Dallas County

Duane's take

The official marker's got the word on this one, and I'm just here to pass it along. Alright, let's talk about Dallas County. Because before there was a skyline, before there was a county, there was barely even a town.

Just an unincorporated little place called Dallas, quiet enough that the Republic of Texas had to step in and give it something to hang its hat on. In 1843, the Republic designated it as a post office. That's it.

That's how small we're talkin'. A post office. But sometimes that's all a place needs to start becoming something.

Now, the Republic wouldn't last much longer after that; Texas joined the Union, and the first Legislature of the new state got to work fast. On March 30, 1846, that Legislature created the County of Dallas, carved right out of portions of Robertson and Nacogdoches counties. And here's where the story gets interesting, because both the city and the county (they were named in honor of the same man).

George Mifflin Dallas. Born in 1792, died in 1864. A Pennsylvania Democratic statesman, and not just any statesman; the eleventh vice-president of the United States.

He ran on a platform favoring Texas annexation. Think about that. A man from Pennsylvania, with his eye on Texas, his name ends up on one of the most storied counties in the whole Lone Star State.

George Mifflin Dallas never had to set foot in the place. He just had to believe Texas ought to be part of this country, and apparently, that was enough.

What the marker says

Dallas County The unincorporated town of Dallas was designated as a post office by the Republic of Texas in 1843. The County of Dallas was created by the first Legislature of Texas on March 30, 1846 from portions of Robertson and Nacogdoches counties. Both city and county were named in honor of George Mifflin Dallas (1792 - 1864) Pennsylvania Democratic statesman who was elected the eleventh vice-president of the United States on a platform favoring Texas annexation. (West limits Dallas, US Hy 80, State Hy 18)