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Grand Prairie, Texas

"GP"

Sitting at the crossroads of Dallas and Fort Worth, Grand Prairie grew from cotton country into a defense industry hub and entertainment destination in the heart of the DFW metroplex.

Founded 1863 | Population 212,896 | Peak 212,896 (2024) | County Dallas County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Grand Prairie, Texas

1

1863 Settlement Founded: A.M. Dechman settled in the area between Dallas and Fort Worth, naming it for the vast tallgrass prairie landscape. The community grew around cotton farming.

2

1909 City Incorporates: Grand Prairie incorporated as a city, strategically positioned on the railroad between Dallas and Fort Worth.

3

1941 North American Aviation Plant: A major defense manufacturing facility was built to produce warplanes for WWII, employing thousands and transforming Grand Prairie into a defense industry hub.

4

1958 Chance Vought Relocates: Vought Aircraft relocated from Connecticut to Grand Prairie, eventually becoming LTV Aerospace and employing over 10,000 workers at its peak.

5

1970 Great Southwest Industrial Park: The massive industrial park between Grand Prairie and Arlington attracted hundreds of businesses, fueling suburban growth throughout the mid-cities area.

6

1990 Defense Industry Decline: Post-Cold War defense cuts hit Grand Prairie hard as LTV and other contractors downsized, forcing the city to diversify its economy.

7

1999 Lone Star Park Opens: The thoroughbred horse racing track opened, launching Grand Prairie's pivot toward entertainment and leisure as an economic driver.

8

2005 Verizon Theatre Opens: The 6,350-seat Verizon Theatre (now Texas Trust CU Theatre) opened, further establishing Grand Prairie as a DFW entertainment destination.

9

2012 Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark: The city-owned Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark opened as one of the largest in Texas, representing Grand Prairie's investment in family attractions.

10

2023 Population Exceeds 212,000: Grand Prairie's diverse population surpassed 212,000, making it one of the largest cities in the DFW metroplex.

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Complete Historical Timeline

1863 Government

A.M. Dechman settles the area

1876 Transport

Railroad reaches Grand Prairie

1909 Government

City incorporates

1941 Industry

North American Aviation WWII plant opens

1958 Industry

Vought Aircraft relocates from Connecticut

1970 Business

Great Southwest Industrial Park grows

1980 Government

Population reaches 71,000

1990 Industry

Defense industry cutbacks begin

1999 Culture

Lone Star Park horse racing opens

2005 Culture

Verizon Theatre opens

2010 Government

Population surpasses 175,000

2012 Culture

Epic Waters Waterpark opens

2023 Government

Population exceeds 212,000

Did You Know?

1

Grand Prairie's defense plants produced components for the P-51 Mustang, one of the most important fighter planes of WWII.

2

The city spans parts of three counties — Dallas, Tarrant, and Ellis — making it one of the few Texas cities to straddle three county lines.

3

Grand Prairie is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Texas, with no single racial or ethnic group forming a majority of the population.

Famous People from Grand Prairie, Texas

SG

Selena Gomez

Actor, Businessperson · Born Jul 22, 1992 · Age 33

DD

Dimebag Darrell

Guitarist · Born Aug 20, 1966 · Died Dec 8, 2004 (age 38)

BB

Benny Blanco

Record Producer, Author · Born Mar 8, 1988 · Age 37

JM

Jasmine Moore

Athletics Competitor · Born May 1, 2001 · Age 24

CB

Cheryl Bernard

Curler · Born Jun 30, 1966 · Age 59

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