Everything is bigger in Texas, including the city of Garland! More than 215,000 people live in Garland, making it the 10th largest city in Texas, and the 83rd largest in the United States. But even though the city is large, Garland still offers residents a comfortable, hometown atmosphere to a diverse, thriving community. If you watch the animated series "King of the Hill," then you're already familiar with Garland, Texas. The fictional city of "Arlen" pays homage to Mike Judge's hometown of Garland.
What is now known as Garland got its start as Duck Creek. It was a thriving little town until the Santa Fe railroad bypassed it by a mile. A new community sprouted up near the rail line and called itself Embree taking with it most of Duck Creek's citizenry. The plot thickened when the MKT railroad came through the same year but established its base of operations a little further up the line. This added outpost was christened New Duck Creek. A great battle for dominance ensued and had to be settled by an act of Congress! The new site was chosen and named for then Attorney General Augustus Hill Garland. From such fractious beginnings, the community of Garland arose.
Garland is located just 15 miles northeast of downtown Dallas, and is bordered by Interstate 635, Interstate 30, and U.S. 190. The DART Light Rail Line bisects the city with two stations, and the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is only 30 minutes away.
Points of interest in the city include the newly constructed Firewheel Town Center which houses retail giants such as Dillard's and Macy's. Additionally, historic downtown clings to the "good old days" in the heart of the city with a collection of historic homes, shops and businesses, entertainment, and unique dining experiences. Garland is also rich in the cultural arts with several venues including the Patty Granville Arts Center, The Plaza Theater, and The Garland Opry. The Firewheel Town Center, an outdoor mall with department stores, boutiques, restaurants, and a movie theater just recently opened to rave reviews.
With an enrollment of over 57,000 students, the Garland Independent School District is the second largest district in Dallas County and one of the largest districts in the state of Texas. The district takes pride in its insightful, and forward-thinking, site-based decision making. Successful strategies have emerged from pilot programs and have been implemented as common practice at campuses throughout the district such as high school block scheduling and standardized dress codes. Additionally, many college and university campuses are within commuting distance, including SMU, University of Texas at Dallas, University of North Texas, Dallas County Community College District, University of Dallas, and Texas Woman's University.
On the entertainment front, singer LeAnn Rimes grew up in Garland, several episodes of the Chuck Norris television series Walker Texas Ranger and Fox Network's Prison Break were filmed in and around Garland.
In August 2008, the average home sales price for a single family home or condo in Garland, TX was $113,886. While this data is collected from the MLS and deemed reliable, it is not guaranteed.
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