History of Mesquite TX
The name Mesquite is derived from the name of a tree, very appropriate considering the well-established history that this city has. Established in 1873, it was only the second major city outside of Dallas county.
When you think Texas, you often think Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas. While these aforementioned cities are rightfully recognized as the more prominent places, it can be said with utmost conviction that Mesquite has the biggest heart of them all when it comes to capturing the true essence of Texas.
Mesquite got electricity in 1889 when a group of private investors purchased and installed a small generator that had the capacity of lighting 50 bulbs. During the 1950s Mesquite city witnessed an upward surge in the consumption of electricity. So to solve for this, in 1977 the City of Mesquite decided to allow the residents to buy electricity at a relatively lower rate.
You’d be surprised to hear that prior to 1950, it was mostly a town for agricultural use. The population at the time was a mere 27,000. Things really took a turn after the second world war as the city matured into a residential and industrial area. As the DFW area started expanding, so did it’s surrounding cities – Mesquite being one of the major ones.
Now known as the ‘Rodeo Capital of Texas’, Mesquite has become one of the bigger cities in all of Texas. It boasts some very attractive tourist spots such as the Town East Mall, the rodeo, and the Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
