Modern Southlake wasn't incorporated until 1956 although pioneers settled in the area in the 1840s. It takes its name from its location south of Grapevine Lake, completed four years before its incorporation and combines the settlements of Whites Chapel, Dove, Union Church and Jellico.
The opening of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in the 1970s led to rapid expansion. The city had 1,023 residents in 1960 and had grown to an estimated 26,770 residents in 2012.
"I love living in Southlake for many reasons," says Randy White, who works in real estate. "No. 1, it's a great place to do business and make friends. It's very diverse in that people relocate from all over the country to live here.
"It's a great place to raise a family, as it's filled with many wonderful homes and upscale neighborhoods," White said.
And, he says, the proximity to D/FW airport, Fort Worth, Dallas and Arlington are great pluses.
Because it was formed by a combination of smaller towns, Southlake lacked a town center. So in 1995, the city began working with Cooper & Stebbins, a Southlake real estate development and investment firm, to build it one - Southlake Town Square.
White says it is a unique area that includes great places for people to connect, and that's not to mention "a really cool movie theatre."
Brian Stebbins died last year, but the Square he built in cooperation with the city stands as a monument to his vision. The concept was to build a downtown from scratch in a varied architectural style reflecting late 19th and early 20th century Main Street America.
Today, it is home to expansive shopping and retail venues and several popular and widely attended annual events such as Art in the Square, an annual fundraising event created by Southlake Women's Club, and Oktoberfest, a three-day festival featuring a wide variety of entertainment, arts and crafts, German foods and drink, and other activities.
Southlake even offers downtown living in The Brownstones, which range in size from 2,000 to more than 3,800 square feet. They've been selling for $500,000 to more than $2 million.
