Dallas, Texas incorporated as a city (1856)

Dallas, Texas, was formally incorporated as a city on February 2, 1856. This event occurred during the Regular session of the Sixth Texas Legislature, which granted the town a charter. The incorporation followed the establishment of Dallas County in 1846 and the annexation of Texas by the United States in 1845, marking a transition from a settlement to a legally recognized municipal entity.

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Background and detail

Legislative Action. The incorporation of Dallas as a city was enacted through legislative action. On February 2, 1856, the Sixth Texas Legislature granted a town charter to Dallas during its Regular session. This legal act transformed the settlement into a formally incorporated city within the state of Texas.

Historical Context. Prior to incorporation, John Neely Bryan returned in 1841 to establish a permanent settlement named Dallas. All of Texas had become part of the Spanish Viceroyalty of New Spain in the 16th century. The transition from a permanent settlement to an incorporated city followed the U.S. annexation of Texas, after which the Preston Trail route and the ford at Bryan's Bluff grew in importance.

People involved

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