counties. It is located northwest of Dallas and northeast of Fort Worth. It is adjacent to Grapevine Lake. The town derives its name from this prominent mound. The mound is located in the center of town.
Settlers used the site for religious camps during the 1840s. The area around Flower Mound was first permanently inhabited in the 1850s. Residents did not incorporate until 1961. An effort to create a planned community failed in the early 1970s. Flower Mound’s population increased substantially when Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport opened in 1974.
Flower Mound has invested in a public park system. This is highlighted by an extensive network of trails. Lewisville Independent School District operates public schools. It covers the majority of Flower Mound. Flower Mound has used a smart growth system for urban planning. It has recently experienced more rapid light industrial growth. This matches the growing needs of the primarily residential community.
Settlement began when Presbyterians established a camp in the area in the 1840s. By 1854 residents had established the Flower Mound Presbyterian Church. It was southwest of Lewisville in an area commonly referred to as Long Prairie.
On February 25 1961 the town voted to incorporate. This was to avoid annexation by the City of Irving. In 1970 Flower Mound had 1685 residents. Edward S. Marcus and Raymond Nasher began a planned community project. It had $18 million in loan guarantees from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. It was called Flower Mound New Town. The project was abandoned. Residents threatened to disannex a portion of the town. This was to thwart the development.
The construction of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in 1974 sparked rapid growth. Between 1980 and 1990 Flower Mound’s population increased. It went from 4402 to 15896. It reached 50702 in 2000. This was an average annual increase of nearly 13 percent per year during the 1990s.
Flower Mound is located on the border between Denton and Tarrant counties. It is situated on the basin of the Trinity River. It’s in the Eastern Cross Timbers subregion in Texas. The town borders Lewisville to the east. It borders Highland Village Double Oak and Bartonville to the north.
Much of the town is located on the Barnett Shale. Drilling for shale gas in close proximity to residential neighborhoods has sharply divided parts of the community. In 1994 Gary Byrd discovered a fossilized Hadrosaurid dinosaur. It was among black shale rock formations. This was near Grapevine Lake. The fossilized creature was named Protohadros byrdi in Byrd’s honor.
The Flower Mound rises 650 feet above sea level. It stands 50 feet above the surrounding countryside. The formation attracted the attention of early settlers. The Mound is typically covered by big bluestem little bluestem and Indian grasses. During blooming seasons dozens of varieties of flowers can grow on its slopes. The Mound is owned and maintained by The Mound Foundation.
So while this Flower Mound Plaque might seem like a simple marker it represents a rich history. It represents a unique geological and botanical landmark. It also represents the spirit of a town that has blossomed. It went from a small settlement to a thriving community.