Timeline

History of Roanoke Timeline
  • 1836 - The Texas Revolution occurs, after which Texas is an independent republic with Sam Houston as president.
  • 1847 - Medlin Settlement, named for Louis and Charles Medlin, was founded on Denton Creek. Present day town of Trophy Club occupies much of this area.
  • 1861 - Sam Houston was evicted from office March 16 from the Texas Independent Republic.
  • 1879 - Frequent floods of Denton Creek, which endangered the lives of both the settlers and their livestock, forced the settlers to move closer to the present site of Roanoke.
  • 1881 - The Texas and Pacific Railroad purchased land from the local settlers and began laying tracks at the new town site. One of the railroad surveyors named the town Roanoke, in memory of his home town in Virginia.
  • 1882 - The first post office and storehouses were built in Roanoke. Gus Wiggs was the town’s first postmaster.
  • 1886 - The Silver Spur Saloon was built by R.M. and B.S. Snead where the present-day Roanoke Visitor Center and Museum is located.
  • 1898 - A horse track was located at about the same place of the present day Roanoke train elevator. The men would gather their horses and have races there on Saturdays.
  • 1902 - Postmaster William Cowan, inaugurated the 1st rural route out of Roanoke.
  • 1906 - The Continental State Bank of Roanoke was established with Mr. “Lifey” Brand named as the bank’s president.
  • 1908 - A Masonic Hall was built and still stands today.
  • 1909 - The Roanoke Weekly News was established and published by J.C. Melton.
  • 1910 - All of the stores on the west side of Oak Street burned. Roanoke didn’t have a fire truck at this early date, so the fire was put out by men carrying water in buckets. Also in this year, Miss Ida Cowan was appointed post mistress at Roanoke by President Theodore Roosevelt, succeeding her father William Cowan.
  • 1917 - A boiler explosion occurred at Jack Medlin’s cotton gin which was located northwest of downtown Roanoke. Clint Merritt, Sam Seagraves, and Charlie Cleveland were killed in the explosion.
  • 1925 - The Roanoke Roller Mill burned. It was operated by Pete Lassem and was located on the west side of the railroad. Flour was shipped to Fort Worth and several other cities from the mill.
  • 1933 - Town of Roanoke was incorporated and H.W. Jenkins was elected as the town’s first mayor.
  • 1936 - The Federal Credit Union was established.
  • 1948 - The dial telephone system was installed by the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. When the automatic system started operation, Roanoke became the first small town in Denton County to have dial telephones. Also this year, Roanoke bought its first fire truck which is presently located at the Fire Station Museum across the street from Babe’s Chicken.
  • 1949 - Roanoke’s City Hall (Fire Hall) was completed.
  • 1950 - Natural gas was put in use in Roanoke.
  • 1956 - Construction of the new sewerage system began. This project cost around $60,000.
  • 1980 - The Meals-on-Wheels program was organized by Kelly Bradley, Vertalee Coleman, Emily Ragsdale, and Lona Clason with the Methodist church as its sponsor. Roanoke Meals-On-Wheels was a grass roots organization, supported by the community with private contributions and food prepared by volunteers. The Roanoke Public Library also opened this year. The library was operated by an organization called “Friends of The Roanoke Public Library” on a voluntary basis.
  • 1991 - The 1st police department was created in Roanoke.
  • 2004 - Mr. John H. Moore donated the Oak Street Rock Building to the City of Roanoke to be restored as a historic landmark.
  • 2005 - The Roanoke Recreation Center opened to the public.
  • 2007 - Restoration began in May and was completed in November on the Oak Street Rock Building, presently the Roanoke Visitor Center and Museum. Also, the Pacific Hotel, built in the 1800s was relocated from Oak Street and is now a private residence.
  • 2008 - Roanoke was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
  • 2009 - The City of Roanoke was officially appointed by the Texas House of Representatives as "The Unique Dining Capital of Texas."