Plano (Past and Present)

Between 1960 and 1970, Plano, Texas experienced a population increase of 384 percent. Enrollment for new students skyrocketed, and the Plano Independent School District soon needed more schools. Plano became more progressive, African American students at Douglass High moved to newly integrated Plano High School. In both 1965 and 1967, the Plano Wildcats won the State Championship in football. In 1971, the Wildcats won the State Championship again, followed by one more in 1977. Herbert Hunt continued to build North Texas housing divisions, planning a 3,959 acre development which allowed for the rise of residential and commercial interests in Plano. By 1975, Plano's last cotton gin closed its doors. The city completed the transition from small farming community to bustling urban center. By the end of the decade, Plano's population exceeded 72,000 citizens. Plano has experienced periodic growth since its founding, in no small part due to the transportation systems that have carved their way through the city. Native American trails, stage coach lines, railways, and highways have intersected this area to support heavy expansion and make Plano what it is today. Plano has transformed from a rural, predominately white community to a diverse international city. In fact more than 25% of Plano residents were born outside of the United States. Read more