Editing Melissa, Texas

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Melissa, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| image_skyline      = 
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_map          = Collin County Texas Incorporated Areas Melissa highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Melissa in [[Collin County, Texas|Collin County]], [[Texas]]
<!-- Location -->| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Texas]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Texas|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Collin County, Texas|Collin]]
<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = [[Council-manager government|Council-Manager]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cityofmelissa.com/27/Government#:~:text=The%20City%20of%20Melissa%20is,is%20responsible%20for%20City%20operations.|title=Government of Melissa|publisher=City of Melissa|access-date=January 26, 2025}}</ref>
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Jay Northcut<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cityofmelissa.com/271/Reed-Greer|title=Melissa Mayor|publisher=City of Melissa|access-date=January 26, 2025}}</ref>
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = <!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 29.83
| area_land_km2      = 29.66
| area_water_km2     = 0.17
| area_total_sq_mi   = 11.52
| area_land_sq_mi    = 11.45
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.07
<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 13901
| population_density_km2 = 408.52
| population_density_sq_mi = 1058.07
<!-- General information -->| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 656
| coordinates        = {{coord|33|17|05|N|96|33|09|W|region:US-TX|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code        = 75071, 75454
| area_code          = [[Area codes 214, 469, 972, and 945|214, 469, 945, 972]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 4847496<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2411073<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2411073}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|cityofmelissa.com}}
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Melissa''' is a city in [[Collin County, Texas|Collin County]], [[Texas]], United States. The population was 4,695 at the 2010 census,<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4847496| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Melissa city, Texas| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=July 31, 2015| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213070808/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4847496| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> up from 1,350 at the 2000 census; in 2020, its population grew to 13,901.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4847496&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

==History==
Among Melissa's earliest inhabitants were  [[Paleo-Indians]]; archaeological finds in the area have been dated to approximately 9500 BC.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tfdsupplies.com/blogs/local-historical-events/7-pieces-of-history-near-melissa-tx |title=7 Pieces of History Near Melissa, Texas|website=tfdsupplies.com}}</ref> In the centuries since, several Native American tribes called the area home, including the [[Caddo]], [[Cherokee]], [[Delaware tribe|Delaware]], and the [[Kickapoo people|Kickapoo]].<ref name="Indians">{{cite web|url=https://www.collincountyhistory.com/indians.html#:~:text=Indians%20living%20in%20Collin%20County%20were%20of%20the%20Caddo%2C%20Cherokee,were%20peaceful%20farming%2Fhunting%20Indians|title=Indians living in Collin County|website=CollinCountyHistory.com}}</ref> The [[Tonkawa]] people had a settlement in the area, northeast of [[McKinney, Texas|McKinney]].<ref name="Indians" /> These people were focused primarily on agriculture and a hunting-and-gathering lifestyle, living peacefully from the land's bounty.<ref name="Indians" />

Initially settlers came from the old Highland community, two and a half miles north of present-day Melissa. C.H. Wysong, a [[blacksmith]], was one of the earliest settlers. A [[post office]] was established in 1853 at Highland. The [[Houston and Texas Central Railroad]] arrived in Melissa in 1872 and established a depot. The town was laid out at this time. The railroad encouraged many families to come to Melissa. The town is believed to have been named for the daughter of a railroad executive, George A. Quinlan (1838–1901) of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. There is some disagreement about this, as others argue that the town was named after Melissa Huntington, daughter of C. P. Huntington, another well-known railroad executive. [[Anna, Texas]], is named after Anna Elizabeth Quinlan (1878–1952), the only daughter of George Austin Quinlan and his wife Mary Kate Saunders (1851–1884). [[Quinlan, Texas]], is named after George Austin Quinlan himself.

[[Image:tornado hits school edited.jpg|thumb]]
The first school in Melissa was built on land purchased in 1882 by trustees James Graves, John Gibson, and George Fitzhugh (son of [[William F. Fitzhugh]]), who were early settlers of the area. The first teacher was Mary Huckerston, who taught there for five years. The school began with 38 pupils. Church services were held there for all faiths on Sundays. A two-story brick schoolhouse was built on this site in 1910 to accommodate growth brought by the railroad.

Melissa was an important shipping point in the early 1900s. Corn, wheat, alfalfa hay, wood, and livestock were all sent out on the railroad.

A deadly [[Fujita Scale|F4]] tornado struck Melissa on April 13, 1921, killing 13 people and injuring many more. The tornado tore the roof off of the brick school building, but the children inside were not seriously injured. However, all churches in the town, three cotton gins, every business house except a bank, the post office, and the Houston and Texas Central railway station, were wrecked. The Waldon Hotel was lifted by the winds, turned halfway around, and thrown up against the school building.

Eight years later, on August 8, 1929, a fire burned down many of the buildings that had been rebuilt after the tornado. Population declined from a high of 500 in 1925 down to 285 in 1949.

