The area now known as Southlake was settled in the 1840s, but was not incorporated as Southlake until 1956, four years after the construction of Lake Lewisville was completed. Before incorporation, the settlements of White’s Chapel, Dove, Union Church, and Jellico made up present-day Southlake. Evidence of these early settlements are still present in the names of churches and streets. The area remained rural until the completion of the DFW International Airport in the 1970s. Due to the close proximity to the airport, Southlake became a boom-burb throughout the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.
The city boasts numerous parks and natural resources. The Bob Jones Nature Center & Preserve was established to give people a unique opportunity to explore the Cross Timbers ecosystem. The nature center is surrounded by more than 700 acres of Cross Timbers habitat with more than 20 miles of hiking trails. The center encourages visitors to look for creatures in their natural habitats and enjoy the world around them.
Southlake is well known for its Southlake Town Square project, a shopping center located on State Highway 114 and Southlake Boulevard. A plan was approved in March 2005 that allowed the Town Square’s area to be doubled. The new additions to Town Square were completed in the summer of 2006, making it one of the most popular shopping centers in the Metroplex.
Most of the City of Southlake is in the 100% TEA Exemplary-rated Carroll Independent School District. This school district contains the following schools: 5 Elementary schools, 2 Intermediate schools, 2 Middle schools, 1 High school (grades 9-10), and 1 Senior High school (grades 11-12). All of the district’s schools are listed as “Exemplary” by Texas Education Association standards.
The Denton County portions of the city are in the Northwest Independent School District, while the extreme western portions are in the Keller Independent School District, and extreme eastern portions are in the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District. As of the 2013-2014 school year, any residents of the city of Southlake that lives outside of the Carroll ISD boundaries are allowed to attend a Carroll ISD school, if they apply through the school district.
