Editing Rowlett, Texas (section)

==History==
Rowlett derives its name from [[Rowlett Creek]], which flows into Lake Ray Hubbard and is a major tributary of the east fork of the [[Trinity River (Texas)|Trinity River]]. The creek in turn was named for a waterway running through the property of Daniel Rowlett who moved from [[Kentucky]] to [[Bonham, Texas]], in 1835.<ref>{{Cite web|title=TSHA {{!}} Rowlett, Daniel |url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/rowlett-daniel |access-date=July 5, 2022 |website=www.tshaonline.org}}</ref> Daniel, who was a member of the [[Smoot–Rowlett family|Smoot-Rowlett political family]], had no direct dealings with the town that now bears his name.

The first post office opened on April 5, 1880, and it was called "Morris" after Postmaster Austin Morris.

The town was later renamed "Rowlett". The Dallas and Greenville Railway passed through the town in 1886, connecting Dallas with [[Greenville, Texas]], and the [[Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad]]. Shortly after its opening, the line was formally sold to the MKT.<ref>[https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/eqd02 Texas Handbook Online History of Dallas and Greenville Railway]</ref>

In 1921, the town was a stop on the [[Bankhead Highway]].

The town incorporated in 1952 when its population was 250. In the 1960s, the town languished as [[Interstate 30]] bypassed Rowlett.<ref>{{cite web|title=History of Rowlett |url=https://www.rowletttx.gov/429/History-of-Rowlett |publisher=City of Rowlett, Texas |accessdate=July 6, 2024}}</ref>

The town has had a building boom since the completion of Lake Ray Hubbard in 1971 – growing to 1,600 by 1973; 10,573 by 1989; 23,260 by 1990; and 44,503 by 2000.

Rowlett gained international notoriety in 1996 when local resident [[Darlie Routier]] was convicted of murdering her children as they slept.

In 2003, the town made an unsuccessful formal proposal to get the [[Dallas Cowboys]] to move to a {{convert|1000|acre|km2|adj=on}} "5-Point Park" on the banks of Lake Ray Hubbard when the lease for [[Texas Stadium]] expires.<ref>[http://www.ci.rowlett.tx.us/NR/rdonlyres/7179C7FA-402F-4DF3-8AA2-1B4232CF49C6/0/RowlettCowboyStadium1107031.doc City of Rowlett Press Release November 7, 2003]</ref>

In 2013, the Rowlett City Council was challenged by the Freedom From Religion Foundation and Metroplex Atheists regarding opening prayer invocations at city hall meetings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Group-Challenges-Rowlett-City-Prayer-Policy-Before-Meetings-198868041.html |title=Atheists Challenge Rowlett City Council Prayer Policy Before Meetings |date=March 18, 2013}}</ref> In a court case in May 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed a previous court ruling (Marsh v. Chambers) upholding the tradition of opening legislative sessions with sectarian prayer and additionally ruled in favor of a town's right to have invocations given by the predominant religion within its borders as long as it did not discriminate or coerce participation. (Town of Greece v. Galloway)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Harvard Law Review, Town of Greece v. Galloway |date=November 10, 2014 |url=https://harvardlawreview.org/2014/11/town-of-greece-v-galloway/ |access-date=October 28, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> Atheist proponents then asked the Rowlett City Council to be included in giving invocations. They were denied based on the Supreme Court ruling and city policy stating the invocation should be given by members of the community's locally established religious congregations."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Atheists Protest At Rowlett City Hall |website=[[CBS News]] |date=September 16, 2014 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/dfw/news/atheists-protest-at-rowlett-city-hall/ |access-date=October 28, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref>

On the evening of [[December 2015 North American storm complex|December 26, 2015]], a violent storm produced a deadly EF4 tornado that tore a 13-mile path from the neighboring cities of Sunnyvale, Texas and Garland, Texas through the southeast portion of Rowlett, severely damaging or destroying hundreds of homes and vehicles along with several businesses and a city water tower.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Eight dead after Saturday night North Texas tornado outbreak |url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/eight-dead-after-saturday-night-north-texas-tornado-outbreak |website=WAGA |date=December 28, 2015 |access-date=December 28, 2015 |language=en-US}}</ref>

On February 8, 2017, the historic water tower on Martha Lane built in 1980 was demolished two years after it suffered damage from the EF4 tornado on December 26, 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/water-tower-in-rowlett-demolished-monday/287-401560720 |title=Water tower in Rowlett demolished Monday |date=February 6, 2017}}</ref>

In 2019, the City of Rowlett gained regional recognition when Sapphire Bay Development, LLC and the City published plans to construct a master planned community in the middle of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. The 116-acre development will be Texas' first resort destination anchored by a man-made lagoon, offering guests a luxurious stay along its shore at the 500 room Sapphire Bay Resort, operated and managed by Destination Hotels by Hyatt. The project will also feature a surf village and a water park, 1,500+ residential units, 1.7 million square feet of mixed-use restaurant, retail, entertainment, office and hospitality space, 20+ acres of parks and trails, a 1,000 slip marina.<ref>{{Cite news|title=About|language=en-US|work=Sapphire Bay|url=https://sapphirebaytexas.com/about/|access-date=April 24, 2021}}</ref>