The Colony, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Colony, Texas
City
Seal
Nickname(s):  City by the Lake
Location of The Colony in Denton County, Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Denton
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	16.15 sq mi (41.83 km2)
• Land	14.01 sq mi (36.28 km2)
• Water	2.14 sq mi (5.55 km2)
Elevation	554 ft (169 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	44,534
• Density	3,172.10/sq mi (1,224.73/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	75056
Area code(s)	214, 469, 945, 972
FIPS code	48-72530
GNIS feature ID	2412058

The Colony is a city in Denton County, Texas, United States. It is a suburb of Dallas, meaning it's a smaller city near a larger one. In 2020, about 44,534 people lived in The Colony.

History of The Colony

The city of The Colony got its name from an old settlement called the Peters Colony. The main office for Peters Colony was actually right where The Colony is today. This area was also home to other early communities like Bridges Settlement. Bridges Settlement was started when Texas was its own country, the Republic of Texas. It is the oldest community in Denton County.

Early Settlements and Cemeteries

One of the oldest parts of The Colony is Bridges Cemetery. It was started in 1857 on land owned by the Bridges family. You can find this cemetery on Morningstar Drive. Its gates are usually closed to the public. However, a local history group opens it for visitors on certain days.

How The Colony Was Built

The Colony as a city didn't exist before 1973. That year, a company called Fox and Jacobs bought a large area of land. This land was near State Highway 121 and Farm to Market Road 423. They chose the name "The Colony" to honor the early settlers of Texas. They wanted the new development to feel like a "living monument" to those brave people.

The company planned to build a "dream city" mainly with single-family houses. They wanted to group these homes together like a "colony." In 1973, they made a deal with the city of Frisco to start building. Street construction began in 1974. Many streets were named after early settlers and the people who built the roads.

The first model homes were ready in August 1974. The first families moved into their new homes in October of that year. These homes received water from a special district, electricity from Texas Power and Light, and other services like cable TV and phone.

Becoming an Official City

In 1977, the people living in The Colony asked to separate from Frisco's control. Their request was approved. The Colony then voted to become an official city in January 1977. It became a "Home Rule City" in 1979, which means it has more power to govern itself.

Residents voted twice to choose a name for their new city. Both times, they picked "The Colony." The City Council officially approved the name in May 1977. Later, in 1987, The Colony joined with a small community by the lake called Eastvale.

Geography and Location

The Colony is located at 33°5′27″N 96°53′5″W / 33.09083°N 96.88472°W / 33.09083; -96.88472. It covers about 41.7 square kilometers (16.15 square miles). Most of this area is land, but about 5.4 square kilometers (2.14 square miles) is water.

The city is next to Lewisville Lake and the city of Lewisville on its west side. To the north and east, it borders Frisco. To the south, it is next to Carrollton and Plano.

The Colony has about 23 miles of shoreline along Lewisville Lake. This includes two areas of land that stick out into the lake, called peninsulas. This is why The Colony is often called the "City by the Lake."

Population and People

The population of The Colony has grown a lot over the years. In 1980, there were about 11,586 people. By 2020, the population had grown to 44,534 people.

The people living in The Colony come from many different backgrounds. In 2020, about 53.2% of the people were non-Hispanic White. About 9.73% were Black or African American, and 8.78% were Asian. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up about 22.52% of the population.

Education in The Colony

The Colony is served by two different school districts: the Lewisville Independent School District (LISD) and the Little Elm Independent School District.

Lewisville ISD Schools

Lewisville ISD has built several schools within The Colony. There are five elementary schools: Peters Colony, Camey, B.B. Owen, Ethridge, and Morningside. Stewart's Creek Elementary closed at the end of the 2020-2021 school year.

There are also two middle schools: Griffin Middle School and Lakeview Middle School. The Colony High School is located just north of Texas State Highway 121 on Blair Oaks Drive.

In December 2020, the LISD Board made some changes. They decided to close Stewart's Creek Elementary. Many students from that school now attend Memorial Elementary – STEM Academy. This new school opened for the 2021-2022 school year.

Little Elm ISD Schools

Little Elm ISD also has schools in The Colony. Prestwick STEM Academy opened in 2014. It serves students from kindergarten to 8th grade in The Tribute neighborhood. Strike Middle School also opened in 2020 and serves students from The Tribute. It is named after a former superintendent, Dr. Lowell H. Strike.

College Opportunities

Because of its history, The Colony is part of the Collin College community college district. However, residents of The Colony do not pay taxes to this district. This means they have to pay higher tuition fees to attend Collin College.

Student Achievements

In May 2009, Eric Yang, a student from Griffin Middle School and a resident of The Colony, won the National Geographic Bee. He beat 54 other state champions to win a scholarship and a travel prize.

Transportation

Getting around The Colony is easy with these main roads:

• Main lanes: Sam Rayburn Tollway
  • Service roads: State Highway 121
• Farm to Market Road 423

See also

In Spanish: The Colony (Texas) para niños