==Geography==

Melissa is located in north-central Collin County. [[Texas State Highway 5|State Highway 5]] passes through the center of the city, [[Texas State Highway 121|State Highway 121]] passes through the eastern part, and the [[U.S. Route 75]] freeway passes through the western side. US 75 and Highway 121 converge in the southwest part of Melissa, then head {{convert|6|mi|0}} southwest to [[McKinney, Texas|McKinney]], the Collin County seat. The center of [[Dallas]] is {{convert|40|mi}} southwest of Melissa, and [[Denison, Texas|Denison]] is {{convert|37|mi}} to the north via US 75.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Melissa has a total area of {{convert|26.4|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|26.2|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.2|sqkm|order=flip|2}}, or 0.66%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics==

{{US Census population
| 1880 = 57
| 1960 = 405
| 1980 = 604
| 1990 = 557
| 2000 = 1350
| 2010 = 4695
| 2020 = 13901
| estyear = 2023
| estimate = 23571
}}

<ref>{{Cite web |publisher=United States Census Bureau |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |access-date=2024-11-15 |website=Census.gov |language=en}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Melissa, Texas - Racial and ethnic composition'''<br /> (NH = Non-Hispanic){{efn|Note: the U.S. Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.<ref>https://www.census.gov/ {{nonspecific|date=August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=18 May 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Pop 2010<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=melissa%20city%202010%20p2&g=160XX00US4847496 |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=":0" />
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|3,691
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8,926
|78.62%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |64.21%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|252
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,552
|5.37%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |11.16%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|45
|style='background: #ffffe6; |118
|0.96%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.85%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|27
|style='background: #ffffe6; |475
|0.58%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.42%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|6
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10
|0.13%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.07%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|1
|style='background: #ffffe6; |62
|0.02%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.45%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|73
|style='background: #ffffe6; |761
|1.55%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.47%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|600
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,997
|12.78%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |14.37%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''4,695'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''13,901'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 13,901 people, 3,058 households, and 2,824 families residing in the city. As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2010, there were 4,695 residents. As of 2000, there were 1,350 people, 472 households, and 365 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|294.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 501 housing units at an average density of {{convert|109.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.

In 2000, the racial makeup of the city was 89.63% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.52% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.44% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.52% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 7.63% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.26% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 13.33% of the population.

There were 472 households, out of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 18.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.8% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

According to the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the city was $60,909, and the median income for a family was $66,172. Males had a median income of $40,417 versus $30,435 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $26,193. About 3.0% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.9% of those under age 18 and 0.9% of those age 65 or over.

== Economy ==
According to the city's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top 10 employers in the city are:<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 Melissa Annual Comprehensive Financial Report |url=https://www.cityofmelissa.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/100 |access-date=January 25, 2025}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background: #313638; color:#fff;" |#
! style="background: #313638; color:#fff;" |Employer
! style="background: #313638; color:#fff;" |# of Employees
|-
|1
|[[Melissa Independent School District]]
|800
|-
|2
|Redden Concrete, Inc.
|428
|-
|3
|Beam Concrete Construction
|315
|-
|4
|[[Buc-ee's]]
|313
|-
|5
|NTMWD Regional Disposal
|113
|-
|6
|City of Melissa
|90
|-
|7
|[[McDonald's|McDonalds]]
|65
|-
|8
|Calhar Utility Construction
|62
|-
|9
|[[Braum's]]
|45
|-
|10
|CMC Rebar
|35
|}

==Education==
{{see also|Melissa Independent School District}}
The city is served by the [[Melissa Independent School District]]. In 2004, [[McKinney Independent School District|McKinney ISD]] and [[Anna Independent School District|Anna ISD]] refused to educate any more Melissa ISD high school classes. In 2007, [[Melissa High School]] graduated their first class with 46 students. Harry McKillop Elementary School opened its doors as the elementary school in fall 2008, housing Pre-K to third grade. The former Melissa Ridge Elementary School campus was converted to Melissa Ridge Intermediate School, serving fourth and fifth grades, and Melissa Middle School, serving sixth, seventh and eighth grades. In 2015, Melissa Middle School was awarded "A School to Watch" which gives them a high rank of schools in Texas. In 2019, Melissa Schools redistributed the allocation of campuses with the following changes. Melissa Ridge Education Center servicing pre-k through kindergarten, Harry McKillop Elementary School serving grades 1–5, North Creek Elementary School serving grades 1–5, Melissa Middle School grades 6–8, and Melissa High School serving traditional grades 9–12.

== Transportation ==
Both [[U.S. Route 75|U.S Highway 75]] and [[Texas State Highway 5]] runs north to south through Melissa. [[Texas State Highway 121]] runs northeast to southwest through Melissa eventually converging with 75 in the southwest corner of Melissa. [[Farm to Market Road 545|FM 545]] runs east to west through Melissa.<ref>[https://www.txdot.gov/content/dam/docs/maps/city/travel-map-texas.pdf Texas Official Travel Map]</ref>

=== Roads ===
* {{jct|state=TX|US|75}} Runs north to south through Melissa on the city's western side.
* {{jct|state=TX|SH|5}} Runs north to south between U.S 75 and SH 121.
* {{jct|state=TX|SH|121}} Runs northwest to southeast through Melissa. To the northwest is [[Westminster, Texas|Westminster]] and to the southeast is [[McKinney, Texas|McKinney]].
* [[File:Texas FM 545.svg|20px]] [[Farm to Market Road 545|FM 545]] runs east to west through Melissa. To the east, FM 545 goes to [[Blue Ridge, Texas|Blue Ridge]].
==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==

<references />
* Billie L. Wallis, ''History of Melissa Independent School 1882-1982''
* ''McKinney Courier-Gazette'', April 13, 1975
* ''Handbook of Texas Online'': [https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hlm54 Melissa, TX]
* ''Dallas Morning News'', June 14, 1997: "Surviving the Wrath"

==External links==
*[http://cityofmelissa.com City of Melissa official website]

{{Collin County, Texas}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex]]
[[Category:Cities in Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Collin County, Texas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1853]]