Editing Addison, Texas (section)

==History==
Addison was originally part of [[Peter's Colony]].<ref name=TSHA-Addison>{{cite web |url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/addison-tx |title=Addison, TX |last=Maxwell |first=Lisa C. |orig-date=1952 |date=September 20, 2023 |website=Handbook of Texas Online |publisher=Texas State Historical Association |access-date=January 8, 2024}}</ref> The future town site was settled as early as 1846 when Preston Witt built a house near [[White Rock Creek]].<ref name="Addison-history">{{cite web |title=The History of Addison |url=https://www.addisontx.gov/Government/About-Addison/Historical-Photos |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730030521/http://addisontx.gov/about_addison/ |archive-date=July 30, 2013 |access-date=July 24, 2013 |website=The Town of Addison Official Website |publisher=Town of Addison}}</ref> In 1849, the Witt family opened a [[gristmill]].<ref name=TSHA-Addison/> In 1880, settler Sidney Smith Noell purchased a large tract of land south of what is now [[Belt Line Road (Texas)|Belt Line Road]].{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|p=1}} In 1888, Noell, together with W.W. Julian and W. E. Horten, donated land to the St. Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railway, a predecessor of the [[St. Louis Southwestern Railway]] (known as the Cotton Belt), for a coaling station.<ref name=TSHA-Addison/><ref name=Addison-history/>{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|p=1}}

The first substantial industry in the community was a [[cotton gin]], opening in 1902.<ref name=Addison-history/> In 1903, the Cotton Belt built a depot and a {{cvt|12|mi|km|adj=on}}&nbsp;[[branch line]] leading south to Dallas, named the site '''Noell Junction''', and started passenger train service from the small depot to the city.<ref name=TSHA-Addison/>{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|p=2}} In 1904, a post office opened; however, there was already a community named Noell in [[Leon County, Texas]], so the new community changed its name to Addison, after Addison Robertson, a local resident who would later serve as the community's second [[postmaster]] from 1908 to 1916.<ref name=TSHA-Addison/><ref name=Addison-history/>{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|p=1}} Also in 1904, Julian [[plat]]ted the first six city blocks.<ref name=TSHA-Addison/>

The population grew to 75 by 1914, at which time the community had three grocers and a bank, but the bank later failed and the population fell to 40 in 1926.<ref name=TSHA-Addison/> After [[World War II]], residents grew concerned that the nearby cities of Dallas, [[Carrollton, Texas|Carrollton]], or [[Farmers Branch, Texas|Farmers Branch]] might annex the community, so they petitioned the county to allow an election for incorporation. The election was held on June 15, 1953, and by a vote of 19 in favor and 11 against, Addison was incorporated as a city.<ref name=TSHA-Addison/><ref name=Addison-history/>{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|p=2}}

In 1955, W.T. Overton, a 28-year-old businessman from Dallas, purchased a large farm north of the Cotton Belt depot, and in January 1956, he announced that the site would be redeveloped as an airport focused on [[business aircraft]].{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|pp=2–5}} After obtaining final approval from the city, [[Addison Airport]] had its formal groundbreaking ceremony on March 16, 1957,{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|p=14}} and its grand opening took place on October 18 of that year.{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|p=19}}

At the time, Addison residents relied almost entirely on private wells for water. Overton and his investors realized that a private well would not support their development plans, so they petitioned the city to drill a municipal well and build its first public water system. The project was approved by voters in April 1957 and construction began in August. The well was later supplemented by a large water main extended from Dallas.{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|p=10}}

In 1961, an investment group including Overton, John D. Murchison (son of oil magnate [[Clint Murchison Sr.]]), and Dallas-area developer [[Trammell Crow]] opened a {{cvt|73|acre|ha|adj=on}} [[industrial park]] in the triangular area formed by the Cotton Belt, Dooley Road, and the main Addison Airport runway.{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|p=31}}

In 1970, the city had 595 residents and eighty businesses. That decade, the local government heavily promoted industrial development.<ref name=TSHA-Addison/> In 1976, residents voted to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages, which was prohibited in most of Dallas County and nearby [[Collin County, Texas|Collin County]]; together with low taxes, this prompted many restaurants and hotels to open in the city.<ref name=TSHA-Addison/><ref name=Addison-history/> The town grew very quickly in the late 1970s and early 1980s.<ref name=Addison-history/> By 1986, there were 49 restaurants in town; in 1991, there were 118, and the population had grown to over 8,000.<ref name=TSHA-Addison/> From 1989 through 1991, Addison hosted the [[Dallas Grand Prix]].{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|pp=66–67}}

In 1982 the name of the city was changed to the "Town of Addison".{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}

The [[Addison Airport Toll Tunnel]], a three-year, $26.8 million project to relieve traffic on Belt Line Road, was completed in February 1999, restoring the continuity of Keller Springs Road 42 years after it was severed by the construction of Addison Airport.{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|pp=74–75}}