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BLUE RIDGE,
TEXAS
Collin County, North
Central Texas
33°17'57"N 96°24'6"W (33.299206, -96.401616)
Highway 78 and FM 981
20 Miles S of Sherman
12 Miles N of Farmersville
17 Miles NE of McKinney
the county seat
ZIP Code 75424
Area code 972
Population: 1,180 (2020)
822 (2010) 672 (2000) 521 (1990) |
Blue
Ridge Coca Cola Mural
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, 2007 |
History in
a Pecan Shell
Texas Revolution
veteran Matthiss Mowry was the original owner of what was to become
Blue Ridge through a Republic land grant. The town itself wasn’t established
until 1876 when a post office was established. The name reportedly
coming from a topographical feature and the abundant blue flowers.
By 1877 a cotton gin, sawmill, and gristmill were in operation. The
population was near 400 by 1900 and by 1915 it had reached 600.
The town was struck by a killer tornado on October 8, 1919, taking
seven lives and doing substantial damage. In just ten years there
was hardly a trace of the damage and the population was climbing back
toward its 1915 levels with 450 residents. Streets were paved and
the town had all utility infrastructure in place for 1930.
On the eve of WWII,
the population was 400 but although it fared well through the Great
Depression, the postwar years weren’t as kind. It fell into a comfortable
lull of between 400-500 residents from the late 70s to the present
(2000) 672. |
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| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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